All Articles
Evidence-based sleep education organized by topic.
Narcolepsy vs Idiopathic Hypersomnia: How They Differ, and Why the Diagnosis Can Change
What separates narcolepsy type 1, narcolepsy type 2, and idiopathic hypersomnia — why the line between the last two is genuinely unstable, and what that means if your diagnosis has changed.
The Health Effects of Sleep Apnea: What Untreated OSA Does to the Body
Untreated sleep apnea reaches far beyond tiredness. What the research shows about its effects on the heart, brain, metabolism, and mood.
Why Dopamine Agonists Are No Longer First-Line Treatment for Restless Legs Syndrome
Dopamine agonists treated RLS for 20 years. Here's why the 2025 guidelines moved away from them — augmentation, impulse control problems, and what to do now.
The Role of Iron in Restless Legs Syndrome: Why It Matters and the Goals of Treatment
How brain iron deficiency drives RLS, what iron treatment aims to achieve, and how oral and IV iron are used under the latest guidelines.
Light Therapy for Circadian Rhythm Disorders: A Practical Guide
How to use bright light to reset your body clock — lux, timing, duration, and condition-by-condition protocols for DSPS, ASPD, shift work, jet lag, and SAD.
Positional Therapy for Sleep Apnea: Side Sleeping and Positioners
Sleep apnea that is worse on your back often improves on your side. Who positional therapy suits, how well it works, and the positioners that keep you there.
Idiopathic Hypersomnia (IH): Long Sleep That Never Feels Like Enough
A patient guide to idiopathic hypersomnia — the severe sleep inertia, long unrefreshing sleep, and how IH is distinguished from narcolepsy.
Is This Sleepiness Normal? When Daytime Tiredness Is a Red Flag
How to tell the difference between ordinary tiredness and pathological sleepiness — warning signs, self-screening questions, and when to see a sleep specialist.
Narcolepsy Type 1 (NT1): Symptoms, Causes, and Diagnosis
A patient guide to narcolepsy type 1 — the pentad of symptoms, the hypocretin deficiency behind it, how it's diagnosed, and what treatments exist.
Narcolepsy Type 2 (NT2): Narcolepsy Without Cataplexy
A patient guide to narcolepsy type 2 — what distinguishes it from NT1 and idiopathic hypersomnia, how it's diagnosed, and what treatment looks like.
Central Disorders of Hypersomnolence: An Overview
A patient guide to the central hypersomnolence disorders — narcolepsy type 1, type 2, idiopathic hypersomnia, and related conditions.
How to Stop Racing Thoughts at Night
Evidence-based techniques to quiet an overactive mind at bedtime, from constructive worry time to cognitive restructuring and relaxation.
Sleep Restriction Therapy: A Step-by-Step Guide
Learn how sleep restriction therapy works, how to calculate your sleep window, and how to adjust it week by week to rebuild solid sleep.
Stimulus Control: Retraining Your Brain to Sleep in Bed
How stimulus control breaks the link between your bed and lying awake: the rules, why getting up works, sleepy versus tired, what to do out of bed, and when it is the wrong tool.
The Three Types of Insomnia, and Acute vs Chronic
The three types of insomnia: trouble falling asleep, trouble staying asleep, and waking too early. Plus acute vs chronic insomnia and the 3 P's behind it.
Advanced Sleep Phase Disorder: When You Fall Asleep Too Early
Advanced sleep-wake phase disorder (ASWPD): why some people fall asleep in early evening and wake before dawn, the genetics behind it, and treatment options.
Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome: A Comprehensive Patient Guide
Delayed sleep-wake phase disorder (DSPS/DSWPD): causes, symptoms, the body clock science, and evidence-based treatment with light and melatonin.
Irregular Sleep-Wake Rhythm Disorder: Sleep Without a Schedule
Irregular sleep-wake rhythm disorder — sleep fragmented into multiple short bouts across 24 hours, its link to dementia, and evidence-based management.
Jet Lag Disorder: Why It Happens and How to Beat It Faster
The science of jet lag and evidence-based strategies — strategic light exposure, low-dose melatonin, and schedule planning for east and westbound travel.
Non-24-Hour Sleep-Wake Disorder: When the Body Clock Drifts Daily
Non-24-hour sleep-wake rhythm disorder (N24) — free-running circadian rhythm in blind and sighted people, symptoms, diagnosis, and FDA-approved treatment.
Shift Work Disorder: Surviving Nights and Rotating Shifts
Shift work disorder explained — the science of working against your body clock, health risks, and evidence-based strategies for night and rotating shifts.
Treating Restless Legs Syndrome: What the Latest Guidelines Recommend
A patient guide to current RLS treatments based on the 2025 AASM guidelines, including iron therapy, medications, and lifestyle strategies.
Understanding Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS): Symptoms, Causes, and Diagnosis
What restless legs syndrome feels like, the four features that make the diagnosis, the conditions most often mistaken for it, and what happens at a first visit.
Sleep Hygiene: A Complete Guide to Building Better Sleep Habits
Learn the evidence-based sleep hygiene practices that form the foundation of good sleep, from bedroom environment to daily routines.
What Is CBT-I? Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia
CBT-I, or cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, is the first-line treatment for chronic insomnia, ahead of sleeping pills. How it works and how to start.
CPAP Setup Guide: Getting Started With Your New Machine
Setting up CPAP and getting through the first two weeks: finding a mask that fits, comfort settings like ramp and pressure relief, what 'enough' use means, and who to call.
Understanding Sleep Apnea: Types, Symptoms, and Treatment Options
A comprehensive patient guide to obstructive and central sleep apnea — what causes it, how it's diagnosed, and the treatment options available.
Understanding Your Sleep Study: What to Expect Before, During, and After
A complete patient guide to polysomnography (PSG) and home sleep tests. Learn what happens during a sleep study and how to read your results.
Sleep and Aging: Why Sleep Changes as You Get Older
Understand how sleep naturally changes with age, common sleep disorders in older adults, and practical strategies for better rest after 60.
Sleep During Pregnancy: Challenges, Risks, and What Helps
Sleep in pregnancy by trimester: insomnia, restless legs, snoring and sleep apnea, the evidence on sleep position after 28 weeks, and what helps.
Sleep Strategies for Shift Workers: A Practical Guide
Evidence-based strategies to improve sleep quality when your work schedule conflicts with your body's natural rhythms.
Circadian Rhythm Explained: Your Body Clock and How Light Sets It
How your circadian rhythm sets when you feel sleepy and alert, how light reaching the eye resets it each day, and why the timing of light matters.
Sleep Myths vs. Facts: What the Research Actually Shows
Separating common sleep misconceptions from evidence-based facts. What science really says about alcohol, naps, snoring, and more.
The Stages of Sleep: What Happens When You Close Your Eyes
Learn about the four stages of sleep, why each matters for your health, and what a normal night of sleep looks like.