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How much does poor sleep mess with your brain? Rebecca and Ian discuss with the help of Dr. Shelby Harris, a behavioral sleep medicine expert. Rebecca shows off her sleep setup (including her 20 lb weighted blanket); and we hear two intimate stories regarding sleep and mental health.

Featured Expert

Dr. Shelby Harris

Shelby Freedman Harris, Psy.D., C.BSM is Director of the Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program at the Sleep-Wake Disorders Center at Montefiore Medical Center and Assistant Professor of Neurology as well as Psychiatry at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Dr. Harris specializes in behavioral sleep medicine and CBT for anxiety and depression. To learn more about Dr. Harris's work, visit her website here.

Rebecca's Sleep Setup

Weighted Blanket:

Rebecca uses a 20 lb Mosaic blanket to relax and fall asleep. While weighted blankets are most often used to help sooth autistic children, the wider world seems to be catching on to how calming they can be for adults with anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders. Case in point: this DOPE Kickstarter page for Gravity weighted blankets!

White Noise Machine:

Highly recommend this "Official Sound Conditioner" of The National Sleep Foundation. You can also download free a app to play off of your phone like this one from TMSOFT, which also includes your basic "air conditioner sound," crickets chipping, etc.

Aromatherapy Sleep Mask

For optimum sleep, your bedroom should be as dark as possible. If light peaks through, try a sleep mask. Rebecca recently upgraded to a lavender silk eye pillow, you can grab one on Amazon Prime for $17.