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Fitness, training, discipline and communication are core to good policing, but sleep underpins them all. Quality sleep sharpens judgment, reaction time and restraint while buffering stress and trauma. For officers working long shifts, odd hours and high-stress scenes, better sleep is a practical readiness tool — not a luxury.
In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley speaks with Dr. Leah Kaylor, an FBI clinical psychologist who provides trauma therapy and critical-incident debriefings. Kaylor’s new book, “If Sleep Were a Drug: Why Sleep Is the Ultimate Advantage — No Prescription Required,” breaks down common sleep myths, explains how REM restores emotional balance and offers field-tested strategies officers can use tonight. The episode also tackles shift work realities, caffeine and alcohol traps, and when to seek help for sleep apnea.
Key takeaways from this episode
- Build a real wind-down: Dim lights, step off screens and land the plane before bed to transition into deep sleep.
- Guard caffeine timing: Wait ~90 minutes after waking, cut it by early afternoon and watch hidden sources in pre-workout, meds and “enhanced” drinks.
- Skip alcohol as a sleep aid: It fragments sleep and suppresses REM, which you need for emotional reset after tough calls.
- Reserve the bed for the three Ss: Sleep, sex and sickness; move other activities elsewhere to retrain your brain to sleep on cue.
- Manage shift work deliberately: Keep a consistent schedule when possible, use dark-light cues, and get evaluated for snoring or daytime sleepiness that may signal sleep apnea.
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Episode transcript
Jim Dudley: Thanks for checking in. I’m your host, Jim Dudley. If you haven’t yet, make sure to check out our video and graphics of this episode on the Police1 YouTube channel.
When it comes to good policing, there are so many things we can control: fitness, training, discipline and communication skills. These are things we work on every day. But there’s one crucial factor that’s often overlooked, and that’s sleep. I’m not talking about a few extra hours of rest. I’m talking about how quality sleep impacts everything from our performance to mental health. It’s something we may not have much control over, but we can learn to manage it better.
Today’s guest, Dr. Leah Kaylor, is a sleep specialist and author of the brand-new book If Sleep Were a Drug: Why Sleep Is the Ultimate Advantage — No Prescription Required. Dr. Kaylor is a clinical psychologist who provides trauma therapy and psychological debriefings to personnel who face some of the toughest, most high-stress situations you can imagine: officer-involved shootings, crime scene exposure, child abuse materials and much more.
Welcome to Policing Matters, Dr. Kaylor.
Dr. Leah Kaylor: Thank you for having me. I’m excited to be here.
Jim Dudley: It’s great seeing your background and the things you’re writing about. Let’s kick off with a big one. What are some of the biggest myths you hear about sleep, and why are they so harmful, especially in high-pressure professions like law enforcement?
Dr. Leah Kaylor: The very first one, and I even put it in the introduction of my book, is the phrase: “I’ll sleep when I’m dead.” I think that’s the biggest myth, especially for first responder and military populations. It’s the idea that sleep is not important, that it’s like flipping off a light switch for your brain and body, going into airplane mode.
That couldn’t be further from the truth. Sleep is incredibly restorative for the brain and body. For example, during REM sleep — especially the big chunk that comes in the early morning hours before your alarm goes off — the brain is incredibly active. If you compare the brain waves of someone in REM sleep with someone awake and problem solving, they look very
similar. That shows we’re not offline at all.
If you keep living by “I’ll sleep when I’m dead,” you’ll probably get there quicker.
Jim Dudley: I have a friend who says that all the time, but it eventually catches up with us, doesn’t it?
Dr. Leah Kaylor: It absolutely does. When I started working full-time during COVID, everyone was in a panic and we were asked to do a lot of health, wellness and resilience presentations.
That’s where sleep became my focus.
One of my mentors would say the three pillars of health are exercise, diet and sleep. Fast forward six years, with more education and one-on-one work with people, I’ve realized that’s wrong. Sleep isn’t one pillar — it’s the foundation you build everything else on. Without it, you’ve got a sinkhole.
Jim Dudley: So many of us have different variables that affect our sleep. What are simple changes people can do starting tonight to get better sleep?
Dr. Leah Kaylor: There are many things you can do, and that’s why I titled the book If Sleep Were a Drug. Everyone wants more productivity, more family time or more work-life balance, so sleep is often sacrificed. But it’s so important.
One of my top recommendations is to create a wind-down routine. For first responders, the day is full of adrenaline, cortisol and dopamine. You can’t expect to just fall into bed and sleep.
Some people do, but that’s often a sign of sleep deprivation. You need to transition — land the plane gracefully — so you move through light sleep into deep restorative sleep.
A wind-down routine doesn’t have to be long or involved. The key is slowing down. That means stepping away from screens. Screens are often blamed for blue light, which mimics sunlight and tells your body it’s daytime. That’s true, but the bigger problem is how we engage with screens. Watching a TV show you’ve already seen is one thing. But gaming or debating on social media triggers dopamine, the reward chemical that keeps you hooked. Sleep can’t compete with dopamine in the moment. That’s how people lose track of time and realize it’s suddenly 2 a.m.
A simple, free tip is to dim your lights in the evening. That mimics sunset and strengthens your circadian rhythm so your body knows it’s time to rest.
Another big recommendation is about what you do in bed. When I give sleep lectures, I write “bed” on the whiteboard and ask people what they do there. I hear: watching TV, reading, talking, social media, homework, paying bills. People often forget to even mention sleep.
The problem is that your brain starts to associate the bed with many different activities. Then when you get into bed, your brain thinks it has a menu of options. We have a saying: only the three S’s belong in bed — sleep, sex and sickness. If you do other activities elsewhere and reserve the bed for those three, your brain learns that bed means sleep.
Jim Dudley: Everything you describe requires some amount of self-discipline. You can take the TV out of the bedroom, take the books off the nightstand.
Dr. Leah Kaylor: Exactly. Reading is a wonderful wind-down activity, with research showing it lowers cortisol in under 10 minutes. But do it outside the bed.
I understand not everyone has that luxury — I lived in a studio apartment in New York with another person. In that case, do your best to reserve the bed for sleep, sex and sickness. Use a couch, desk or even a visual divider like a cloth screen to separate the space. Even small distinctions help train the brain.
Jim Dudley: A lot of officers drink energy drinks during the day. If you’re on nights or odd hours, you might be drinking them to stay awake. At some point you have to land the plane. What quick fixes can actually be helpful, and when do they start to backfire?
Dr. Leah Kaylor: There’s a lot in that question, but let’s start with caffeine. It’s a lifeline for many first responders. We’re working long hours, pushing through fatigue, and sometimes caffeine feels like the only option.
The key is timing. Many people drink coffee right after waking up, but your body naturally produces adrenaline and cortisol to get you moving. After about 90 minutes, those chemicals start to dip. That’s when caffeine gives you the most benefit. Drinking it the moment you wake up is like punching the gas pedal on a car that’s already accelerating — it doesn’t give you the best return.
Caffeine is sneaky. Beyond coffee and cold brew, it’s in tea, energy drinks, pre-workout powders, even “enhanced” waters. A single scoop of pre-workout can equal three cups of coffee. Some foods and medications also contain caffeine. It’s easy to lose track of how much you’ve consumed.
Caffeine has a half-life of about four to six hours. If you drink a 20-ounce coffee at 6 a.m., half of it is still active at noon, and a quarter is still active at 6 p.m. That’s assuming just one cup. If you stack multiple caffeinated drinks throughout the day, it adds up quickly. This is why I recommend cutting off caffeine in the early afternoon. People metabolize differently, but if you’re sensitive, you may need to stop even earlier.
Now alcohol is the opposite problem. Many officers use it at the end of a tough day to relax or knock themselves out. Alcohol is a depressant; it slows communication between neurons. It doesn’t put you into sleep, it sedates you.
As your body metabolizes alcohol, sleep becomes light and fragmented. Noises that normally wouldn’t wake you can cause micro-arousals or full awakenings. Alcohol is one of the most powerful suppressors of REM sleep, the stage where we do emotional recalibration and process trauma.
So while alcohol may feel like it helps you fall asleep, it robs you of the restorative sleep you desperately need.
Jim Dudley: Officers often work shifts. I worked midnights my first couple of years. Sometimes the schedules rotate, and those can really mess you up. Is it better to reset back to a normal day schedule on days off, or try to maintain the night schedule?
Dr. Leah Kaylor: This is one of the trickiest questions I get. Humans are wired to wake when the sun comes up and sleep when it goes down. With electricity and modern schedules, we’ve disrupted those natural light-dark cycles. We’re not meant to be awake at night and asleep
during the day.
This isn’t just inconvenient — it’s dangerous. Night shift has been identified as a modifiable risk factor for cancer. It’s considered a known carcinogen because of the damage it causes to the
body.
So my first recommendation, as soon as possible, is to get off shift work for your future health.
I know that’s not always realistic, but it’s the best option.
If you’re going to stay on a night shift, ideally you should maintain the same schedule, even on your days off. That’s the best way to protect your circadian rhythm. The problem is it’s unpopular — the rest of the world is awake during the day, and family activities, appointments and errands are all scheduled then.
Because of that, shift workers often get much less sleep than those on day shifts. They’re fighting against their circadian rhythm while also trying to live a normal life during daylight. That increases fatigue and accident risk.
So to summarize: if you can get off nights, do it. If you can’t, consistency is key. Flipping back and forth between days and nights is even harder on your body and your safety.
Jim Dudley: In your book you talk about the rise of “sleep divorce” — couples sleeping in separate rooms, using masks or setting different schedules, especially when one partner works odd hours. Why is this happening more than people think? Is it just a trend, or is it a practical solution?
Dr. Leah Kaylor: Everyone’s situation is unique, but I think sleep divorce can be a very practical option. Many couples face issues that make sharing a bed difficult — snoring, CPAP machines, temperature differences, tossing and turning, nightmares, restless legs, or mismatched sleep schedules and chronotypes.
If someone has insomnia and struggles to fall asleep or stay asleep, it’s incredibly frustrating to watch their partner fall asleep instantly and sleep like a log. That can make the problem worse.
There are middle-ground solutions before you get to a full sleep divorce. Try white noise machines, earplugs or nature sounds like crickets or thunderstorms. If temperature is the issue, consider “sleeping Scandinavian” — each partner has their own blankets. One can use an electric blanket to stay warm while the other sleeps cool. If mattress preferences are the problem, some couples put two twin mattresses on a king frame with a bed bridge. That way, each partner has the mattress they like but can still co-sleep.
If those options don’t work, a full sleep divorce — separate bedrooms — gives both partners full control over temperature, mattress and environment. This can be especially helpful for people working night shifts who need a quiet, controlled space to sleep during the day.
It’s important to note: sleep divorce is not about relationship or intimacy problems. It’s about prioritizing sleep. Research shows people who share a bed with a snorer lose about an hour of sleep each night, and they’re at higher risk of insomnia themselves. A sleep divorce lets both partners rest better so they can show up as their best selves during the day. Intimacy can be protected with routines like going to bed together before splitting, having morning coffee together, or planning date nights.
Surveys suggest many more people practice sleep divorce than admit it publicly, because there’s still stigma. But for some, it’s the best option.
Jim Dudley: I just came back from a trip to France and Germany. In Germany, the Airbnb we stayed at had two twin beds side by side, which apparently is common. If we’re talking about the importance of sleep, those kinds of arrangements seem worth the investment.
Dr. Leah Kaylor: Yes, in many parts of Europe it’s common for couples to have separate mattresses or bedding, and it makes a lot of sense. There are also beds available now with dual temperature controls and adjustable settings. I own one, and for me it’s been absolutely worth it. I’m a hot sleeper, and I tried cooling blankets and pads, but they didn’t work. This setup did. If you’re a hot sleeper, there are definitely options that can make a world of difference.
Jim Dudley: For families with small kids, sleep interruptions are a reality. If one partner is the primary worker and the other is caring for children, separate bedrooms can make sense. But not everyone has that luxury.
Dr. Leah Kaylor: Exactly. Kids will interrupt your sleep — whether they’re sick, scared or just need comfort. That’s inevitable. The key is open communication and planning. Couples can try a two-week trial of a new arrangement and then reassess. Talk about how to handle scenarios like guests staying over or vacations. Having a plan helps reduce stress when disruptions happen.
Jim Dudley: Travel is another challenge. You mentioned our caveman wiring — that we tend to be hyper-vigilant when we’re away from home, almost like keeping an ear open around a strange campfire.
Dr. Leah Kaylor: That’s right. A big piece of sleep is feeling safe in your environment. When I travel for work, I bring two small portable door alarms — one for the main hotel door and one for the adjoining door if there is one. They’re inexpensive, easy to pack and give me peace of mind. Knowing I’ve taken that extra step makes it easier to relax and get better rest in an unfamiliar space.
Jim Dudley: You focus a lot on first responders in your work. Is their experience with sleep different from the general public, or are we all dealing with the same problems?
Dr. Leah Kaylor: There are similarities, but there are also important distinctions. First responders face repeated exposure to trauma in a way most civilians don’t. You don’t know what call you’ll be sent to, or how many traumatic situations you’ll face in a single shift.
Of course, trauma affects everyone — civilians experience it too — but in policing, fire or EMS, repeated exposure is almost guaranteed. That takes a toll.
In the first responder world, compartmentalization is often seen as a skill. You box things up and push them down so you can move on to the next call. But eventually you run out of room, and those things start spilling out in other ways. Very often, sleep is one of the first areas where that shows up.
What I see over and over again is that sleep problems are often symptoms of untreated trauma, anxiety, depression or stress. When your mental health isn’t good, your sleep won’t be good. And when your sleep isn’t good, you lose the ability to recalibrate emotionally during REM sleep. It becomes a vicious cycle — poor sleep worsens mental health, which in turn worsens sleep.
Sleep has similar feedback loops with other conditions too, like chronic pain. Poor sleep makes pain harder to manage, and pain makes it harder to sleep, creating another cycle.
Jim Dudley: Some officers may think they’re getting fine sleep — they go to bed at a certain hour, wake up at a certain hour and feel like they’re doing okay. But toward the end of my career, I’d find myself fighting to stay awake in afternoon meetings or nodding off during movies once the lights went down. What are some early indicators officers can use to self-assess whether they’re really sleeping well?
Dr. Leah Kaylor: For adults between 18 and 65, the recommended range is seven to nine hours of sleep per night. Less than seven hours, consistently, is considered sleep deprivation.
When I do lectures, I ask people to raise their hands based on how much sleep they get. I almost never see hands for nine hours. A few for eight. More for seven. But the largest group is always six or less. And that’s the very definition of sleep deprivation.
Many people don’t think of themselves as sleep-deprived. They say, “I’m fine.” But research shows otherwise. When people who are chronically sleep-deprived are tested in a lab on memory or cognitive tasks, their performance is impaired — even though subjectively they believe they’re doing well. Over time, that impaired state becomes their “new normal.”
One of the clearest red flags is what we call microsleeps — those moments when you unintentionally doze off for a few seconds. It might happen in a meeting, during a movie, or worst of all, behind the wheel. Microsleeps are very dangerous, especially while driving.
Another huge issue in first responders is undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnea. People tend to picture someone overweight with a thick neck snoring loudly. Yes, that person is at risk, but sleep apnea affects fit people too — even children.
Here’s what happens: when you lie down, your airway can narrow as your throat and tongue muscles relax. That makes it harder for air to pass — which is why you hear snoring. In apnea, the airway can close completely. The brain panics when it doesn’t get oxygen and triggers micro-arousals or full awakenings. Sometimes it sounds like gasping or choking.
Even if you think you’ve slept seven or eight hours, apnea makes sleep shallow and fragmented. Imagine if every hour I came into your bedroom and poked you awake ten times.
You’d be exhausted the next day. That’s essentially what apnea does.
Often, the person with apnea doesn’t know they have it. It’s bed partners who notice the loud snoring, gasping or choking, or colleagues who see them nodding off during the day.
The good news is, apnea is treatable. A sleep study can determine if it’s mild, moderate or severe, and there are effective interventions. But if you know you have apnea and you’re not using your CPAP or following treatment, you’re doing your current and future health a real disservice.
Jim Dudley: That’s critical advice. Any final thoughts for officers listening to this?
Dr. Leah Kaylor: Sleep isn’t a luxury — it’s a tactical advantage. You should treat it with the same seriousness as your fitness and your training.
Start with small steps you can do tonight: dim your lights before bed, step away from screens, create a wind-down routine, cut off caffeine in the early afternoon, don’t rely on alcohol as a sleep aid and reserve the bed for the three S’s — sleep, sex and sickness.
And if you suspect a medical issue like sleep apnea, get evaluated. It’s easy to ignore, but it can have major health and safety consequences if left untreated.
Jim Dudley: That’s excellent. If you want to go deeper, Dr. Kaylor’s book If Sleep Were a Drug: Why Sleep Is the Ultimate Advantage — No Prescription Required will be available October 1, 2025.
Thank you so much for joining us, Dr. Kaylor.
Dr. Leah Kaylor: It’s been my pleasure. Thank you.
Jim Dudley: And that’s it for today’s episode of Policing Matters. Thanks for joining us. I hope you’re well, I hope you’re sleeping well and I hope you’re staying safe. Take good care, and I’ll talk to you again soon. Good night.