The Way Forward with Alec Zeck

Ep 247: The Real Cause of Insomnia & Sleep Issues with Derek Lacey

July 13, 2026·2h 49m
Episode Description from the Publisher

This podcast is made possible by our listeners and viewers. If this show has brought you value, you can support it by becoming a member of The Way Forward, our platform designed to help you find the health and freedom community (people, practitioners, schools, farms, and more) near you. Your membership directly supports the podcast and the work we do.Ready to restore your body’s natural ability to sleep? Click here to join the 10-week Sleep Ritual Protocol and use code TWF10 for 10% off your guided journey.Most people think they go to sleep to wind down, but Derek Lacey says sleep is when your life force expresses itself the most.Derek is a sleep facilitator and the founder of The Art of Falling Asleep. His work reframes insomnia, dreaming, and even the purpose of sleep itself.He spent years rotating through Ambien, Xanax, NyQuil, and Dramamine. He even went camping with no technology and still could not sleep for two nights in a row. Then in 2015, something shifted, and it had nothing to do with magnesium, blackout curtains, or any other protocol.Our conversation moves into territory I have not heard another sleep expert touch on: why the mind is not the brain, why determination to fall asleep is often the thing keeping you awake, and how Derek believes the purpose of life is to sleep.For anyone doing all the holistic things and still struggling, or waking up groggy after a full night, the framework here is worth sitting with. The five touchstones near the end are the practical piece.You'll Learn:[0:00] Introduction[13:42] When you’re doing everything right for sleep, but still wide awake[25:13] Belief-based inquiry that cracked open 15 years of insomnia[37:24] TALFA and the light switch wiring that mirrors divine electricity[45:10] The mind isn't the brain: it borrows energy from the body[54:05] MAP: a real-time way to catch meaning-making and projection[1:21:25] The morning download that reframed the entire purpose of life[1:44:26] The five touchstones, and why you sit in a chair before bed[2:19:52] Sleep apnea as a protective mechanism, not just a mechanical issue[2:22:24] Disrupted co-sleeping nights and the energy you unknowingly set[2:28:27] Why you wake up groggy no matter what you tryRelated The Way Forward Episodes:The Lies Modern Science Told Us About  Alchemy, Consciousness, &amp; Quantum with Dr. Steven A. Young | PodcastThe Real Cause Behind Mineral Deficiency (&amp; How to Fix It) with Caroline Alan | PodcastTelepathy, Autism &amp; The Mind Beyond the Brain with Dr. Diane Hennacy Powell | PodcastFind more from Derek:Derek Lacey | Instagram<span style="backgr

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