The Sleep Coach School Podcast

Why does one bad night of sleep leave you feeling like everything is falling apart the next day? In this Summer Series episode, Daniel revisits one of the most important concepts in insomnia recovery: it's not just the lack of sleep that makes the next day so difficult—it's the meaning we attach to it. Through a simple but powerful thought experiment, he explores why the fear of tomorrow often becomes the real engine that kee...

When Jen's insomnia began, it quickly spiraled into fear, panic attacks, and the feeling that something was deeply wrong. Like so many people, she became trapped in the cycle of trying harder to sleep—only to find herself sleeping less. In this heartfelt conversation with Daniel, Jen shares how discovering The Sleep Coach School changed everything.

While her sleep gradually improved, the biggest transformation wasn't just bet...

Sometimes, a single idea can completely change the way you experience insomnia. In this second episode of our Summer Series, Daniel revisits one of the community's most impactful conversations with Tess, whose journey has encouraged countless people struggling with sleeplessness.

Inspired by a heartfelt recommendation from Carolyn in Germany, Daniel explores the powerful insight that became the turning point in Tess's recovery:

"Yo...

Have you ever felt confident after a good night of sleep, only to feel discouraged after a restless one? In this Summer Series encore episode, Coach Daniel revisits a community favorite recommended by Angela, who shared how this episode continues to bring her comfort and reassurance during recovery. Coach Daniel explores the common "confidence and doubt roller coaster" of insomnia recovery and explains why setbacks, speed bumps, an...

In this episode of Talking Insomnia, Daniel opens up about his insomnia journey that began in the summer of 2022. What started as one bad night before a long-awaited night out with friends quickly spiraled into months of anxiety, sleep windows, and a desperate search for answers.

Daniel walks us through the highs and lows — initial relief through CBT-I, a brutal relapse with hypnic jerks in early 2024, and the moment a single...

Many people assume that sleeping better is the clearest sign of recovery. But what if the most important sign has nothing to do with how many hours you slept last night? In this Insomnia Insight episode, Coach Daniel reveals the #1 sign that you're leaving the insomnia struggle behind and explains why it may be far more meaningful than getting a full night of sleep.

You'll learn why a neutral response to a difficult night can be on...

How do you convince your brain that it's safe to be awake at night? In this episode of Mining in the Comments, Daniel explores a thoughtful question from the community:

"How do we convince ourselves to feel safe with the outcome if we genuinely do not feel safe with the outcome?"

Many people with insomnia understand ...

In this episode of Aly’s Take, Aly is joined by insomnia and chronic fatigue recovery coach Daniel Shai for a deep conversation about the biggest spiritual and emotional lessons they’ve learned through the insomnia recovery journey.

Daniel shares his powerful 30-year journey through insomnia, chronic fatigue, anxiety, and dependence on sleep aids — and how recovery transformed not only his sleep, but his entire re...

In this episode, Coach Daniel welcomes his namesake, Daniel who shares a powerful story of transformation. For over thirty years, Daniel struggled with a combination of chronic fatigue and severe insomnia that completely reshaped his life. Everything changed when he learned what truly had been happening as that he was NOT alone.

If you’d like to learn more with Coach Daniel Shai (highly recommend!),

here are his links: YouTub...

In this episode of Insomnia Insight, Coach Daniel explores 7 common habits that can unintentionally keep insomnia going — and how changing these patterns can make sleep feel easier and more natural again. From constantly researching sleep problems to tracking sleep data obsessively, these habits often come from a genuine desire to feel safe, reassured, and in control. But paradoxically, they can increase pressure, anxiety, an...

Turning the Insomnia Anniversary Upside Down In this Mining the Comments episode, Daniel explores a surprisingly common experience in insomnia recovery: the “insomnia anniversary.” For some, the anniversary of when insomnia began can trigger fear that the struggle may return — even after months of sleeping well. For others, reaching the one-year mark while still struggling can create discouragement and thoughts li...

If you’ve ever heard someone say they recovered from insomnia after they “stopped caring about sleep,” this video explains what that REALLY means. Because the truth is: nobody completely stops caring about sleep. In this episode of Insomnia Insight, we explore: Why sleep pressure keeps insomnia going The difference between caring and attachment Why acceptance is NOT giving up How the meaning you give sleepless nig...

How does insomnia actually end? In this episode of Insomnia Insight, we explore a powerful and often overlooked truth: while many people can pinpoint the exact moment their insomnia started, almost no one can say exactly when it ended.

So what does that tell us? Daniel (sleep physician turned sleep coach) shares three key insights from working with thousands of people who have overcome insomnia: 

Why insomnia doesn’t end...

Henry shares his powerful journey from the Dominican Republic to Switzerland, where the pressure of a new job and supporting two families led to a "bomb about to explode" moment of zero sleep. After trying "everything humanly possible"—from singing bowls and gongs to fasting and trips to India—Henry finally found the turning point when he stopped the constant "fix-its" and approached the issue the proper way.

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Struggling with sleep and starting to worry about your memory? If you’ve noticed yourself forgetting simple words, needing to reread things multiple times, or even blanking on past events — you’re not alone.

In this episode, we dive into the connection between insomnia and memory, and why it can feel like your brain just isn’t working the way it used to. If you're ready to leave insomnia for good, check out ...

Are you trapped in a cycle of "I must" or "I must not"? When we struggle with sleep, we often create a mental prison built on strict rules: I must take a pill, I must avoid coffee, I must not go out. Ironically, these very rules create the high-stakes environment that keeps us awake.

In this video, Coach Daniel (Sleep Physician turned Sleep Coach) breaks down why "low stakes" are the ultimate key to peaceful nights and how you can ...

In this powerful episode of Talking Insomnia, Tony shares his deeply personal journey through grief, anxiety, and severe sleep disruption. After the sudden loss of his wife and becoming a single parent, Tony found himself struggling with insomnia for the first time in his life. What began as understandable sleep disruption quickly turned into anxiety-driven sleeplessness—filled with fear, frustration, and uncertainty. 00:00 I...

Should you stay in bed? Get up? Try to calm your mind? This episode explores why trying to control sleep—or even trying to calm anxiety—can actually make things worse, and what to do instead.

If you're ready to leave insomnia for good, check out our coaching options. Head over to www.thesleepcoachschool.com and click on GET SLEEP in the menu.

If you're ready to leave insomnia for good, check out our coaching options. He...

In this episode of Heard Online, we dive into a fascinating article from The New Scientist by Helen Thompson. We explore the "propaganda" surrounding the 8-hour sleep rule and look at groundbreaking research that suggests how you think you slept is actually more important for your performance and mood than how many hours you actually slept.

If you're ready to leave insomnia for good, check out our coaching options. Head over to www...