DNTO from CBC Radio (Highlights)

Almost 50 per cent of Canadians say they have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep, and nearly a third of us just aren't getting enough each night.

When you don't sleep, it affects more than just the people who have to deal with you the next day: it can affect your health, your state of mind, and your ability to do your job.

So on this Now or Never, snuggle up beside people who are trying their best to get some much-needed shut-eye.

A residential school survivor, awoken by nightmares of her past, finds warm comfort in her cats.

How a former addict, 60 days sober from meth, is finally getting a safe night's sleep.

Plus, tired university students share their sneaky "sleep hacks" and a young couple deals with a case of pregnancy-induced snoring.

If you've been needing extra motivation to get back into the swing of things after a period of time away - or a major life change - your friends at Now or Never are telling you that today is that day.

Today's episode is all about getting back on the saddle.
And it comes from a very personal place for co-host Trevor Dineen,who is nervous about coming back to work after a four-month absence.
He shares some surprising advice he got from Now or Never listeners on easing his transition back to work.

Plus, a couch potato gets help going back to the gym - with a little encouragement from Olympic rower Jeremiah Brown.

And we ride shot-gun with a recent divorcee as she gets behind the wheel for the first time in 20 years.

Across Canada, there are millions of people living in small communities. They know that with small town life even the tiniest changes can have huge repercussions.

From tight-knit farming families, to racial tensions and LGBT experiences - on this Now or Never we're hitting the road and visiting small town people at meaningful moments.

A care home in a tiny Saskatchewan hamlet fights to survive.

A B.C. farm family grapples with the future after losing a loving son and dedicated farmer.

A Syrian refugee makes a name for himself by bringing his barbering skills to Corner Brook, Newfoundland.

And more big stories from small towns coast to coast!

For many, September is a time to focus on learning - to hit the books, learn new skills, and soak up some knowledge. On this Now or Never, we break out of the classroom and into the world with people who are learning something new right now.

The friends of a soon-to-be 18-year-old get a crash-course in choreographed dance for her Filipino 'debut'.

Charmian Bland of Vancouver celebrates turning 50 by learning how to skydive and rope climb, just two of the growing list of things she wants to do this year.

Ryan Straschnitzki, one of the survivors of the Humboldt bus crash, has spent the past six months re-learning how to live everyday life. Now, he's learning to get back on the ice as a sledge hockey player.

In order to have a deeper relationship with her future mother-in-law, Erica Caputi of Toronto is learning how to speak Vietnamese. And it's not easy!

Alyssa Gagnon goes to Banff to learn the traditional art of moose hide tanning so she can teach it to the next generation.

We all have things in our lives that are weighing us down - projects we abandoned, conversations we're putting off, home renos we never got around to completing.

Today on Now or Never, meet people who are done with excuses and guilt, and finally finishing what they started.

A Winnipeg dad heads back to the classroom for his high school diploma - 40 years after bullies forced him to drop out of school.

A pair of self-described "man-children" go on an epic quest to pay back an overdue arts grant.

And a family who's never stopped searching for their two-year old daughter, who vanished from an Ontario campground more than 50 year ago.

Do you have a challenge that you don't feel quite up to facing? On this live episode of Now or Never, get the pep talk you need.

Hosts Trevor Dineen and Ify Chiwetelu, along with some very special guests - and team of literal cheerleaders - are here to pep you up. From an aspiring comedian who needs a confidence boost to a lifelong teacher on the cusp of retirement, listen along as people get some help tackling their own Now or Never moments.

For better and for worse, teenagers today are growing up with the world at their fingertips.

They're able to connect with their friends - and their bullies - 24/7 on social media. And they are more vocal and politically active than ever before. Earlier this year, thousands of students across North America staged walk-outs in protest of gun violence.

All this while still dealing with the pressures of figuring out who you are, who you want to be, and what is important to you.

From the pressure of being the best 13-year-old basketball player in the country, to the stress of keeping a secret that you know your family won't accept, hear from teens all across Canada who are ready to speak out about their experiences.

What's so funny? On this Now or Never, meet women who are storming the stand-up stage for the very first time.

Sit in the audience for a performance that was 10 years in the making. Listen as a seasoned comic rediscovers her voice after transitioning. Meet a group of young women trying to transform the Iqaluit comedy scene. Plus, hear Ify Chiwetelu's attempt to connect with her comedy idol.

The blink of an eye - that's how fast life can be turned upside down. And there's no going back, no matter how much you may want to.

A daughter shows up on her biological Dad's doorstep.

A couple struggles to adjust to their new normal after a split-second accident.

Two families find themselves sharing one home - and one shower - only months after meeting online.

On this Now or Never, meet people who are navigating the highs and lows of life after it changed in an instant.

Whether you have perfect pitch or are painfully off-key, singing music makes a lot of us feel vulnerable.

But singing can also lead to unexpected joys and life lessons. On this Now or Never, meet people who are singing for some very personal reasons... even if they don't all sound like Celine.

Ify and Trevor crash a restaurant with a pop-up karaoke machine and try to convince strangers to sing. We talk to a star about to make his debut in the hit musical Come From Away, even though he's never taken a voice lesson in his life. And find out what's compelling an Inuit artist to belt out Rhianna songs in Inuktitut.

This Now or Never is all about Canadians who are shouting, "Out with the old! In with the new!" - even if it sparks conflict between friends or family members.

A wife who tells her husband it's time to let go of his comic book collection.

Sisters who are fighting over mom's old garden gnomes.

A young woman who is using Indigenous ceremony to release her shame.

Not to mention all of us who desperately need to do a social media purge and unfriend all those deadbeat Facebook pals. Trevor and Ify will pressure, or at least encourage, you to lighten your load this summer.

In Canada, one in every 68 children are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. It is the fastest growing and most commonly diagnosed neurological disorder in the country - but not many people truly understand what it is.

There's a common saying in the autism community: "If you've met one person with autism, you've met one person with autism."

On this Now or Never, you'll learn about autism from people who are surviving and thriving with the disorder in their own unique ways. And you'll discover the challenges people with autism are tackling head on.

Who's one person you need to reconnect with?

We've all had the experience of losing touch with somebody important to us. And often, it's easier to just stay apart rather than reach out.

But on this Now or Never, you'll meet Canadians who have taken a risk and reconnected with somebody from their past - from a young man who needs a pep talk from his old high school teacher, to two brothers ripped apart by war, and a woman who wants to thank the lifeguard who saved her life.

It's not easy pounding the pavement to find a job. It's even harder when something keeps getting in your way.

This Now or Never, follow Canadians as they hustle to find employment and find out how they're turning challenges into opportunities.

We're featuring true stories as they unfold, including a woman who's using vocal tics to her advantage in job interviews and an ex-con who's petitioning to overhaul the justice system so that he can chase his dream career.

Summer is here, and it's up to you to make the most of it. On this Now or Never, get inspired by people who are motivated to cross big items off their summer bucket list.

A woman with terminal cancer spends what could be her last summer doing what she loves - performing on stage.

A two-spirit traditional dancer attends his first LGBTTQ powwow.

A young runner with autism prepares for the Special Olympics.

And Trevor and Ify take the ultimate Now or Never road trip!

Passing down your knowledge is important, whether it's teaching your kids how to cook a traditional dish or training potential athletes.

When you don't impart your wisdom there can be big consequences. Family recipes are forgotten, languages disappear and legacies are lost. So on this Now or Never, we're on a mission to keep those special talents, skills and stories alive by passing them along.

It's pride season in Canada. And now, more than ever, people are having conversations about gender.

And there is a lot to figure out: what society says you can and can't wear; which bathrooms you can use; and just how far you need to go to feel right in your own body.

For many people, those questions don't require much thought. But for the guests on this episode, they're in the middle of challenging their gender identity right now - from a non-binary comedian figuring out how to talk about identity on stage, to a trans teenager's gender reveal party and a class of students studying to become drag queens.

We're right in the middle of the holy month of Ramadan, which means that Muslims around the world are demonstrating their faith by fasting from sunrise to sunset.

Across all religions, there are people whose faith is challenging them right now. Whether it's sacrificing food and water for the day, committing good deeds, or stepping in to ceremonial sweat lodges — belief is something that motivates billions of people every single day.

On this Now or Never, meet folks whose faith has inspired them to take action.

We've all had big — and not so big — things that we've given up on. But on this Now or Never, meet people who have no quit at all. If there's an obstacle, they'll find a away around it. If there's a road block, they'll just go through.

A refugee who lost his fingers trying to cross the Manitoba border, gets a new bionic prosthetic... and debuts a new play inspired by his life.

A life-long smoker takes a drag on his very last cigarette, and tells us what he's doing this time to make it stick.

And a matchmaker who resorts to unusual measures to help young Muslims navigate a challenging dating scene.