75: We’ve Been Getting Sleep Wrong! – The Shocking Truth About Rest, Recovery & Longevity with Dr. Christian Jenski

What if fixing your sleep was the single most powerful way to restore your energy, balance your hormones, and protect your long-term health?

In this insightful episode of Made for Health, Dr. Aaron Hartman and Dr. Christian Jenski take a deep dive into one of the most overlooked foundations of well-being—sleep. They break down the science behind sleep initiation, maintenance, and efficiency, explaining how lifestyle choices, nutrient status, and underlying medical conditions can dramatically influence sleep quality. From sleep apnea and restless legs syndrome to the impact of caffeine, blue light, and stress, the conversation explores both pharmaceutical and natural interventions, emphasizing an integrative, personalized approach to achieving restorative rest.

Whether you struggle to fall asleep, stay asleep, or wake up feeling unrested, this episode offers the practical science and actionable strategies you need to start reclaiming your nights—and your health.

Show Highlights

• The importance of sleep initiation and maintaining proper sleep hygiene for overall wellness.
• How lifestyle habits like caffeine intake, eating late, and irregular schedules disrupt rest.
• The role of restless legs syndrome, narcolepsy, and idiopathic hypersomnia in chronic sleep issues.
• Understanding sleep efficiency and why it’s a key indicator of restorative rest.
• Functional medicine insights on how gut health, blood sugar balance, and nutrient deficiencies impact sleep.
• A review of pharmaceutical interventions including trazodone, gabapentin, and low-dose naltrexone—and when to use them safely.
• The risks of common sleep medications such as benzodiazepines and Ambien, especially in long-term use.
• Non-pharmaceutical tools for improving sleep—breathwork, herbal remedies, and stress reduction.
• Why personalized sleep plans outperform one-size-fits-all approaches.
• Practical, actionable tips for improving sleep quality naturally and sustainably.

In This Episode, You Will Learn

• Why sleep is a vital biomarker for long-term health and hormone balance.
• The connection between gut health, detox pathways, and restorative sleep.
• How to identify and address the root causes of poor sleep, not just symptoms.
• The critical role of circadian rhythm alignment for hormonal and metabolic health.
• Why children and chronically ill patients need special consideration with sleep aids.
• Real-world strategies to improve sleep onset, depth, and consistency.

Resources & Links

Dr. Aaron Hartman – Richmond Functional Medicine: richmondfunctionalmedicine.com

LinkedIn – Dr. Aaron Hartman: Connect Here

YouTube – Richmond Functional Medicine: Watch Here