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.
Sleep is My Waking Passion
Sleep Isn’t Simple: What Living With CP and Epilepsy Taught Kayla About Surviving, Thriving, and What Really Restores Us
Guest Spotlight: Kayla Ireland
Meet 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 blueprint for thriving in a world that too often overlooks disability, sleep struggles, and neurodivergence.
Why This Conversation Will Change Everything
Sleep isn’t just downtime for Kayla—it’s the foundation for everything she does. In this raw conversation, Dr. Alison Kole and Kayla Ireland shed light on how living with cerebral palsy and epilepsy means every night's rest is an uphill fight against pain, exhaustion, and unpredictable seizures—where sleep can make or break daily life. From adaptive routines to seizure monitoring, you’ll learn how basic rest becomes a radical act of self-care—and how lack of sleep can sabotage independence for millions with chronic conditions.
The Truth About Sleep, Disability, and Quality Of Life
What makes this episode a must-listen?
- Invisible labor: Kayla shares how every night is “recovery from non-stop effort,” and why fatigue isn’t just tiredness—it impacts movement, thinking, and emotional health.
- Family secrets: The vital role families play in spotting subtle seizure warning signs, plus practical ways every household can make sleep safer for disabled loved ones.
- Adaptation > Advice: Why cookie-cutter sleep tips miss the mark, and how real strategies—from bed elevation to communication support—unlock better rest and real independence.
- Universal lessons: Sleep isn’t only a medical metric—it’s a core human right. This episode uncovers the emotional toll and the power of prioritizing sleep, for disabled and neurodivergent people, but also for everyone whose sleep is more complex than it seems.
Who Should Listen?
Anyone ready to challenge what they think they know about sleep, inclusion, and healing. If you work in health, education, support, or just want another reason to advocate for a better world—this episode will give you the tools and perspective you need.
