Sleep is My Waking Passion

What if a sleep doctor didn't recognize her own sleep apnea? Dr. Valerie Cacho shares her personal journey from diagnosing patients to becoming one—revealing how women's sleep apnea symptoms look nothing like the textbook.In this episode, Dr. Cacho and Dr. Alison Kole dive into why women with "mild" sleep apnea may face serious cardiovascular risks, the unique phenomenon of REM-related sleep apnea in women, and why Asian populations are at higher risk despite normal BMI.Skool community: https://www.skool.com/sleephoriaYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@sleephoria

When does “crappy sleep” in women stop being a normal part of aging and start being a dangerous, underdiagnosed sleep apnea? In this episode, living legend Dr. Nancy Collop, MD—former AASM president and former director of the Emory Sleep Center in Atlanta—joins Dr. Alison Kole to unpack how menopause, hormones, and REM‑related apnea uniquely raise women’s cardiovascular risk. You’ll learn why “mild” sleep apnea numbers can be misleading, which red‑flag symptoms should trigger testing, and how new treatments and wearables are transforming the future of women’s sleep health.

What if the thing quietly stealing your energy, memory, and even your life was happening while you sleep? In this powerful episode of Sleep Is My Waking Passion, Dr. Alison Kole sits down with legendary documentary filmmaker George T. Nierenberg to explore his deeply personal sleep apnea journey and his new film, Out of Breath—the first feature documentary to put the human cost of sleep apnea front and center.You’ll hear raw, intimate stories from patients and families who filmed their own lives over two years, from falling asleep at the wheel with loved ones in the car to marriages, parenting, careers, and mental health slowly unraveling—then rebuilding—with effective treatment.We dig into why up to 80% of people with sleep apnea remain undiagnosed, the fear and stigma around CPAP, evolving options like oral appliances and airway-focused dentistry, and how reframing sleep as the foundation of health (not just a “pillar”) can literally save lives.🎬 Watch the film: sleepapneafilm.com👩‍⚕️ Learn more about Dr. Kole’s work: AskTheSleepMD.comIf this conversation sounds like you—or someone you love—share this episode, leave a review, and be the nudge that finally gets them diagnosed and treated.Suggested YouTube tags/keywords (optional to add below the fold):sleep apnea, obstructive sleep apnea, CPAP, oral appliance therapy, Out of Breath documentary, George Nierenberg, Dr Alison Kole, Sleep Is My Waking Passion, undiagnosed sleep apnea, snoring, excessive daytime sleepiness, falling asleep at the wheel, sleep apnea documentary, sleep doctor, sleep medicine, New Jersey sleep specialist, airway dentistry