Why do so many of us wake up in the middle of the night and can’t fall back asleep?

Could it be stress, hormones, trauma—or something we’ve never even considered?

How much sleep do we really need, and what if trying harder to sleep is actually making things worse?

In this episode of The Courage To Be™, host Tania Vasallo speaks with Dr. Melissa Milanak, a clinical psychologist and trauma expert, about the hidden reasons women struggle with sleep—especially during midlife and menopause. They dive into how trauma (even old or unrecognized) affects sleep, why CBT-I (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia) is the gold standard for reclaiming rest, and how sleep deprivation impacts everything from brain health to emotional resilience.

Dr. Melissa shares a powerful anecdote about a Vietnam veteran who had only slept 2–3 hours a night for decades and, through therapy, began sleeping 6–7 hours consistently. This episode is filled with real stories, science-backed tips, and hope for anyone tired of being tired.

To easily find episodes by theme:

(*) marks our Think and Grow Rich series—stories and insights inspired by the book.
(M) marks our Menopause series—real talk about change, identity, and strength.

• Find Dr. Melissa Milanak's offering at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://melissamilanak.com/

• Download your ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FREE Think and Grow Rich PDF book⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, the book that has made millions of millionaires! Click here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/4fa6iXC⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Want a chance to win a 7-night/8-day complimentary vacation at one of over 3,000 resorts worldwide (valued at $2,000–$5,000)? One lucky listener is selected every month! (Airfare, taxes, and fees not included.)

Here’s how to enter:

Leave a rating and written review of The Courage To Be podcast on Apple Podcasts.
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Email the screenshot to ⁠help.thecouragetobe@gmail.com⁠ with the subject line “gift.”

Want to increase your chances? Leave thoughtful comments on different podcast episodes on YouTube—each comment counts as a bonus entry when you send us a screenshot of it too!

Every entry gets you closer to your dream getaway. Good luck!

If you want a quick video on how to rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/3JXUsnh⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you'd love to watch the video version of our interviews, be sure to subscribe to the podcast's ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube channel.⁠⁠⁠⁠ - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/3FhRW79⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you enjoyed this episode. We think you'll enjoy these other episodes:

• ⁠123: (M) The Hidden Dangers of Hormone Imbalance with Anna Garrett - https://youtu.be/6D5CVnCx82E

• 119: Are Your Daily Choices Draining You? with Nancy Juetten - https://youtu.be/o6mK0qGr0zE

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Listen to The Courage To Be - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://apple.co/3Vnk1TO⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

IN THIS EPISODE:

00:00 – 🎙️ Intro & Guest

01:50 – 🌙 How Sleep Talk Began

06:01 – 🛏️ What Sleep Does to Your Body

09:01 – ⚠️ Why Sleep Advice Fails

12:58 – 🧵 Create Your Sleep Story

19:21 – 🎁 Promo: Win by Reviewing

23:04 – 🧬 Teen Sleep & Evolution

25:51 – 💬 Real Sleep Recovery Stories

30:10 – 🛠️ How CBT-I Fixes Sleep

34:02 – ❌ Quitting Sleep Aids

38:33 – 🔑 Host’s Breakthrough & Takeaways

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