Living with chronic illness often means living with fatigue. Yet sleep, the very thing our bodies crave most, can feel impossible to find. In this episode, Rachel sits down with Dr. Sarah Silverman, a Stanford-trained sleep psychologist and insomnia expert, to unpack the science and struggle of sleep when you’re chronically ill.
Dr. Sarah has been published in reputable scientific journals, including Sleep Health: Journal of the National Sleep Foundation, and her expertise has been featured in major outlets such as HuffPost, MindBodyGreen, Women’s Health, Prevention, Well+Good, and Oprah Daily. She currently serves as a sleep expert on the Sleep Foundation’s Health & Community Advisory Board and believes that quality sleep isn’t a luxury...it’s a basic human need.
Together, Rachel and Dr. Sarah explore:
Why sleep is often disrupted in chronic illness
How circadian rhythms affect healing and energy
The impact of medications on sleep quality
Small, realistic changes that can improve rest
Why rest isn’t lazy, it’s essential
If you’ve ever felt “tired of being tired,” this conversation will leave you feeling validated, understood, and equipped with tools to finally reclaim your rest, one spoon at a time.
To find a local sleep psychologist or insomnia / CBT-I specialist near you, visit the Society of Behavioral Sleep Medicine (SBSM) and search based on your state. https://behavioralsleep.org/index.php/united-states-sbsm-members
To find a local sleep medicine physician or sleep center near you, visit the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) and search with your zip code.
https://sleepeducation.org/sleep-center/
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Through her website" https://www.drsarahsleep.com/
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