EPISODE · Feb 6, 2026 · 59 MIN
#27 Unlocking the strategies for deep sleep with David Joffe
from Make Visible: Chronic Illness Explored · host Visible with Emily Kate Stephens
Sleep strategies for Long Covid, insomnia, and chronic illness When you’re living with a complex chronic condition like Long Covid, sleep can feel like the one thing your body needs most… and the one thing you can’t access. Whether you struggle with insomnia, restless legs, sleep anxiety, constant waking or crushing fatigue, this conversation offers strategies to help. In this week’s episode of Make Visible, Emily Kate Stephens and Gez Medinger discuss how sleep has affected and been effected by their Long Covid and chronic illness, and delve into the practical strategies to try and improve sleep quality and quantity. Emily Kate is joined by sleep and respiratory physician David Joffe, who shares the strategies that he employs with his patients to try and help them with a wide range of sleep conditions, including Long Covid-related sleep disorders. Together, they explore why Long Covid so often disrupts sleep architecture, how reduced slow-wave sleep affects brain detoxification via the glymphatic system, and what the body truly needs to initiate and maintain restorative rest. Based on his 40 years of experience working with patients with severe sleep and respiratory disorders and Long Covid-related complications, David Joffe shares evidence-based insights on: Sleep hygiene for Long Covid and chronic illness Daily routines to support circadian rhythm and sleep quality Calming nighttime rituals to reduce sleep anxiety Supplements for sleep and nervous system regulation Pharmacological supports, including melatonin, magnesium, and glycine And Emily Kate and Gez break down the interview, talking about their personal experience of the strategies discussed, looking in more detail at some of the supplements, and sharing their thoughts on what has or hasn’t worked to aid with their sleep, once again proving the need for a personalised approach when working with patients whose nervous systems, metabolisms, and brains are in a highly dysregulated state. David Joffe is senior staff physician at the Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney where he has specialist interests in Long Covid–related sleep disorders, insomnia, restless legs, non-invasive ventilation (NIV) and sleep apnea. He is the Vice Chair of the World Health Networks Long Covid Advisory Group. World Health Network aim to provide governments and healthcare systems with a wake up call on the urgency with which Long Covid needs to be addressed, sharing research and resources. Make Visible @visible.health
What this episode covers
Sleep strategies for Long Covid, insomnia, and chronic illness When you’re living with Long Covid or a complex chronic condition, sleep can feel like the one thing your body needs most — and the hardest thing to access. From insomnia and restless legs to sleep anxiety, constant waking, and unrefreshing rest, sleep disturbances are a common and exhausting part of chronic illness. In this episode of Make Visible, Emily Kate Stephens and Gez Medinger explore how sleep has affected — and been effected by — their Long Covid and chronic illness, and share practical strategies to improve sleep quality and quantity. Emily Kate is joined by sleep and respiratory physician David Joffe, who draws on over 40 years of clinical experience supporting patients with severe sleep disorders, respiratory disease, and Long Covid–related complications. Together, they discuss why Long Covid disrupts sleep architecture, how reduced slow-wave sleep impacts brain detoxification via the glymphatic system, and what the body needs to initiate and maintain restorative rest. This episode covers: Sleep hygiene for Long Covid and chronic illness Daily routines to support circadian rhythm and sleep quality Calming nighttime rituals to reduce sleep anxiety Supplements for sleep and nervous system regulation Pharmacological supports, including melatonin, magnesium, and glycine Emily Kate and Gez then reflect on the interview, sharing their lived experience of these strategies, discussing supplements in more detail, and highlighting why a personalised approach to sleep is essential when the nervous system, metabolism, and brain are highly dysregulated. About David Joffe David Joffe is a senior staff physician at Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney, with specialist interests in insomnia, restless legs syndrome, non-invasive ventilation (NIV), sleep apnea, and Long Covid–related sleep disorders. He is Vice Chair of the World Health Network’s Long Covid Advisory Group.
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#27 Unlocking the strategies for deep sleep with David Joffe
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