Episode 161: Sleep Issues and MS with Dr. Katie Siengsukon

A lot of us may have to think back to a time before the pandemic to remember what it felt like to get a good night's sleep. But if you're someone living with MS, you might have to think back even further. Research tells us that more than half the people living with MS report significant disruptions in their sleep and difficulty maintaining a consistent sleep schedule. And that can lead to additional health issues along with an overall decline in quality of life and wellbeing.     My guest is Dr. Katie Siengsukon,  a physical therapist, Associate Professor, and Director of the Sleep, Health, and Wellness Lab at the University of Kansas Medical Center Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science. We're talking about the importance of sleep to your overall health, how sleep problems affect MS, and the steps you can take if you're experiencing sleep problems.    We're also talking about how the things that people affected by MS care most about really boil down to public policy decisions, making MS advocacy a critical element of this podcast. And while we're on the subject of advocacy, we're sharing our rant about a recently announced "healthcare plan" for the United States.   You'll hear about what I'm calling a wellness roadmap for people living with MS.   We'll give you the details of a newly-announced collaboration designed to produce a diagnostic test for a protein called neurofilament light chain -- and why that will be a game-changer for people living with MS.   And we'll tell you about a clinical trial that will be starting soon for a therapy designed to reduce or eliminate MS disease activity by re-educating your immune system.    We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! Why it's always about MS advocacy  1:25 My rant about the "healthcare plan" that was just announced  5:00 Maintaining your physical, nutritional, and emotional wellness amid COVID-19    11:57 Here comes a diagnostic test for neurofilament light chain...and why it will be a game-changer for people living with MS  16:57 "Re-educating" your immune system. A Phase 1 clinical trial for ANK-700 begins soon  19:44 My Interview with Dr. Katie Siengsukon  22:17 Share this episode  34:44 Donate to the National MS Society COVID-19 Response Fund  35:07 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email:  https://realtalkms.com/161 ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts! Email: [email protected]: (310) 526-2283 And don't forget to join us in the RealTalk MS Facebook group! LINKS If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes in the RealTalk MS app or at www.RealTalkMS.com Give RealTalk MS a Rating and Review National MS Society's Ask An MS Expert Video Replay What You Need to Know About Coronavirus (COVID-19) Vote.gov Health Behaviors, Wellness, and Multiple Sclerosis Amid COVID-19 RealTalk MS Episode 142: New Guidelines for Exercise & Physical Activity from the National MS Society RealTalk MS Episode 159: Building Resilience with Dr. Dawn Ehde Anokion: What is Immune Tolerance? National MS Society COVID-19 Response Fund Join the RealTalk MS Facebook Group Download the RealTalk MS App for iOS Download the RealTalk MS App for Android Give RealTalk MS a Rating and Review Follow RealTalk MS on Twitter, @RealTalkMS_jon, and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, RealTalkMS.com. RealTalk MS Episode 161 Guests: Dr. Katie Siengsukon Tags: MS, MultipleSclerosis, MSResearch, MSSociety, MSActivist, Sleep, Vote, RealTalkMS Privacy Policy