Episode Details

If you are struggling with poor sleep, hormone imbalance, perimenopause symptoms, brain fog, anxiety, or stubborn fatigue, this conversation may change how you think about health.

In Episode 130, Lizzie sits down with Heidi Sime and Thaddeus Owen, founders of Dream Walkers, to unpack the science behind blue light exposure, circadian rhythm disruption, melatonin suppression, and cortisol overload.

Thaddeus shares how 16 years of insomnia and anxiety led him from pharmaceutical engineering into studying light as a biological signal. What he discovered is simple but powerful. Artificial light at night, especially blue light from LED bulbs, phones, laptops, and overhead lighting, suppresses melatonin, increases cortisol, and disrupts deep restorative sleep.

Heidi explains why women are particularly sensitive to artificial light stress. Female hormones are more vulnerable to cortisol spikes, which makes modern light exposure especially disruptive for women navigating perimenopause, burnout, and chronic stress.

Dream Walkers Blue Light Blocking Glasses and Circadian Lighting: Use code LIZZIE15 for 15% off

In this episode, you’ll discover:

1. Why blue light blocking glasses for sleep actually work
2. The difference between yellow daytime lenses and orange nighttime lenses
3. When to wear blue light blocking glasses for maximum benefit
4. How LED lighting creates unnatural blue spikes
5. Why artificial light at night is linked to diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and cancer
6. How circadian rhythm misalignment impacts fat loss and hormone balance
7. Why melatonin is critical for cellular repair and anti-aging
8. The connection between breastfeeding, melatonin, and nighttime phone use
9. Why teenagers fall asleep earlier under red lighting
10. How to improve sleep without adding another supplement

We talk about:

1. 00:00 Why light is a missing piece in hormone health
2. 04:00 Thaddeus’ journey from insomnia to circadian science
3. 08:00 Blue light explained in simple terms
4. 12:00 Yellow vs orange lenses
5. 16:00 Women, cortisol, and hormone sensitivity
6. 20:00 When to switch to nighttime glasses
7. 24:00 Red light, amber light, and home lighting swaps
8. 28:00 Breastfeeding and melatonin
9. 32:00 Artificial light and chronic disease research
10. 36:00 Light as a nutrient
11. 40:00 Whe