START WITH SLEEP

03/09/2026

What comes after springing forward, losing an hour of sleep and the beginning of the work week? National Nap Day!! 10-20 minutes is all you need to recharge, improve focus and beat the afternoon slump.

03/08/2026

Happy National Sleep Foundation Sleep Awareness Week® 2026.

This week, March 8–14, shines a light on the powerful connection between sleep, health, and daily well-being. The National Sleep Foundation’s ongoing focus, Best Slept Self®, encourages all of us to reflect on our sleep habits and make a more intentional choice to prioritize rest.

This year’s National Sleep Foundation poll put a spotlight on children’s sleep and family sleep health, showing that 95% of adults agree good sleep is essential to overall family functioning, 44% of children are not consistently getting the recommended amount of sleep for their age, and 4 in 5 parents say their own sleep suffers when their child sleeps poorly. It is clear that sleep affects the entire household.

As we adjust to losing an hour with Daylight Saving Time, we are keeping it simple and supportive by focusing on three natural tools that can help reset your rhythm and support how you feel all week long:

🌞 Light
Get 10–15 minutes of morning light, and another dose around midday, to help anchor your body clock, boost alertness, and support a healthier sleep-wake rhythm. Morning light enters through the eyes and signals the brain to suppress melatonin, increase alertness, and set your internal clock for the day. Midday light helps reinforce that timing cue, keeping your rhythm more stable and making it easier to feel sleepy at night.

💦 Hydration
Drink enough water throughout the day to support energy, focus, concentration, and overall regulation as your body adjusts to the time change. Hydration supports circulation, temperature regulation, energy, and mental clarity, all of which can feel off when your schedule shifts. Electrolytes matter too, especially if you are active, sweating, or not eating consistently, because they help maintain fluid balance and support healthy nerve and muscle function, which can make a difference in how steady and energized you feel throughout the day.

🚶 Movement
Add intentional movement to your day, even if it is just a short walk, stretching, or light activity. Movement helps increase circulation, support metabolic activity, reduce built-up tension, and create a clearer contrast between daytime energy and nighttime rest. When that movement happens outdoors, the added fresh air and natural light can further support nervous system regulation and help your body feel more in sync.

This week, choose one small step that helps you feel more like your best slept self.

Learn more: https://www.thensf.org/sleep-awareness-week/

03/08/2026

Tonight we spring forward! 🕑

At 2:00 AM the clocks move ahead one hour, quietly ushering in longer, brighter days. So set your clocks ahead before you go to bed! 🛌🌙

While the time change happens instantly, your internal clock moves at its own pace. It may take a few days for your body to fully adjust, so pay attention to how you feel and give yourself a little extra grace this week.

Tomorrow we will share a few simple ways to help your body adapt and support better sleep as the season changes.

01/01/2026

Happy New Year from our family to yours. ✨

Our wish for you as you step into 2026 is to pause.
Before making promises to the future, check in with where you are right now.
Before setting new goals, create space for what will actually support you in reaching them.

The world will keep moving.
Noise will always be there.
There will always be more opinions, more urgency, and more things competing for your attention.
What you get to choose is how you respond.

Sometimes it helps to think about R.E.S.T.
Not just sleep, but the pause before action.

RELAX
EVALUATE what is really going on.
SET an intention that feels aligned.
Then TAKE ACTION, calmly and intentionally.

Rest matters in every sense.
Sleep gives your body and mind the space to recover, reset, and meet life with more ease.
When you are rested, everything feels more manageable.
Your reactions soften.
Your choices feel clearer.

This year, create space.
Space to step back from what drains you.
Space to choose calm over chaos.
Space to support yourself as you move forward.

You do not need a new goal.
You need room to honor yourself.

Cheers to 2026.
A year of quieter nights, steadier energy, and gentle momentum.

START WITH SLEEP | The doze

10/29/2025

🚨 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

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.

10/15/2025

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.🎇

10/01/2025

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.

09/26/2025

08/26/2025

🌙 We’re Evolving – A New Era for START WITH SLEEP, The doze and The Doze Podcast!

After a decade on Hertel Avenue, it is with both gratitude and anticipation that we announce the next chapter in our journey. While it is a bittersweet decision to close our storefront and resource center, this transition represents a thoughtful step forward—one designed to better meet the growing needs of our clients, customers, and partners.

As the ways we shop, learn, and connect continue to evolve, we recognize that a physical space no longer aligns with how our audience seeks support.

Starting in Fall 2025, we will transition fully to an online model, shifting our retail operations to a dedicated warehouse to support both e-commerce shoppers and our expanding corporate purchasing base.

All services and offerings will be delivered virtually, giving our clients the flexibility, access, and personalization they are seeking —delivered right into their homes and sleep spaces.

Though our physical doors will close, our mission remains stronger than ever. We are deepening our global impact, innovating with sensory-driven solutions, and continuing to show up in the ways that matter most.

To our Buffalo, New York community and everyone who has stepped into our space, shopped with us, attended a workshop, or supported our mission over the years—THANK YOU. You have helped shape the heart of who we are, and we carry that forward.

From a local sleep resource to a growing international brand, the past 10 years have been nothing short of transformative. As we embrace this new era, we are expanding into new markets, refining our offerings, and remaining steadfast in our commitment to help you sleep well, live fully, and wake up to your pure potential.

Final In-Store Hours: 🛍️

Join us between August 30th – September 20th for one last visit!

We will be offering:
✨ Special deals on your favorite sleep products
🪑 Furniture, fixtures, and décor for sale as we prepare to operate behind closed doors
📦 One last chance to shop in person, stock up, and say goodbye

Thank you for being part of our story. We are so excited for what comes next and can not wait to continue to grow with you.

Stay tuned—we’ll be sharing what’s for sale in the coming days!

Here’s to growth, gratitude, and what lies ahead.

🙏 With love and endless appreciation,

Soda Kuczkowski
CEO - START WITH SLEEP, LLC | The Doze

05/28/2025

Thrilled to share that I will be serving as a Moderator at this year’s WNY Women's Foundation Leadership Summit happening this Friday at UB Alumni Arena!

I will be guiding a powerful session on “Leading with Confidence, Not Self-Doubt”—a conversation I am deeply invested in. As someone who believes preparation is power, I lead with clarity and purpose, showing up fully aligned with my values.

This year’s theme, Unapologetically Courageous, is all about bold action and I am proud to be part of a movement that is shifting how we lead, live, and lift each other up. With over 900 women registered, this Summit is an energizing call to action and a space where confidence meets community.

The idea that confidence is something we build, not just feel, is central to the work I do. If you want to lead with more presence, resilience, and conviction—start with your sleep!

In a recent episode of The Doze Podcast, I break down why sleep is not just a wellness tool but a leadership strategy. One that helps you show up sharper, more grounded and more powerful in every part of your life.

🎧 Listen in: https://www.startwithsleep.com/thedozepodcast/episode/28a4bd89/how-sleep-builds-confidence

Learn more:
https://wnywomensfoundation.org/leadership-summit/



Soda Kuczkowski - Founder + CEO
START WITH SLEEP | The doze

03/14/2025

Happy World Sleep Society 😴 World Sleep Day 2025!

Today, START WITH SLEEP proudly served as a World Sleep Day delegate for the 9th consecutive year, using this global platform to champion the critical role of sleep in public health, workplace performance, and community well-being.

This year, we took action through a series of impactful events, focusing on education, advocacy, and systemic change in sleep health.

📌 Supporting Those Who Serve: Protective Services & Shift Workers

The day started with a specialized sleep health session for protective service personnel— the newest class of correctional officers, as part of the LMHF Strive to Thrive Program at Beaver Hollow Conference Center. These professionals operate in high-stress environments with irregular schedules, making quality sleep essential for peak performance, safety, and long-term well-being.

Stepping into a demanding profession, these individuals must maintain mental sharpness, emotional resilience, and physical endurance—all of which are directly influenced by the quality of their sleep. By prioritizing sleep, they can enhance decision-making, manage stress, and stay alert in critical situations.

📌The Key to Thriving Educators, Enhanced Learning, and Faculty Resilience

In the afternoon, we delivered a session for the East Aurora Union Free School District for their Wellness Development Day, entitled, "The Sleep Connection in Your Wellness Journey."

This session redefined sleep as the ultimate performance enhancer, revealing its critical role in energy, immunity, metabolism, focus, and longevity. While often overlooked, sleep is the foundation of overall well-being, deeply interconnected with mental clarity, emotional resilience, and physical health.

By prioritizing their own sleep, educators enhance teaching performance, support student success, and foster a healthier school culture.

📌 Strengthening First Responder Wellness

Earlier this week, we provided a specialized sleep health session for Comprehensive Programming for Medical & First Responders Training at the Erie County Fire Training Academy, highlighting the critical link between sleep, resilience, and peer support. First responders navigate high-stress environments and unpredictable schedules, making quality sleep essential for managing fatigue, enhancing recovery, and sustaining peak performance. This session provided practical strategies to integrate sleep health into wellness programs, ensuring they can better support themselves and their teams.

🌟 The Message is Clear: Sleep is not just an individual responsibility, it is a public health priority. It is essential for resilience, mental clarity, and peak performance —whether in the workplace, the classroom, or the community.

🌎 Let’s continue the conversation! What’s one change you’ve made to improve your sleep?? Drop your comments below! 👇🏽

Delegate: START WITH SLEEP, LLC Affiliation: START WITH SLEEP, LLC Short Bio: START WITH SLEEP, LLC is a Latina-owned, community-driven organization based in New York State, recognized as a leader in sleep health education and advocacy. Committed to transforming the way individuals, organizations, a...

03/11/2025

It is National Sleep Foundation's Sleep Awareness Week® A week-long event that reemphasizes the important connection between your sleep and your health and well-being.

This year the results of their annual poll focused on the critical connection between sleep health and various dimensions of well-being including happiness, productivity at work and home, goal achievement, and a fulfilling social life—collectively considered flourishing. Overwhelmingly it showed that almost 9 in 10 adults (88%) with good sleep satisfaction are in fact flourishing.

At START WITH SLEEP we spend our days educating organizations, communities, and professionals on just how serious sleep is to health outcomes, safety, resilience, and mental well-being. Yet, sleep still continues to be overlooked, often taking a backseat to nutrition and physical activity.

The reality? Sleep is the ultimate performance enhancer—not just for your body, but for your mind, relationships, and overall success. When you prioritize sleep, you set yourself up to flourish in every aspect of life. It influences:
✅ How well you focus and make decisions
✅ Your emotional regulation and stress management
✅ Physical recovery and immune function
✅ Workplace productivity and safety
✅ Long-term risks for chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s

We should be eating to support healthy sleep patterns, not just energy levels. We should be moving our bodies to help regulate sleep, not just for fitness. Because when sleep is optimized, everything else falls into place.

If you’re looking for ways to improve performance, well-being, and resilience, start by prioritizing sleep, it is how you tap into your true potential and best self.