START WITH SLEEP

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2026 IGNITE AWARD INNOVATOR & CHANGEMAKER NOMINEES*.
“The success of every woman should be the inspiration to another… be strong, be extremely kind, and above all be humble.” –Serena Williams, Professional Tennis Champion and Entrepreneur
Lauren Jenkins, Executive Director
Photo Credit: Retune Marketing

location: Canisius University
*Only the nominees who were in attendance are pictured here.

🚨 National First Responders Day 🚨

To every first responder who runs toward danger while others run away… thank you.

To those who answer the call in the dead of night without hesitation… thank you.

To the protectors who miss meals, family moments, and sleep so someone else does not have to… thank you.

Your service demands strength most people will never fully understand. Your sacrifices keep our communities standing. 🙏🏽❤️

At START WITH SLEEP, we are proud to support these heroes. A large part of who we serve are first responders whose bodies and minds face relentless pressure from trauma, stress, and nonstop shift demands.

One of our most meaningful partnerships is through the LMHF® Strive to Thrive program. As a cornerstone collaboration, we provide critical guidance on rest, sleep, and recovery during a fully funded 3-day, 2-night wellness experience for first responders, protective services, and public employees at Beaver Hollow Conference Center.

This program exists to give back what the job constantly takes: time to restore, tools to recover, and support without barriers.

Learn how to bring this opportunity to your department: strivetothriveny.com

🎙 Looking for more sleep strategies designed for shift work?

Explore previous The doze podcast episodes created specifically for those who keep us safe when the rest of the world sleeps.

https://www.startwithsleep.com/thedozepodcast

THE DOZE PODCAST - Soda Kuczkowski A dedicated space to WAKE YOU UP to the importance of SLEEPing well, to inspire action over awareness, and to serve as a source of consistent transparency as to what works, what doesn't, and most importantly to find what works BEST for you - and your unique needs.

Next week, I have the honor of presenting at the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus Food as Medicine Symposium at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences - University at Buffalo, where I will be speaking on my session, “Restorative Sleep: The Foundational Pillar of Lifestyle Medicine.”

While nutrition is rightly celebrated as medicine, the truth is that food cannot work alone. Without adequate, quality sleep, the body cannot fully absorb nutrients, regulate metabolism, or repair itself — limiting the impact of even the healthiest lifestyle interventions.

Sleep is not just rest, it is restoration.
It is the amplifier that strengthens every other pillar of health: nutrition, movement, stress management, and connection.

When we sleep well, we restore the body’s power to heal.

💪This special presentation series introduces attendees to the six evidence-based pillars of Lifestyle Medicine: nutrition, physical activity, stress reduction, restorative sleep, avoidance of risky substances, and social connection. The 5th Annual Food as Medicine Symposium "Embracing Health, Empowering Communities" begins on October 23 - tickets at this link: https://theticketing.co/e/famsymposium2025?open=true.🎇