178: Dr. Kirk Parsley, Navy SEAL Veteran & CEO of Doc Parsley Sleep Remedy, Helping High Performers Move From Sleep-Deprived To Sleeping-Pill Free!

Kirk Parsley completed SEAL training at the age of 19 and served as a 60-gunner on SEAL Team Five in Coronado, California. He left the SEAL community in 1994 to pursue a college education. Later, he re-entered the US Navy to attend the military's medical school in Bethesda, Maryland, where he was commissioned as a Navy Officer in 2000. After completing medical school, internship, and residency, Kirk returned to the SEAL teams as the physician for the West Coast SEAL teams. Kirk was tasked with helping the world's most elite warriors optimize and maintain their performance after eight years of sustained combat. It was during this period that he noticed a significant gap between "healthcare" and true "health." Kirk was compelled to delve into extensive alternative medical literature, synthesizing and applying it effectively and practically to ensure the SEALs could perform at their peak 365 days a year. Performance and fitness are related components of a SEAL's ability, but they are not synonymous. Due to the limitations and restrictions of medical interventions available in austere environments with limited medical support, Kirk had to develop plans that relied minimally on pharmaceuticals, supplements, or gadgets. His unparalleled success led him to become a sought-after medical human performance expert, not only for Navy SEALs but also for various military special forces commands. He parlayed this experience into private consulting for professional sports teams, international corporations, law enforcement, first responders, the Department of Justice, entrepreneurs, and executives. Dr. Parsley has collaborated with numerous elite performers, achieving remarkable results in optimizing their physical, cognitive, and emotional performance. His philosophy is straightforward: our bodies are built on a 100,000+ year-old model, and we perform best by emulating the lifestyle we evolved to live as closely as possible, striving to attain the health metrics of our 25-year-old selves. Kirk firmly believes that 80% of health is derived from focusing on Sleep, Nutrition, Exercise, and Stress mitigation, with a strong emphasis on Sleep. Kirk is certified in Hyperbaric Medicine, Anti-Aging Medicine, Hormone Replacement Therapy, and is currently pursuing national certification in Psychedelic Medicine Therapies. He dedicates a significant portion of his time to advising non-profit organizations that support the SEAL community and providing healthcare guidance and treatment to veterans. Operating his practice and supplement business from Austin, Texas, Kirk is an avid outdoorsman and fitness enthusiast. When he's not working or working out, you can usually find him in nature, continuously enhancing his medical skills.

Om Podcasten

The Sleep Is A Skill Podcast, exists to transform the conversation around sleep on the planet! Each episode is a conversation with industry leaders designed to deliver practical takeaways to improve your sleep. The intention is to shift the paradigm of wellness to make SLEEP the #1 focus in our journey towards great health. . For years, my sleep was a problem in my life. When I went through my own challenging period of insomnia while traveling internationally, I felt like there was nowhere to turn. After obsessively learning all that I could about chronobiology and circadian rhythms — what I learned changed my life and I’m committed to sharing what I've learned (and continue to learn!). . Creator Bio: Mollie Eastman (McGlocklin) is the creator of Sleep Is A Skill, and the host of The Sleep Is A Skill Podcast. Sleep Is A Skill is a company that optimizes people’s sleep through a unique blend of technology, accountability, and behavioral change. After navigating insomnia while traveling internationally, she created what she couldn’t find - a place to go to learn the skill set of sleep. With a background in behavioral change from The Nonverbal Group, she became fascinated with chronobiology and its practical application to sleep and our overall experience of life. Knowing the difference between a life with sleep and without, she’s now dedicated her life to sharing the forgotten skill set of sleep. In the spirit of that goal, she has created the #2 sleep podcast, written a popular weekly sleep newsletter for over four years, partnered with luxury hotels & lifestyle brands, and has appeared on over 150 podcasts.