Editorial Guidelines
Sleep Doctor first launched in 2008. Guided by the expertise of Dr. Michael J. Breus, our site has since become a leading authority in the field of sleep health. The Sleep Doctor team is dedicated to helping readers get the rest they need, make meaningful lifestyle changes to ensure high-quality sleep, and achieve peak performance during their waking hours.
Medical Review Panel
Dr. Pranshu Adavadkar
Sleep Physician
As a board-certified sleep medicine physician with over 20 years of clinical experience, Dr. Adavadkaris an expert in diagnosing and treating sleep disorders in both children and adults, as well as addressing sleep issues experienced by veterans. While practicing primary care after completing his pediatric residency at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County in Chicago, he developed a strong passion for sleep medicine. He observed the prevalence and intricacy of sleep problems and the significant effect they had on his patients’ and their families’ well-being, leading him to recognize this as a field where he could make a meaningful impact on people’s lives. In 2004, Dr. Adavadkar finished his fellowship training in sleep medicine at the University of Michigan, where he had the chance to learn from renowned and accomplished physicians in the field, including Dr. Ronald Chervin. Currently, in his role as an associate professor of pediatrics and medicine at the University of Illinois at Chicago and a staff attending at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Dr. Adavadkar is active in both clinical practice and academics. He strives to stay up to date with recent developments like non-CPAP treatment options for obstructive sleep apnea. As a faculty member of the sleep medicine fellowship program, Dr. Adavadkar is involved in educating future physicians and sleep specialists and finds great satisfaction in mentoring them throughout their careers. He is also trained in obesity medicine and is a diplomate of American Board of Obesity Medicine. He is passionate about helping patients improve their sleep health and overall quality of life. In his free time, Dr. Adavadkar indulges in learning about personal finance, and listening to audiobooks. He also enjoys traveling to new destinations and creating lasting memories with his wife and two children.
Dr. Dustin Cotliar
Sleep Medicine Physician
Dustin Cotliar holds a medical degree from the State University of NY (SUNY) Downstate College of Medicine, and a master’s in public health from Columbia University, where he focused on healthcare policy and management. He is board-certified in Emergency Medicine, with over eight years of practice that includes emergency medicine, urgent care, and telemedicine. His interest in the field of sleep health began during his residency at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai- Beth Israel, where working irregular hours and nightshifts led him to explore methods to enhance sleep quality and well-being.
Dr. Alberto Ramos
Professor of Clinical Neurology
Dr. Ramos is a Professor of Clinical Neurology and the Research Director of the sleep disorders program at the University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine. He mentors and trains physician scientists. As a McKnight Institute for Brain Research collaborator, he focuses on the intersection between sleep disorders, cerebrovascular disease, and neurocognitive aging in population-based studies. As an investigator, he has also been involved with the Northern Manhattan Study and the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) since 2010. Further, he was the Miami site-PI for the ancillary sleep study, Sueño (R01HL098297)-Sleep as a Risk Factor for Disease in HCHS/SOL. Sueño aimed to determine the prevalence of abnormal sleep patterns in 2,200 Latinos using actigraphy. This work led to Sleep in Neurocognitive Aging and Alzheimer’s Research (www.sanarbrain.com), which is a five-year, $13 million Research Project Grant (R01AG067568) from the National Institutes of Aging to study the impact of obstructive sleep apnea and nocturnal blood pressure on the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias in Hispanic/Latino adults. Dr. Ramos is a Fellow of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, of the American Academy of Neurology, and of the C-Change Institute on Leadership and Mentorship from Brandeis University. He is board certified in Neurology and Sleep Medicine. Dr. Ramos evaluates and treats patients with sleep disorders and performs intraoperative neurophysiologic monitoring.
Dr. Gerard Meskill
Sleep Medicine Physician
Gerard J. Meskill, MD is board certified in both neurology and sleep medicine, and he is the founder and CEO of Tricoastal Narcolepsy and Sleep Disorders Center. The “Tricoastal” moniker references his background: he completed neurology residency on the East Coast at Long Island Jewish Medical Center – where he served as chief resident, sleep fellowship on the West Coast at Stanford University, and he now practices sleep medicine and neurology on the Gulf Coast in the greater Houston, Texas area. In the sleep world, he is known for expertise in the treatment of narcolepsy, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and insomnia. He is published in peer-reviewed journals and texts, as well as online media. He has served as principal investigator in clinical research trials focused on narcolepsy and OSA. He regularly serves on narcolepsy treatment advisory boards and founded A.W.A.K.E. Greater Houston, a support group for individuals afflicted with narcolepsy and other sleep disorders that works in partnership with the Narcolepsy Network and the American Sleep Apnea Association. He has been recognized by Texas Monthly magazine as one of Texas’s Super Doctors Rising Stars (2018-22). Dr. Meskill’s professional passion is to improve the lives of patients suffering from disorders of central hypersomnia, such as narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia. From 2019-20, he was the principal investigator of the Houston arm of the Pitolisant Expanded Access Clinical Evaluation (PEACE) program.
Dr. Sherrie Neustein
Sleep Medicine Physician
Dr. Sherrie Neustein is a board certified Pediatrician and a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics who has enjoyed over 15 years in practice. She graduated magna cum laude from Brandeis University and with honors from the Tufts University School of Medicine. Dr. Neustein completed her residency training at the Northwell Health Cohen Children’s Medical Center and an international fellowship in medical ethics. She is the recipient of both the Patients’ Choice Award and the Compassionate Doctor Award, honors bestowed upon less than one percent of Pediatricians. She has completed research at Columbia University and has been published in the Contemporary Pediatrics Journal. Besides her practice of General Pediatrics, she has had the honor to serve as an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at The SUNY Downstate College of Medicine, educating both medical students and resident physicians. She has lectured at national conferences and is a founding vice president of the board of an international organization for the advancement of women in medicine. She has also served as a medical consultant for the development of pediatric health devices and products. As a General Pediatrician, Dr. Neustein witnessed firsthand the significant role that sleep plays in the child’s development, physical, mental, academic and social well being. She believes that working with her patients to help them achieve good sleep quality and quantity is setting them up for a lifetime of wellness. She is a member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and has completed advanced coursework at The Center for Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology at The University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine.
Meet Our Editorial Team
David Rubin
Certified Sleep Science Coach, Director of Product Testing
David is a Certified Sleep Science Coach with a lifelong passion for well-being and health optimization. His interest in sleep developed with the arrival of his son, when sleep suddenly became a precious commodity. Since then, David has researched everything from bedtime routines to mattress toppers in his quest for a great night’s sleep. He has a bachelor’s in international communications and a master’s in business administration. David spends most of his time with his wife and two young children, usually outdoors in his home state of Colorado.
Garen Glazier
Staff Writer, Product Testing Team
Garen is a health and lifestyle content creator. She realized the importance of sleep when her children made getting a good night’s rest more challenging. Garen is always learning something new about the wide world of sleep and sleep products. Married with two girls, ages 7 and 11, she is a book nerd and a lover of pop music, travel, and the Pacific Northwest.
Alison Deshong
Staff Writer, Product Testing Team
Alison is a health writer with ample experience reading and interpreting academic, peer-reviewed research. Based in San Diego, she is published in the journal PLOS Genetics and the Journal of Biological Chemistry and has been a copywriter for SmartBug media. With a master’s degree in biochemistry from the University of California, Davis, she has nearly a decade of academic research experience in life sciences. She enjoys helping people cut through the noise to understand the bigger picture about sleep and health. Alison likes to stay active with rock climbing, hiking, and walking her dog.
Afy Okoye
Staff Writer, Sleep Health
Afy is a writer and creative strategist in San Francisco with a master’s degree in international health policy from the London School of Economics. She has written for VeryWell Health, BlackDoctor.org, and Paste magazine and edited peer-reviewed journal manuscripts for Elsevier. Afy says her work with The Sleep Doctor is anything but “sleepy.” She enjoys the opportunity to learn new information and share knowledge that gives people the power to make better choices. Afy also likes to read non-fiction, do creative writing, and travel solo.
Rebecca Levi
Staff Writer, Sleep Health
With a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from Indiana University Bloomington, Rebecca enjoys making accurate, up-to-date health information accessible to all readers. As a freelance writer and editor, she has covered everything from healthcare and experimental music to education. Rebecca lives in Tennessee, where she spends her free time reading, writing fiction, and making music.
Janet Larson
Staff Writer, Sleep Health
Janet is a freelance writer and editor who lives in Fancy Gap, Virginia. She has a bachelor’s degree in literature from Bennington College and has worked for Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. Janet particularly likes writing about sleep because it’s both mysterious and ordinary. She says it’s impossible for her to sleep without three pillows.
Leigh Saner
Staff Writer, Sleep Health
Leigh is a freelance wellness writer and a national board-certified health and wellness coach based in Greenville, North Carolina. With a master’s degree in public health, she has been a coordinator of health services at the Edgecombe County Health Department in North Carolina. She enjoys researching health information and synthesizing it to support health literacy and well-being. Leigh is particularly passionate about providing practical ways for people to reduce stress and adopt healthy lifestyle practices to improve sleep quality.
Katie Kottemann
Staff Writer, Sleep Products
Katie is a writer, editor, and researcher based in Englewood, Colorado. With a doctorate in English from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, she has written and edited for Peterson’s and Innerbody Research as well as been a writing professor. Katie is passionate about helping consumers make more informed choices.
Katherine Zheng
Staff Writer, Sleep Health
Katherine is a freelance writer based in Chicago. She has doctorate and bachelor’s degrees in nursing and is published in the journal Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research and the journal JMIR Mental Health. She has also worked as a policy fellow at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. With a background in academia, Katherine has always been interested in making healthcare research more accessible to the public. When not writing, Katherine is an actor and loves doing theater at night.
More About Sleep Doctor
Medical Disclaimer
Sleep Doctor publishes sleep-related digital content. Although some of our content pertains to health and medicine, the information on this site is intended for general purposes and should never substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Our readers should not disregard recommendations from their doctor based on something they have read on Sleep Doctor. Contact your doctor or local emergency services if you experience a medical emergency, and always consult a physician before taking medication or implementing changes to your diet.
Sleep Doctor makes product recommendations based on hands-on testing. However, we do not make any representation about the efficacy or safety of these products. Furthermore, we do not endorse specific tests, medications, medical procedures, health products, or clinical care providers featured in our digital content.
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Sleep Doctor maintains affiliate relationships with sleep product brands. These include cost-per-click and affiliate fee relationships, for which we receive a commission when our readers click a product link and purchase that product. Funding from these partnerships allows us to conduct original research, consult with various experts, and bring our readers the informative, in-depth content they have come to expect from this website.
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