Kratom, Alcohol & Sleep: A Near‑Death Wake‑Up Call featuring Xavier Schumann

About this episode

Xavier Schumann shares his near-death experience related to kratom, alcohol, and sleep apnea.

In this episode of Sleep Is My Waking Passion, Dr. Alison Kole sits down with 25‑year‑old Xavier Schuman, who went from “just partying,” working night shifts, and using a kratom pill to help him sleep… to turning blue, going into cardiac arrest, and waking up days later in the ICU. Together, they unpack how alcohol, kratom, and untreated sleep apnea collided to create a perfect storm: terrifying gasping and choking during sleep, the moment his dad started CPR, and the real physiology behind h...

People in this episode

Host: Alison Kole

Guest: Xavier Schumann

Topics covered

• sleep disorders
• substance use
• health crisis
• personal story
• sleep apnea
• cardiac health

Keywords

• kratom
• alcohol
• sleep apnea
• cardiac arrest
• health crisis
• sleep disorders
• personal story

Mentioned in this episode

Products: kratom, alcohol

More episodes of Sleep is My Waking Passion

• Live from London with ENT Sleep Apnea Surgeon Dr. Ryan Cheong · June 10, 2026 · 41 min
• On The Fringe: Sleep Apnea Treatment You Haven’t Heard Of featuring Dr. Audrey Yoon, DDS, MS · May 27, 2026 · 40 min
• Can Women Have Sleep Apnea Without Snoring? A Sleep Doctor's Story | REM OSA & Heart Risk · May 13, 2026 · 38 min
• Talking Women’s Sleep in Atlanta and Beyond: An Interview with Sleep Legend Dr. Nancy Collop · May 6, 2026 · 28 min
• Sleep Apnea Nearly Killed Me: ‘Out of Breath’ Documentary (with NJ Sleep Doctor Dr. Alison Kole & George Nierenberg) · April 29, 2026 · 23 min
• Is Your Child’s Snoring Dangerous? Red-Flag Signs of Pediatric Sleep Apnea with Sleep Doctor Chris · April 22, 2026 · 27 min