#107 Why You Can't Sleep (and How to Fix It) | Dr. Michael Grandner

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Chronic insomnia and untreated sleep apnea profoundly accelerate cognitive decline, impair performance, and diminish resilience. In this episode, Dr. Michael Grandner outlines practical, scientifically validated interventions, including CBT-I and stimulus control strategies, to retrain your body for consistently restorative sleep. He provides critical insights into detecting hidden sleep apnea and explains how precise timing of morning light, caffeine, and supplements like melatonin can dramatically enhance sleep quality and daytime performance. Dr. Grandner also shares actionable tips for falling asleep faster, managing nighttime awakenings, and provides an honest look at the accuracy and pitfalls of sleep trackers.

Timestamps:

(00:00) Introduction (04:45) Poor sleep vs. insomnia—how can you tell? (07:11) Does stressing about sleep make insomnia worse? (13:41) CBT-I's real target—wakefulness, not sleepiness (16:11) Why your bed should be reserved strictly for sleep (20:23) Can trying too hard to sleep backfire? (21:38) Scrolling yourself awake? Try standing instead (24:59) What should you do if you can't fall back asleep? (27:51) Why effort keeps you awake (29:30) Sleep restriction therapy—worst name, best solution? (32:10) Can you train yourself to fall asleep faster? (34:52) Why bedtime cliffhangers sabotage sleep (36:32) Sedatives vs. CBT-I—which beats insomnia better? (40:45) Insomnia by the numbers—is it affecting you? (42:06) Why sleep apnea is shockingly common (and often unnoticed) (45:44) Is nighttime waking a hidden sign of sleep apnea? (51:50) Are at-home sleep apnea tests reliable? (53:22) Allergies vs. sleeping position—what causes sleep apnea? (56:05) What actually happens during REM and deep sleep? (1:04:33) Are dreams your brain's way of decoding life? (1:08:50) How apnea destroys sleep architecture (1:10:20) Does untreated sleep apnea raise Alzheimer's risk? (1:13:19) How poor sleep disrupts attention and memory (1:16:36) Effective CPAP alternatives (1:20:39) Mouth taping—sleep hack or hype? (1:22:42) Measuring sleep apnea treatment success (1:24:45) Advanced sleep hygiene for chaotic schedules (1:28:13) Do blue-blocking glasses actually enhance sleep? (1:28:58) Why morning light is key (1:33:45) Should you delay your morning cup of coffee? (1:37:43) Why consistent mornings are crucial—even if bedtime isn't (