32: Mastering Your Sleep with Irina Macare
Ep. 32
Sleep isn’t just downtime — it’s an active, restorative process that directly impacts your hormonal balance, metabolism, mental health, and emotional resilience. For women in midlife, sleep can feel especially elusive. Hormonal fluctuations, stress, and lifestyle changes all intersect, often leading to insomnia, fatigue, and brain fog.
In this episode of Reset Recharge, Dr. Komal Patil-Sisodia, a triple board-certified endocrinologist and women’s health expert, sits down with sleep coach Irina Macare to uncover the science and psychology behind sleep—and how we can all get it back.
Listen to the full episode:
By Dr. Komal Patil-Sisodia | Reset Recharge Podcast | November 3, 2025
Meet Irina Macare: From IT Burnout to Sleep Wellness Coach
Irina’s story begins in the demanding world of IT engineering. After 16 years in a high-pressure environment, long nights, and endless deadlines, burnout set in. What followed was chronic insomnia — nights of waking at 2 a.m., lying awake for hours, and starting her days exhausted.
Her breaking point came after a car accident caused by sleep deprivation. “That was my wake-up call—literally and figuratively,” Irina recalls. “I realized I couldn’t keep pushing through on caffeine and willpower.”
Rather than turn to medication, she began researching everything she could about sleep, health, and recovery. Over time, that curiosity evolved into a new career — first earning certifications in nutrition and stress management through Precision Nutrition, then diving deep into Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBTI) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
Her mission became clear: help others transform their relationship with sleep — especially those whose professional or personal demands make it easy to neglect rest.
The D.R.E.A.M. Framework: A Holistic Path to Restorative Sleep
Irina’s clients were often overwhelmed and didn’t know where to start. In response, she created the D.R.E.A.M. Sleep Method, a practical, evidence-based framework that helps individuals identify the key areas disrupting their rest.
Irina’s signature approach to sleep coaching focuses on five pillars:
D – Drive: Building your body’s natural desire for sleep.
R – Rhythm: Strengthening your circadian rhythm through light, timing, and consistency.
E – Environment: Optimizing your bedroom and lifestyle habits for quality rest.
A – Automatic Loops: Reframing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors that keep you awake.
M – Mind-Body Connection: Using mindfulness and relaxation to calm both body and mind.
This holistic model blends evidence-based techniques from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBTI) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)—teaching you to change your relationship with sleep rather than fight against it.
CBTI vs. ACT: Understanding the Psychology Behind Sleep
While CBTI focuses on identifying and challenging distorted sleep thoughts (“If I don’t sleep, tomorrow will be a disaster”), ACT helps people detach from those thoughts. Rather than fighting insomnia, it encourages acceptance and psychological flexibility.
“Sleep is one of those rare areas where trying harder actually backfires,” explains Dr. Komal. “ACT teaches you to observe your thoughts instead of engaging with them — a concept that’s powerful not only for sleep but for stress and anxiety, too.”
The Science of Sleep Wellness: Beyond Hours and Numbers
Irina emphasizes that sleep quality matters more than sheer quantity. Sleep occurs in 90-minute cycles that include light, deep, and REM stages — all essential for recovery.
A key metric she uses with clients is sleep efficiency — the ratio of time asleep to time spent in bed. Ideal efficiency is 85–90%. Falling asleep the second your head hits the pillow? That can actually indicate sleep deprivation, not success.
“We live in a culture that glorifies exhaustion,” Irina says. “But true productivity and creativity come from being well-rested, not overworked.”
Hormones, Menopause, and Midlife Sleep Challenges
Dr. Komal highlights that midlife sleep disruption is often linked to hormonal changes.
Declining estrogen and progesterone can cause night sweats, increased anxiety, and sleep apnea risk — especially for women who don’t fit traditional diagnostic criteria.
“Sleep apnea is severely underdiagnosed in women, particularly during perimenopause and menopause,” Dr. Komal notes. “If you’re doing everything ‘right’ but still waking up exhausted, it’s time for a medical evaluation.”
Chronotypes and Circadian Rhythm: One Size Doesn’t Fit All
Not everyone’s biological clock runs on the same schedule. Some are early birds, others are night owls. Trying to force an incompatible schedule can worsen insomnia.
Irina helps clients determine their chronotype and build a personalized sleep schedule. “If you’re a night owl trying to wake up at 5 a.m., your body will fight it,” she explains. “Understanding your internal rhythm is key to sustainable rest.”
Actionable Tips to Improve Sleep—Starting Tonight
Irina’s top practical strategies for immediate improvement include:
Anchor your wake-up time. Start by choosing the earliest time you need to wake during the week, and stick to it (±30 minutes) even on weekends.
Get morning sunlight. Within 30 minutes of waking, step outside or use a SAD light lamp during darker months to signal your brain that it’s daytime.
Wind down with intention. Set aside an hour before bed for calming rituals—reading, stretching, or journaling—away from screens.
Honor your natural rhythm. Align your sleep and wake times with your chronotype rather than forcing an early-bird schedule.
Don’t abandon sleep hygiene. Even if you have chronic insomnia, maintaining consistent, healthy routines supports long-term recovery.
A Mind-Body Connection: Learning to Relax Without Control
When asked how her own relationship with sleep has evolved, Irina shares:
“I still have bad nights, especially during stressful times—but my mindset has changed. I don’t panic anymore. I trust my body will rebalance.”
She reminds listeners that sleep wellness is a practice, not perfection. Just like maintaining weight loss or exercise habits, sustaining good sleep requires ongoing care and adaptability.
Key Takeaway
“If your sleep hygiene doesn’t fix your insomnia, it doesn’t mean those behaviors don’t matter—they still do. You just need to build on them.” — Irina Macare
Sleep is not a luxury—it’s your foundation for physical, emotional, and hormonal health.
By tuning into your body’s rhythm, respecting your needs, and reframing your relationship with rest, you can truly reset, recharge, and restore your vitality.
Disclaimer
This content is for educational purposes only and should not replace medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making decisions regarding screening, testing, or treatment.