What if better sleep isn't about trying harder, but about living differently? In this episode, Dr. Yishan welcomes back Dr. Brad Wolgast, PhD, CBSM, DBSM, a board-certified behavioral sleep medicine psychologist and author of the new book "Gold Medal Sleep." Together, we explore why modern life works against our natural sleep rhythm, and why the harder you chase sleep, the further it runs. Dr. Wolgast shares the story behind his book, from a childhood spent unable to breathe through his nose to a summer guiding backpackers who all slept like rocks by night three. We dig into his central idea of "camping in" — how to bring the restorative power of the outdoors into your everyday life — plus why exhaustion isn't the same as sleepiness, why your brain needs "freewheeling" time during the day, and the small, practical changes that make the biggest difference.
📖 Gold Medal Sleep (published July 2026): https://goldmedalsleep.com/
🌙 Dr. Wolgast's practice, Center for Healthy Sleep: https://helpmesleep.org/
🔑 Key Takeaways:
The enemy of sleep isn't wakefulness — it's effort. The harder you try to sleep, the further you push it away.
Your night's sleep starts the moment you wake up, not when you get into bed.
Humans used to spend 4-6 hours a day outdoors; today the average American gets 30 minutes to an hour.
"Camping in" means bringing the outdoors home: dim the lights two to three hours before bed, eat lunch by a window, take a walk after dinner.
Exhausted is not the same as sleepy — exhaustion usually means your brain is overtaxed, not that you're ready for sleep.
Your brain needs "freewheeling" downtime during the day, or it will take that time the moment your head hits the pillow.
A consistent wake-up time seven days a week is the single most powerful thing you can do — pair it with sunlight within 10 minutes of waking.
Live somewhere dark in winter? A 10,000-lux light box (about $20-25) for 15 minutes each morning tells your brain the sun is up.
Bronze, silver, or gold — there's no one right way to do this. Pick what fits your life tonight.
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