Understanding the connection between sleep & obesity with Dr. Michael Mak
Description
Psychiatrist and sleep medicine specialist Dr. Michael Mak returns to explore how sleep health fits into the patient journey of obesity care.
For many people living with obesity, sleep challenges are part of the story—but they’re often left out of the care conversation. In this episode, we take a practical look at how poor sleep contributes to obesity, how obesity impacts sleep, and what clinicians can do to better support patients at every step.
From hormones and appetite to mood, behaviour, and stigma, we unpack the science and systems that shape sleep—and why it’s time to treat sleep as a vital sign.
In this episode:
Why sleep is a foundational pillar of health—and often overlooked in care
The bidirectional relationship between sleep and obesity
How mental health and sleep disorders complicate obesity care
Simple screening questions and when to refer for sleep testing
Strategies for supporting behaviour change and self-advocacy around sleep
- Where bias and stigma show up—and how to shift the conversation
- What better sleep-informed obesity care could look like in the future
Additional resources:
Obesity Canada’s Weight Bias Resources: https://utm.guru/uiFBU
Canadian Adult Obesity Clinical Practice Guidelines: https://utm.guru/uiFBX
Free course: Introduction to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Behaviour Change in Obesity Care: https://utm.guru/uiFBY
Free CBT for Insomnia App: CBTI Coach
Download on the Apple App store: https://utm.guru/uiFB4
Download on the Google Play store: https://utm.guru/uiFB5
📩 Send us your questions or topic requests: scaleuppod@obesitycanada.ca
🎧 Enjoying the podcast? Here’s how you can support us:
✅ Share the episode with a colleague
✅ Subscribe on your favourite podcast platform
✅ Leave a review—it helps more people find us
Thanks for listening—and stay tuned as we continue to scale up your practice.
United States
