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

Chronic insomnia and untreated sleep apnea aren’t minor inconveniences—they 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 also 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.

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CHAPTERS:
00:00:00 – Introduction
00:01:33 – Poor sleep vs. insomnia—how can you tell?
00:03:59 – Does stressing about sleep make insomnia worse?
00:10:28 – CBT-I’s real target—wakefulness, not sleepiness
00:12:59 – Why your bed should be reserved strictly for sleep
00:17:11 – Can trying too hard to sleep backfire?
00:18:26 – Scrolling yourself awake? Try standing instead
00:21:47 – What should you do if you can’t fall back asleep?
00:24:39 – Why effort keeps you awake
00:26:18 – Sleep restriction therapy
00:28:57 – Can you train yourself to fall asleep faster?
00:31:39 – Why bedtime cliffhangers sabotage sleep
00:33:20 – Sedatives vs. CBT-I—which beats insomnia better?
00:37:33 – Insomnia by the numbers
00:38:54 – Why sleep apnea is shockingly common (and often unnoticed)
00:42:31 – Is nighttime waking a hidden sign of sleep apnea?
00:48:37 – Are at-home sleep apnea tests reliable?
00:50:10 – What causes sleep apnea?
00:52:52 – What actually happens during REM and deep sleep?
01:01:20 – Are dreams your brain’s way of decoding life?
01:05:38 – How apnea destroys sleep architecture
01:07:07 – Does untreated sleep apnea raise Alzheimer’s risk?
01:10:07 – How poor sleep disrupts attention and memory
01:13:23 – CPAP alternatives
01:17:26 – Mouth taping
01:19:30 – Measuring sleep apnea treatment success
01:21:33 – Advanced sleep hygiene for chaotic schedules
01:25:00 – Blue light blocking glasses
01:25:46 – Why morning light is key
01:30:33 – Should you delay your morning cup of coffee?
01:34:57 – Why consistent mornings are crucial—even if bedtime isn’t
01:38:27 – Are you losing sleep to “revenge bedtime procrastination”?
01:43:15 – Why 5 mg of melatonin might be too much
01:50:51 – Do melatonin supplements contain more than advertised?
01:53:45 – Can melatonin boost your immune system?
01:54:40 – Debunking melatonin supplement safety myths
01:59:02 – Do magnesium, glycine, and L-theanine actually help sleep?
02:02:03 – Why glutamine and B12 might keep you awake
02:03:34 – THC and REM suppression—the hidden costs
02:10:02 – Does CBD improve sleep quality?
02:12:35 – Alcohol as a sleep aid—more harm than good?
02:15:32 – How late is too late for caffeine?
02:19:45 – Why staying up late leads to unhealthy eating
02:24:35 – Is shift work more harmful than smoking?
02:28:18 – What’s the ideal power nap length?
02:30:04 – Strategic napping advice for shift workers
02:32:11 – Optimal caffeine timing for shift workers
02:32:44 – The fastest way to adjust to a new time zone
02:38:16 – How exercise and light help beat jet lag
02:40:48 – Can sleep trackers accurately detect wakefulness?
02:44:23 – Sleep stage tracking—useful data or misleading?
02:48:50 – Should you trust your wearable’s sleep score?
02:53:08 – How to use sleep tracker data effectively
02:58:22 – Evening habits elevating your heart rate
03:00:25 – Troubleshooting insufficient REM and deep sleep
03:03:21 – Is your sleep tracker doing more harm than good?
03:07:38 – Does better sleep boost cognitive resilience?
03:10:08 – Why school start times clash with teen biology
03:12:46 – Shifting your circadian rhythm with light and exercise
03:14:52 – Can 15 minutes extra sleep boost athletic performance?
03:17:02 – Is “sleep banking” a competitive game-changer?
03:19:29 – Does poor sleep predict injury risk?
03:24:26 – Why caffeine isn’t enough to overcome poor sleep
03:26:04 – Do eye masks and earplugs significantly improve sleep?
03:27:41 – Proven techniques to fall asleep faster
03:29:38 – Does reading before bed shorten sleep onset?
03:30:28 – Can’t fall back asleep? Try this
03:31:30 – One proven strategy for deeper sleep
03:32:53 – Reducing nighttime urination awakenings
03:34:37 – Is sharing a bed disrupting your sleep?
03:36:16 – How to tell if you’re truly sleeping enough
03:37:54 – Do you really need 8 hours of sleep?
03:39:09 – Adjusting your routine to your chronotype

*Dr. Michael Grandner*
X: https://x.com/michaelgrandner
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelgrandner
Website: http://www.michaelgrandner.com

*EPISODE LINKS*
Show notes & transcript: https://www.foundmyfitness.com/episodes/michael-grandner

#sleep