Radical Rest: Burnout, Boundaries & Listening to the Body at Year’s End with Dr. Audrey Wells

Show Notes In this week’s episode of Routes of Healing, Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa sits down with Dr. Audrey Wells, a sleep medicine physician, obesity medicine specialist, and professional mindset coach who helps high performers—and especially clinicians—recover their relationship with sleep without sacrificing comfort, dignity, or sanity.Together, they explore the real terrain of insomnia and middle-of-the-night awakenings: not just circadian rhythm and sleep drive, but the emotional residue of medical training, the hypervigilance many women physicians carry, and the “inner critic” that gets loud when the house is quiet. Dr. Wells shares how her own biological sleep needs reshaped her career path—from ICU-intense pediatric training to sleep medicine leadership, then into a more human-centered coaching model built around durable skills, not quick fixes.This episode is an honest conversation about sleep as a biologic need and an emotional experience, why “being awake at 3:00 a.m.” isn’t always pathology, and how learning to name the theme of your nighttime mind can create immediate relief—and long-term change.If you’re navigating insomnia, burnout, career transition, or that familiar feeling of being “fine” on paper but frayed in your nervous system, this episode offers grounded insight and real permission to evolve.🔑 Key Topics & TakeawaysSleep deprivation in medical training: why the residue lasts longer than residencyWomen, vigilance, and the nighttime mind: scanning, catastrophizing, and the “inner critic”Sleep as an emotional experience: emotions that block sleep vs. emotions that invite itWhy CBT-I can fall short for certain people: what’s missing when feelings are ignoredMiddle-of-the-night awakenings: why they happen, why they persist, and what to do with themThe “trifecta” framework: not enough, not safe, not congruent as common nocturnal themesBrain dump + control scan: a practical intervention that reduces threat and restores agencySecond sleep + REM: waking at night as historically normal and tied to emotional processingCoaching as consciousness management: daytime regulation that supports nighttime repairIntegrity + career change: what happens when your work starts to cost you sleepDurable change takes time: why Dr. Wells uses a ~12-week cadence for lasting skillsSleep tech + neuromodulation: what’s emerging, what might accelerate parasympathetic shiftDreams, REM, and women’s sleep: what we still don’t understand—and why it mattersPsychedelics and sleep: early observations, REM effects, and the importance of integrationRadical acceptance: the turning point that made sleep—and self-trust—possible again⏱ Chapters00:00 — Introduction to Holistic Healing and Sleep Medicine07:30 — Dr. Audrey Wells’ Journey in Medicine14:36 — The Impact of Sleep Deprivation on Physicians22:29 — Emotional Aspects of Sleep and Insomnia29:26 — Transformative Practices for Better Sleep32:31 — Navigating Career Changes in Medicine34:38 — Navigating Integrity and Change35:53 — The Courage to Honor Inner Voices36:54 — Ayurveda and Sacred Time39:17 — Coaching and Consciousness Management41:43 — Understanding Middle of the Night Awakenings44:43 — Innovative Coaching Models46:25 — The Journey of Sleep Coaching49:35 — The Future of Sleep Technology52:40 — Radical Acceptance and Personal Journeys56:54 — Exploring Dreams and Sleep Science01:02:14 — Connecting with Dr. Wells01:04:44 — ClosingAbout Today’s GuestAudrey Wells, MDSleep Medicine • Mindset Coaching • Women’s Sleep HealthDr. Audrey Wells is a seasoned sleep medicine physician and professional mindset coach whose work bridges evidence-based sleep science with behavior change and emotional regulation. She is on a mission to help people with insomnia and sleep apnea get fully treated without sacrificing comfort, dignity, or quality of life.Dr. Wells brings a whole-person perspective to sleep, grounded in the belief that sleep is both a biological need and an emotional experience and one of the most important investments we can make in brain health. Her work places special emphasis on women’s sleep, recognizing that women sleep differently and are often underdiagnosed, misunderstood, or undertreated in conventional sleep models.Informed by both her clinical training and her own lived experience with intermittent insomnia and the early stages of sleep apnea, Dr. Wells has developed a comprehensive ecosystem of care. Through SuperSleepMD, she offers a robust library of self-directed educational courses, a group coaching program, a private online community, and free educational resources designed to increase access to high-quality sleep care beyond the traditional clinic.In addition, Dr. Wells provides private coaching for high-achieving individuals—including physicians and other professionals with “busy brains” who want to improve sleep, energy, and performance while creating sustainable change.🌐 Find Dr. WellsSleep Education & Programs: https://supersleepmd.comPrivate Coaching: https://awellsmd.comContact: [email protected]🌐 Connect with Your HostDr. Siri Chand Khalsa, MD MSLifestyle & Integrative Medicine Physician • Culinary Medicine • AyurvedaWebsite: drsirichand.comInstagram: @doctorsirichandCulinary Medicine Blog: drsirichand.com/blogCommunity: https://vishuddha.comVishuddha: A Media Agency for Conscious Clinicians & Wellness SeekersVishuddha 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.⚠️ DisclaimerThis podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider for personalized guidance.Keywordssleep coaching, insomnia help, middle of the night awakenings, physician sleep deprivation, women physicians burnout, residency trauma, hypervigilance, cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, CBT-I alternatives, emotional regulation and sleep, REM sleep emotional processing, second...