every year, Insomnia Awareness Night Highlights chronic insomnia and effective treatments that can help people sleep better. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Society for Behavioral Sleep Medicine organize this annual event to raise awareness of the sleep disorder that affects millions of people.
This year, sleep experts answered questions from the Reddit community during a live stream.Ask me anything“(AMA) Insomnia Awareness Night Session. Spencer Dawson, Ph.D.; Sarah Honecker, Ph.D.; Monica Kelly, Ph.D.; and Jennifer Martin, Ph.D., share guidance on insomnia, sleep health, and treatment approaches with people seeking answers to their sleep-related concerns.
Read on for some of the top questions and answers from the Reddit AMA.
I know you can’t “catch up” on sleep, but does getting more sleep on the weekends do anything to reduce the long-term effects of getting less sleep during the weekdays?
Jennifer Martin, Ph.D. (SleepExpertMartinYes and no. Some studies show that catching up on sleep on the weekends is better than not catching up on it at all. However, getting seven or more hours of sleep on a regular basis is best for long-term health and wellness.
How useful is tracking sleep with a device like the Apple Watch?
Sarah Honker, Ph.D. (SleepExpertHonaker): Tracking sleep over time with a device like an Apple Watch can be helpful, especially if it motivates you to change sleep-related behavior, like going to bed at the same time every night. However, it is important to realize that these devices may not be completely accurate. In some cases, sleep tracking can make sleep worse by causing stress or anxiety about sleep. The most important indicator is how you feel the next day.
Are there supplements you recommend, especially to help you stay asleep? I took a small dose of THC (1mg) and added 1 to 2mg of melatonin to help me.
Jennifer Martin, Ph.D. (SleepExpertMartin): The number of sleep supplements on the market is growing faster than the scientific evidence supporting them. It is almost impossible to know what works and what could be a placebo effect.
In the case of insomnia, supplements sometimes seem to work because we think they will. Once we take something down, we may stop trying so hard to sleep, which may allow sleep to surface.
When it comes to microdosing of THC, there aren’t any high-quality studies showing whether it’s effective or safe. Melatonin can be used to treat some sleep disorders, but it is most effective for conditions related to sleep timing, such as jet lag, rather than insomnia.
If you have insomnia — difficulty sleeping that affects you during the day, occurs at least three times a week and lasts longer than three months — the best treatment available is cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia.
Is binaural beats a proven method to help you sleep? I listen to them on Spotify and they seem to relax me.
Spencer Dawson, Ph.D. (Dr_Dawson_sleep): There hasn’t been a lot of high-quality research on binaural beats during sleep. If binaural beats work as suggested, they may help induce a calmer brain state. However, even if it doesn’t work that way, it can serve as a nice, relaxing distraction. This is a bit like listening to a podcast or audiobook while you sleep.
How can you stop hyper-waking up during sleep? My clinical sleep study showed that I “wake up” every two minutes. As you can imagine, I’m very tired!
Jennifer Martin, Ph.D. (SleepExpertMartin: Waking up frequently during sleep can be a sign of a sleep disorder. Talk to the health care professional who performed your sleep study and discuss possible causes. If you haven’t seen a sleep medicine specialist yet, ask for a referral so you can discuss the full range of possible causes.
I always wake up at 4-4:30 a.m., hours before I’m supposed to, and I can’t go back to sleep. Would it be better for me to wake up at that time, even though I’m not getting the recommended seven hours of sleep? Are there ways to get back to sleep?
Spencer Dawson, Ph.D. (Dr_Dawson_sleep): It depends on why you wake up. Waking up early in the morning can be caused by many different factors. These include naturally needing less sleep than others, being a severe “morning type,” age-related circadian phase progression, anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea.
In general, if you want to be able to sleep later, we advise you not to start your day until the time you want to wake up. Giving yourself a chance to go back to sleep can help, as long as you don’t force it.
If you wake up early and you can’t determine why, your body may not be getting the sleep it needs. Instead of trying to force sleep, allow your mind and body to get the necessary amount of sleep.
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These responses have been edited for brevity. Visit Reddit AMA Topic to see all questions and responses about insomnia and healthy sleep.
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Kate Robards
