Focus Forward: An Executive Function Podcast

Ep 42: Insomnia, ADHD, and Sleep Hygiene: How to Transform Your Life Through Better Sleep (ft. Marlee Boyle)

Apr 17, 2024

Respiratory therapist and sleep specialist Marlee Boyle discusses the importance of sleep for individuals with ADHD, addressing topics such as sleep apnea, circadian rhythms, insomnia therapy, and supporting children's sleep. Strategies like CBT-I, CPAP machines, light therapy, and meditation apps are explored to empower better sleep quality and manage ADHD symptoms.

54:22

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Episode guests

Marlee Boyle

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Use amber glasses and tunable light bulbs to create a sleep-friendly environment and enhance circadian rhythm.

Introduce relaxation techniques for kids and adults to wind down at night and promote better sleep quality.

CBTI is an effective therapy for chronic insomnia, focusing on cognitive restructuring, relaxation practices, and managing sleep-related thoughts.

Deep dives

Use of Amber Glasses and Light Therapy for Sleep Improvement

Using amber glasses a few hours before bedtime can signal the body to start winding down, enhancing the natural sleep process. Additionally, tunable light bulbs can create a sleep-friendly environment by transitioning from bright blue light in the morning to warm, red light in the evening, helping in training the circadian rhythm.

Introduction

2min

Unveiling the Transformative Power of Sleep for ADHD Community

7min

Empowering Better Sleep for Individuals with ADHD

2min

Unveiling the Power of Treating Sleep Apnea for Managing ADHD

5min

Improving Sleep Quality for Individuals with ADHD

21min

Breaking the Cycle of Insomnia and Anxiety in New Mothers

8min

Enhancing Children's Sleep with Tunable Light Bulbs

3min

Enhancing Child's Sleep and Anxiety with Meditation App

8min

Hi everyone! Today we’re talking about sleep. I met with Marlee Boyle, a respiratory therapist and sleep specialist in Nova Scotia, Canada. Marlee co-owns a sleep clinic and specializes in helping people with ADHD improve their sleep. This episode is one that you’ll want to listen to because we all should, as Marlee says, “start with sleep”. You’ll also learn about sleep apnea and how important it is to address this, differences in circadian rhythms and what to do about them, how cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) can help, and how to support kids who have difficulty sleeping.

As always, thank you for listening! Here are the show notes from today’s episode:

Learn More about Marlee Boyle

https://www.sleep-works.com/

Sleep Works’ Favorite Sleep Tools

https://www.sleep-works.com/amazon-store

Marlee’s Venn diagram of Sleep and ADHD symptoms

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1P9Q9KHzCNe7_ej0J9EwbwWPYa9SWykTb/view?usp=sharing

Sleep Resources

CDC Sleep Resources

https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/resources.html

Sleep Resources from MIT

https://health.mit.edu/community/sleep