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. Receive weekly science-backed tips from Dr. Rhonda Patrick to improve longevity, cognition, and overall resilience: https://www.foundmyfitness.com/newsle... 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:   / michaelgrandner   Website: http://www.michaelgrandner.com EPISODE LINKS Show notes & transcript: https://www.foundmyfitness.com/episod... #sleep