Show Notes

In this week’s episode of Routes of Healing, Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa sits down with Dr. Nishi Bhopal, a triple–board-certified psychiatrist, sleep medicine physician, and integrative holistic medicine doctor who has become a leading voice in translating sleep science into accessible, actionable tools for clinicians and patients.

Together, they explore the winding journey that brought Dr. Bhopal from family expectations in medicine to psychiatry, from burnout to yoga and Ayurveda, from clinical curiosity to entrepreneurial leadership in sleep health education.

This conversation moves through identity, cultural expectations, circadian rhythm biology, women’s sleep health, long COVID, integrative approaches to insomnia, and the gaps in medical training that leave most clinicians unequipped to treat one of the most universal human experiences: sleep.

Whether you're a practitioner wanting a deeper understanding of circadian medicine, a clinician exploring integrative training, a patient navigating insomnia, or a healer attempting to reclaim your own rhythms in a fast-paced world, this episode offers compassionate, evidence-informed insight.

If you're inspired by our exploration on Routes of Healing, a physician-led podcast uplifting the wisdom and lived experience of integrative & lifestyle medicine doctors, subscribe to receive new episodes weekly.

🔑 Key Topics & Takeaways

1. The origin story: How family expectations influenced Dr. Bhopal’s entry into medicine, and how curiosity, not certainty, ultimately guided her path.
2. From Internal Medicine to Psychiatry: Seeking deeper human connection and more time to understand patients.
3. Ayurveda, yoga, and meditation as turning points during residency and antidotes for burnout.
4. Sleep Medicine: Why circadian rhythms matter more than we teach, and how modern sleep training overlooks essential foundations.
5. Insomnia isn’t always insomnia: Many patients are treated for the wrong problem.
6. Women’s sleep health: Why women are dismissed, underdiagnosed, and mismanaged within traditional models.
7. Personalizing care: No one-size-fits-all approach—sleep timing, fasting, activity, and routines must fit the individual.
8. Long COVID: How persistent sleep architecture disruptions present distinct clinical challenges.
9. Entrepreneurship & medicine: The creation of IntraBalance, clinician education, YouTube content, and online sleep courses.
10. CSH Framework (a practical model for unpacking insomnia)
11. Circadian rhythm
12. Sleep drive
13. Hyperarousal
14. Clinical training gaps: Most physicians receive 2–4 hours of sleep education in medical school.
15. Creative practice-building: The courage to pivot, niche, and design programs that match your strengths.
16. Self-discovery in medicine: Noticing what brings joy and letting your practice evolve accordingly.

⏱ Chapters

00:00 — Introduction and Connection

00:58 — Technical Difficulties and Adjustments

01:09 — Healing Journeys & Integrative Roots

03:56 — Family Influence and the Medical Path

07:15 — Navigating Family Expectations

10:37 — Cultural Context and Choosing Medicine

11:56 — Medical Training: Canada vs. Ireland vs. U.S.

14:46 — The Art of Listening and Clinical Diagnosis

16:33 — Yoga, Ayurveda & Personal Awakening

19:16 — Integrative Medicine Philosophy

20:58 — Dr. Bhopal’s Current Practice & Approach

26:22 — Circadian Rhythms in Healing

28:21 — Body Clocks, Misalignment & Sleep Patterns

32:11 — Sleep Regularity as the New Vital Sign

34:44 — Long COVID and Altered Sleep Architecture

37:50 — Fasting, Metabolism & Sleep

40:49 — The CSH Framework Explained

44:28 — Educating Practitioners in Sleep Medicine

48:28 — Critiques of Modern Sleep Medicine

52:33 — Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Practice Transformation

About Today’s Guest

Nishi Bhopal, MD

Psychiatry • Sleep Medicine • Integrative Holistic Medicine

Founder of Pacific Integrative Psychiatry & IntraBalance

Dr. Bhopal is board-certified in Psychiatry, Sleep Medicine, and Integrative Holistic Medicine. She is the founder and medical director of Pacific Integrative Psychiatry, an online California practice offering comprehensive care for anxiety and sleep disorders through integrative psychiatry, functional medicine, nutrition, and sleep science.

She is also the founder of IntraBalance, an educational platform for clinicians seeking clear, accessible training in clinical sleep medicine. Through her YouTube channel, online courses, and CME programs, she is redefining how practitioners learn about sleep.

Melatonin Brand Guide for Physicians:

https://intrabalance.com/melatonin

Practice Website

https://pacificintegrativepsych.com/

Educational Platform

https://intrabalance.com/

Social Media

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nishibhopal/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/intrabalance

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/intrabalance

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IntraBalanceLLC/

🌐 Connect with Your Host

Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa, MD MS

Lifestyle & Integrative Medicine Physician • Culinary Medicine • Ayurveda

1. Website: drsirichand.com
2. Instagram: @doctorsirichand
3. Culinary Medicine Blog: drsirichand.com/blog

Community: https://vishuddha.com

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Vishuddha is a media and creative agency dedicated to amplifying the voices of integrative and lifestyle medicine clinicians who are transforming how we understand health and healing.

We provide media representation, book development, public speaking coaching, podcast strategy, content creation, and course development alongside classes and workshops for wellness seekers committed to intentional, conscious living.

Rooted in whole-person healing, Vishuddha helps clinicians translate their wisdom into impact, design offerings that matter, and bring conscious, transformative work into the world.

Ready to share your wisdom? Explore how we can support your vision at Vishuddha.com.

⚠️ Disclaimer

This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider for personalized guidance.

Keywords

self-care, self-love, physician well-being, integrative medicine, lifestyle medicine, mind-body medicine, osteopathic medicine, trauma-informed care, Ayurveda, yoga, breathwork, group medical visits, Center for Mind-Body Medicine, massage therapy, nervous system, parasympathetic, burnout, grief, medical training, residency, physician burnout, Wholehearted Medicine, MTYOGIDOC, Routes of Healing, Dr. Michelle Thompson, Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa