The Jeffrey van Leeuwen Podcast aims to engage in thoughtful conversations, exploring diverse topics and speaking with people who have unique stories to tell and valuable knowledge to share across various fields.
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2 days ago
2 days ago
Drowsy driving is deadlier than drunk driving. In this episode, Dr. Leah Kaylor explains why your sleep is a safety issue, not just a lifestyle choice. She is a licensed clinical and prescribing psychologist, the FBI’s in-house sleep expert with a specialty in sleep and trauma, and a relentless educator on evidence-based fixes.
1. Reset your clock: keep a consistent wake time and get outside within an hour of waking. Morning light signals the suprachiasmatic nucleus, shuts off lingering melatonin, and jump-starts alertness.
2. Master evenings: dim overheads, use lamps or warm smart bulbs, and let your space darken with sunset. Keep bedrooms cool in the low 60s.
3. If you work nights: use a sunrise alarm and timed bright-light therapy to shift rhythm; front-load a healthy meal; sip caffeine little and often with a hard cutoff 6–8 hours before bed; no sunglasses while commuting home if you are driving; sleep in a dark, quiet, truly blackout room.
4. Safety first: learn the “nappuccino” (espresso, then a 20-minute nap). It outperforms either alone when fatigue hits mid-commute. Microsleeps make you stop steering and braking entirely. Pull over.
5. Insomnia or apnea: insomnia shows up as trouble falling, staying asleep, or waking unrefreshed; obstructive sleep apnea often hides behind loud snoring, morning headaches, and crushing daytime fatigue. Get a sleep study.
6. Habits that help: avoid long or late naps; reserve the bed for the three S’s only—sleep, sex, sickness; set boundaries with screens and games; watch caffeine’s 4–6 hour half-life; skip alcohol as a “sleep aid” since it fragments sleep and suppresses REM.
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OUTLINE:
00:00 What a Sleep Psychologist Does
01:53 Why the FBI Needs Sleep Science
04:51 Three High-Impact Sleep Habits
10:18 Consistent Schedule, Sunrise Alarms, and Light
15:40 What Is Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
17:18 Shift-Work Survival: Strategies and Support
23:10 Drowsy Driving and the Nappuccino
30:41 Night Shifts and Cancer Risk
39:33 Are You Actually Sleep Deprived
44:32 Wired but Tired; Does Creatine Help
48:35 Screens, Gaming, and Bedtime Procrastination
57:05 Train Your Brain: The Three S’s
1:06:26 Insomnia vs Sleep Apnea
1:21:26 Naps, Sleep Inertia, and Timing
1:28:25 The Effect of Alcohol on Sleep
1:30:26 The Myth of 4-Hour Sleep
1:38:54 Final Thoughts & Outro
LEAH KAYLOR LINKS:
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