The Insomnia Club Drop-out with Dr. Tara Youngblood

What if insomnia isn’t the problem—but a signal that something deeper needs your attention? Sleep scientist, functional medicine practitioner, entrepreneur, and self-proclaimed “sleep geek” Dr. Tara Youngblood has spent thousands of hours studying sleep. But after the devastating loss of her six-month-old son, Benjamin, grief, depression, and anxiety made the science deeply personal and pushed her to understand why so many of us struggle to rest. In this episode of Giving Pain Purpose, Tara and Lyndsay explore the complicated relationship between sleep, chronic pain, trauma, anxiety, and the nervous system. They get into the “busy brain” that refuses to shut off, how our sleep environment and nighttime habits can work against us, the role of temperature and deep sleep, prescription sleep aids, and why there’s no one-size-fits-all recipe for better rest. For Lyndsay, who has lived with insomnia since childhood and now navigates CRPS and chronic pain, the question becomes deeply personal: how can a body heal when it never gets the chance to truly rest? This isn’t another list of sleep hacks. It’s a conversation about understanding your body, challenging the stories you’ve built around sleep, and believing that better rest might actually be possible. Episode Highlights: (00:00) Introduction to the episode and guest Dr. Tara Youngblood (03:06) Dr. Youngblood's background and expertise in sleep science (06:27) Effects of trauma, anxiety, and personality on sleep (07:29) The concept of sleep buckets and environment optimization (09:23) Electromagnetic fields and their impact on sleep quality (11:10) The importance of sleep space and environment (16:19) The role of temperature and light in sleep regulation (21:23) The different stages of sleep and their functions (22:33) Sleep and its connection to autoimmune disease and mental health (24:18) The impact of pain, stress, and inflammation on sleep (29:36) The risks of prescription sleep aids and addiction (36:30) The importance of sleep advocacy and systemic issues (37:45) Innovations in sleep technology and Geli Sleep mattress (47:24) Closing remarks and how to connect with Dr. Youngblood Find Dr. Tara Youngblood Online Here: Website: www.gelisleep.com Instagram: @dr_youngblood Facebook: Dr. Youngblood LinkedIn: Tara Youngblood Book: The Sleep Recipe That Works: Reprogram Your Sleep Find Giving Pain Purpose Online Here: Website: givingpainpurpose.com Instagram: @givingpainpurpose Facebook: The Giving Pain Purpose Podcast LinkedIn: Lyndsay Soprano TikTok: @givingpainpurpose YouTube: @givingpainpurpose Shop: thegivingpainpurposeshop.com Subscribe on YouTube | Merch Shop is OPEN!! | COMING SOON: The Pain Hub - A Women's Healing Community. Subscribe Now! Unfiltered convos. Dark humor. Real healing.  This is where pain meets purpose — and you’re not doing it alone. ++ Want to be a guest on Giving Pain Purpose with Lyndsay Soprano? Send her a message on PodMatch, here:  Be a Guest on The Show