Sleep is My Waking Passion
Hosted by Dr. Alison Kole—a triple-boarded pulmonary critical care and sleep medicine physician, reformed chronic insomniac, devoted mom, and unapologetic sleep health creator—this hit podcast takes you on the real, unfiltered journey inside the science and soul of sleep. Each week, with wisdom forged from the trenches of night shifts and the chaos of motherhood, Alison sits down with top-tier experts and ordinary people with extraordinary sleep stories, unraveling how sleep shapes happiness, health, and destiny. If you want the 360° truth—the wins, the setbacks, the breakthroughs—about why every hour of sleep could be the most important hour of your life, this is the show that will change how you see your pillow forever. Sleep isn’t just her passion—it’s the key to waking up to your potential. Hit subscribe and transform your nights, days, and dreams.
Episodes
109 episodes
Sleep Apnea Nearly Killed Me: ‘Out of Breath’ Documentary (with NJ Sleep Doctor Dr. Alison Kole & George Nierenberg)
What if the thing quietly stealing your energy, memory, and even your life was happening while you sleep? In this powerful episode of Sleep Is My Waking Passion, Dr. Alison Kole sits down with legendary documentary filmmaker George T. Nierenber...
Is Your Child’s Snoring Dangerous? Red-Flag Signs of Pediatric Sleep Apnea with Sleep Doctor Chris
Every child deserves more than “they’ll grow out of it.” In this comeback episode, Dr. Alison sits down with viral pediatric sleep specialist Sleep Doctor Chris to unpack why so many kids are snoring, melting down at bedtime, and dragging throu...
Better Questions, Better Sleep: Why Smarter OSA Conversations Could Be the Data We’re Missing featuring Dr. Fariha Abbasi-Feinberg
Starting CPAP, an oral appliance, or an implant but still not feeling heard? In this episode, Dr. Alison Kole and Dr. Fariha Abbasi-Feinberg unpack PLATO—the Patient-reported Longitudinal Assessment Tool for OSA—and the 11 questions your doctor...
Kratom, Alcohol & Sleep: A Near‑Death Wake‑Up Call featuring Xavier Schumann
In this episode of Sleep Is My Waking Passion, Dr. Alison Kole sits down with 25‑year‑old Xavier Schuman, who went from “just partying,” working night shifts, and using a kratom pill to help him sleep… to turning blue, going into cardiac arrest...
Living With Narcolepsy Type 1: Cataplexy and the Invisible Attacks of Emotion with Sol Briggs
Type 1 narcolepsy isn’t just about falling asleep—it’s about losing control of your body in the middle of laughter, joy, or surprise. In this Patient Spotlight episode of Sleep Is My Waking Passion, Dr. Alison Kole sits down w...
Somatic Therapy, EMDR, and DBT for High‑Achiever Insomnia featuring Anthony Fontana
What if your insomnia isn’t “just stress” or bad habits at bedtime—but unprocessed trauma, a fried nervous system, and a body that never got to stand down from the war?In this episode of Sleep Is My Waking Passion, I sit down wi...
When Faith Meets Insomnia featuring Dr. Benjamin Long
In this episode of Sleep Is My Waking Passion, Dr. Alison Kole sits down with Dr. Benjamin Long, a dual board‑certified sleep medicine physician and pediatrician, seminary student, and debut author of Sleep Habits Journal: Practice...
Why Your Insomnia Isn’t About Sleep Time (And How Digital CBT-I Can Actually Cure It) with Dr. Jason Ong
Chronic insomnia is not a “bad habit” you fix with lavender spray and blue‑light blocking glasses—it’s a learned pattern of wakefulness in bed that needs to be rewired. In this episode, Dr. Jason Ong, PhD, DBSM, explains why clinical guidelines...
Cortisol, Tech Addiction, and Sleep: How to Escape “Stress Nation” with Justin Hai
If you’ve ever blamed “high cortisol” for your anxiety, burnout, weight gain, or terrible sleep, this episode is your crash course in what’s really going on with your stress hormones in a tech-obsessed world. Dr. Alison Kole sits d...
Pregnant, Snoring, and Exhausted: When Should You Seek Help?
Pregnancy is often described as magical — but for many women, it’s also exhausting. When snoring gets louder and fatigue feels unrelenting, it could be more than just pregnancy catching up with you.In this powerful conversation with Dr. ...
Is Perimenopause Wrecking Your Sleep? Here’s How to Take It Back with Dr. Meredith Broderick
That’s the question millions of women are asking — but most doctors still aren’t answering.In my latest episode of Sleep Is My Waking Passion, I sat down with Dr. Meredith Broderick, MD — a Stanford-trained sleep neurologist and...
A Guided Fireplace Relaxation Bonus
Have you ever done everything “right” all day and still found your mind racing the moment your head hits the pillow? This bonus ASMR track is a guided relaxation created for the women who give their all—in their work, their homes, and their rel...
Can the Fireplace Effect Fix Your Sleep?
The winter “cozy” scene you’re craving might be the most powerful sleep tool you’re not using—and it has nothing to do with perfection, supplements, or a cabin in the woods. In this season‑kickoff episode of Sleep Is My Waking Passion,...
ANESTHESIA UNCOVERED: What Every Sleep Apnea Patient Must Know Before Surgery (And the 7 Steps to Save Your Life!)
Step into the hidden world of surgery with “Anesthesia Uncovered”—the evidence-packed season finale of Sleep Is My Waking Passion. Dr. Alison Kole hosts the renowned Dr. Christopher O’Mahony, whose 10+ years of expertise cross every corner of t...
Why Losing Weight Is NOT About Willpower—The Science You NEED
Unlock the episode everyone’s talking about! This week on "Sleep is My Waking Passion," Dr. Alison Kole welcomes the pioneering Dr. Linda Anegawa, MD, FACP, Dipl. ABOM, NBPAS—Chief of Metabolic Health and Obesity Medicine at Ognomy Sleep...
Optimizing Nutrition on GLP1s
Tired of waiting months for a nutritionist appointment? There's a better way. In this episode, Dr. Alison Kole sits down with registered dietitian Kristina Spellman to reveal how you can access personalized nutrition guidance—without the wait, ...
The Future of Sleep Apnea Surgery: Inspire vs. Genio—Who Wins the Airway Wars?
What happens when surgical innovation meets sleepless nights? In this episode of Sleep Is My Waking Passion, Dr. Alison Kole sits down with Dr. Ruchir Patel, one of the nation’s most experienced sleep physicians specializing in hypoglo...
Dr. Ashtaad Dalal SPILLS the Tea on Sleep Hacks Gone Wrong!
🚨 WARNING: Your Oura Ring Might Be RUINING Your Sleep! 🚨Get ready for a mind-bending conversation with Dr. Ashtaad Dalal, the sleep doc who's about to drop some SERIOUS truth bombs about the sleep industry's biggest lies! This Georgetown...
Surviving Sleep Deprivation: Science, Real Talk & Rescue Tactics with Dr. Rebecca Acabchuk & Vetern Firefighter Alan Pinsonneault
Is chronic sleep loss just part of “the grind”—or is it a crisis hiding in plain sight? Join Dr. Alison Kole as she sits down with neuroscientist and wellness expert Dr. Rebecca Acabchuk, plus veteran firefighter Alan Pinsonneault ...
Insomnia Meets Sleep Apnea: The Double Whammy and a Digital Solution (with Dr. Chelsea Reynolds)
Ever wondered why some people can’t sleep—even after treating their sleep apnea? Or why “just getting more sleep” doesn’t always work? This week, Dr. Alison Kole welcomes Australian clinical psychologist and sleep researcher, Dr. Chelsea Reynol...
Behind the White Coat: When the Sleep Expert Has Narcolepsy
What if everything you think you know about narcolepsy is wrong—and what if the doctor teaching you about it is living through it right now? World Narcolepsy Day (Sept 22) sets the stage for this raw, unmissable episode featuring Dr. Lindsay Mc...
Sleep Isn’t Simple: What Living With CP and Epilepsy Taught Kayla About Surviving, Thriving, and What Really Restores Us
Guest Spotlight: Kayla IrelandMeet Kayla Ireland—author, disability advocate, and host of Kindly Neurodivergent with Kay. Kayla’s lived experience with cerebral palsy and epilepsy is not just a story of overcoming challenges; it’s a blue...
Stroke & Sleep Apnea: What You’re Missing Could Cost You Everything with Dr. Joyce Lee-Iannotti
Host Dr. Alison Kole sits down with powerhouse neurologist Dr. Joyce Lee-Iannotti for an unfiltered, deeply personal conversation that will make you rethink everything you know about sleep, stroke, and longevity.Guest Spotlight:...
I Was Just Tired: How Kristen Survived 15 Years Before a Sleep Apnea Diagnosis
What if the thing holding you back isn’t ambition, or effort, or even luck... but sleep? Today, you're going to hear a story that breaks every rule in the sleep medicine playbook.Kristen Cascio spent 15 years searching for answers—dismis...
How CrossFit Games Athlete Dr. Julie Foucher Prioritizes Sleep & Health
Welcome to "Sleep Is My Waking Passion" with Dr. Alison Kole! In today’s episode, we’re joined by the legendary Dr. Julie Foucher—a true powerhouse at the intersection of medicine and athletics. She received her undergraduate degree fr...