Sleep is My Waking Passion™ ft. Dr. Alison Kole

Last week on the podcast, Xavier shared the full story of the night his life nearly ended.

This image is a single moment from the video his father sent me that night. What began as what looked like loud snoring quickly turned into choking, gasping, and long pauses between breaths that any sleep specialist would recognize as a medical emergency.

Xavier was 26. Newly married. He had fallen asleep on his dad’s couch after alcohol, marijuana, and a gas-station kratom pill.

A short time later, his heart stopped.

His father noticed something was wrong, started CPR, and called 911. That moment — and the video you’ll see in the article — likely saved his life.

In honor of Xavier’s courage in sharing this story, 50% of any subscription proceeds from this week’s Substack will be donated to the Herren Project, which supports individuals and families navigating substance use and recovery: bit.ly/4sG2sfG

4 weeks ago (edited) | [YT] | 18

Sleep is My Waking Passion™ ft. Dr. Alison Kole

This World Sleep Day, I’m celebrating someone who has supported me since day one of my own sleep medicine journey — my dear friend and our very first podcast guest, Dr. Val Cacho. (@sleephoria and @drvalsleepgal)

Val and I met back in 2012 during sleep fellowship, and over the years our friendship has only deepened. She’s been a constant source of encouragement — reminding me to think outside the box long before it was cool — and she continues to inspire me with her boldness and vision.
Watching her build a thriving, seven-figure sleep wellness business from the ground up has been nothing short of awe-inspiring. I may be technically a bit taller, but I absolutely look up to her in every way that matters.

To my day-one sleep sister, entrepreneur, and expand-what’s-possible friend, Dr. Val Cacho: thank you for over a decade of support, courage, and inspiration. Couldn’t dream up a better first guest. 🌙✨

PS: I would love to also highlight the nearly 80,000 subscribers on the Sleep Is My Waking Passion YouTube channel! I am grateful for everyone who has joined me on advocating for better sleep 💤

1 month ago | [YT] | 3

Sleep is My Waking Passion™ ft. Dr. Alison Kole

This was one of the most difficult interviews I’ve recorded — but also one I’m very proud of.

Cataplexy is incredibly difficult to put into words. It’s a neurological event where strong emotions — sometimes even laughter — can suddenly cause someone to lose muscle control while remaining fully conscious.

Solomon Briggs lives with Narcolepsy Type 1 with cataplexy, and trying to describe that experience isn’t easy. It’s complex, personal, and often misunderstood.

In this episode, we go deeper into what cataplexy actually feels like and why hearing directly from patients matters so much in sleep medicine.


You can watch the conversation here:
🔗 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7VHs...

1 month ago (edited) | [YT] | 1

Sleep is My Waking Passion™ ft. Dr. Alison Kole

I have lost count to how many times I have heard patients say, “I am tired all day but wide awake at night”.


Chronic insomnia is not something you fix with lavender spray or blue light glasses. It is a learned pattern of wakefulness in bed and it needs to be rewired.


In this episode of Sleep Is My Waking Passion™, I sit down with behavioral sleep expert Dr. Jason Ong to talk about why cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia is now the gold standard treatment and how digital CBTI is expanding access to care.


Listen here

🔗 https://youtu.be/Lj1K9KoJxjc

1 month ago (edited) | [YT] | 0

Sleep is My Waking Passion™ ft. Dr. Alison Kole

100 episodes of Sleep Is My Waking Passion™ and 50,000 subscribers on YouTube.

What started as a place to ask better questions about sleep has grown into a community of patients, clinicians, and curious minds who care about what happens when we truly rest and what happens when we don’t.

This milestone isn’t about numbers alone. It reflects hundreds of conversations about insomnia, sleep apnea, nervous system health, cardiovascular risk, pregnancy, mental health, and the many ways sleep shows up in everyday life.

I’m deeply grateful to every listener, viewer, guest, and collaborator who has helped shape this space and keep these conversations thoughtful, evidence based, and human.

If you’re new here, there’s no better place to start than the newest episode, where we continue exploring how small, intentional changes can meaningfully improve sleep and overall health.


📺 Watch the latest episode here: https://youtu.be/T0EdUI32tTY?si=RtC-A...

Thank you for being part of this journey.

1 month ago | [YT] | 18

Sleep is My Waking Passion™ ft. Dr. Alison Kole

🎧 7,725 Downloads in 2025



I launched Sleep Is My Waking Passion™ in 2023 with zero audience and a mission to make the science of sleep accessible.



In 2025, we passed 13,600 lifetime downloads, with 7,725 just this year.


That means more people listened, more patients felt seen, and more conversations sparked around sleep apnea, narcolepsy, insomnia, rare disease, and more.


To every single listener: thank you.



To every guest who gave their time, story, and expertise: thank you.



To the advocates, clinicians, and patients who’ve shared this show, your voice is building a movement.



New Season launches next week!

3 months ago | [YT] | 9

Sleep is My Waking Passion™ ft. Dr. Alison Kole

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a well rested holiday 🎄

3 months ago | [YT] | 25

Sleep is My Waking Passion™ ft. Dr. Alison Kole

Why is everyone talking about sleep? Collaboration Alert! Check out my interview with Sean Trace to hear my perspective

3 months ago | [YT] | 1

Sleep is My Waking Passion™ ft. Dr. Alison Kole

After more than 20 years in sleep medicine — and about 5 years of figuring out how to squeeze science into social media — I’m feeling especially thankful today. To everyone who listens to the podcast, follows along here, asks thoughtful questions, and genuinely wants to understand their sleep… thank you. You make this work meaningful, energizing, and yes, still fun after two decades.

I hope today gives you space to laugh, connect, eat something delicious, and remember what (and who) you’re grateful for. And when the dishes are done and the leftovers are chilling, I hope you protect your peace and prioritize the kind of deep, unbothered sleep that even your turkey-induced nap can’t compete with. 

So remember: eat, laugh, nap, repeat— doctor’s orders. 🙏💕

4 months ago | [YT] | 6

Sleep is My Waking Passion™ ft. Dr. Alison Kole

We are so grateful for this community as we celebrate 20,000 subscribers on the channel.

Thank you for showing up, listening, sharing, and growing with us throughout Season 8. Your support makes every episode meaningful and inspires us to keep creating conversations that help you sleep better, feel better, and live better. We are already working on incredible things for Season 9 quietly in the background while we rest and recharge.

As part of a new series, we will be highlighting a different episode on our YouTube channel each week, so be sure to keep tuning in to catch these features and stay connected in between seasons.

Thank you for being part of this journey and for helping the Sleep Is My Waking Passion community grow into something truly special. 🌙💙

4 months ago | [YT] | 16