168. Dr. Shelby Harris, Clinical Psychologist & Sleep Expert

"When I started running, people laughed at me. But it was a challenge I needed to do for myself."

Dr. Shelby Harris is a clinical psychologist and clinical associate professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the neurology and psychiatry departments. She specializes in anxiety, depression, and treating sleep disorders, and is the author of The Women's Guide to Overcoming Insomnia. What does that have to do with running? On this episode, Dr. Harris shares how treating her insomnia-and-sleep-apnea-riddled patients led her to marathon running. She's now a 13-time marathoner who has taken her time from 5:19 to 3:45, and she's currently training for the 2019 Chicago Marathon, where she hopes to run a Boston Qualifying time. Dr. Harris shares her story of being seconds away from crossing the Boston Marathon finish line in 2013 when the second bomb went off, and talks about losing hearing in her left ear as a result of the blast. She also talks about using exposure therapy as a way to get back to running and racing. Plus, she answers your sleep questions! We received more than 200 questions from listeners (wow!), and Dr. Harris dishes out loads of advice, from how to deal with insomnia to how sleep impacts running and so much more.

Thank you to AfterShokz for sponsoring this episode of the Ali on the Run Show! CLICK HERE for $50 off your Aeropex wireless headphone endurance bundle!

What you'll get on this episode:

• How Shelby got into the sleep field — and found running along the way (5:10)
• How much sleep should we all be getting, realistically? (8:50)
• On having phones in the bedroom (14:00)
• How sleep impacts running (19:35)
• How Shelby shaved nearly 90 minutes off her marathon time (21:50)
• Shelby's 2013 Boston Marathon story (24:10)
• Shelby answers listener questions about sleep (34:00)

What we mention on this episode:

Montefiore Sleep Disorders Center

Team in Training

Jen Bigham on Episode 151 of the Ali on the Run Show

Jack Daniels Run S.M.A.R.T. Program

Wake Up Narcolepsy

New York Road Runners

Newport Marathon

Follow Shelby:

• Instagram @sleepdocshelby
• Website

Follow Ali:

• Instagram @aliontherun1
• Twitter @aliontherun1
• Facebook
• Blog
• Strava

Listen & Subscribe:

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• Stitcher
• Google Play

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