How much sleep do you need? How much sleep is normal? How much sleep should you be getting?

You’ve probably heard that we should all be aiming for something like eight hours of sleep. The fact of the matter is that we each have an individual sleep requirement, just as we each have an individual shoe size, and this requirement can change from day to day, just as the number of breaths we take can change from day to day.
So, the best way to think about sleep duration is that it’s something the body takes care of by itself. The body will always give us the minimum amount of sleep we need.
Now, that’s not to say that we should be satisfied with getting, say, five hours of sleep each night if that leads us to feel drained, exhausted, and lethargic. However, if we can learn to trust our body’s natural ability to sleep and remove any effort to sleep, we create the right conditions for more sleep to happen.
Many people live happy, productive, and energetic lives with five hours of sleep each night. Others with six. Others with seven. Others with eight.
A real difficulty I have when people ask me how much sleep they should be getting is that it’s impossible to know for sure! The most accurate answer to this question is that the amount of sleep you need is the amount of sleep you get when you wake feeling refreshed and energetic enough to enjoy a productive day.
When you see messages that tell you to aim for seven or eight hours of sleep, these are aimed at people who are not giving themselves the opportunity to get seven or eight hours of sleep - they might be working late into the night, getting out of bed really early, and intentionally depriving themselves of sleep.
It’s also important to bear in mind that people who sleep well pay very little, if any, attention to how much sleep they get. One study found that people who reported getting an average of roughly seven hours of sleep were actually getting an average of six hours of sleep.
It’s also important to note that all sleep duration numbers that get collected are averages - and there will always be healthy, happy people who exist outside of these averages.
Finally, it’s important to understand that our sleep changes as we get older. We do not need (or get) the same sleep at the age of 70 that we got at the age of 20. As we get older, we typically get less sleep and we typically get lighter sleep.
So, with all that in mind, when sleep is measured objectively, for example in a sleep lab, we often see sleep durations far closer to six hours than eight hours.
Although the National Sleep Foundation recommends that young adults and adults get between seven and nine hours of sleep and older adults get between seven and eight hours of sleep, they emphasize that those recommendations are not guidelines for those with a sleep disorder such as insomnia and they also pointed out that for adults between 26 and 64 years of age, six hours of sleep may be appropriate and for adults 65 and over as little as five hours may be appropriate.
References:
Hirshkowitz, M., Whiton, K., Albert, S. M., Alessi, C., Bruni, O., DonCarlos, L., Hazen, N., Herman, J., Katz, E. S., Kheirandish-Gozal, L., Neubauer, D. N., O’Donnell, A. E., Ohayon, M., Peever, J., Rawding, R., Sachdeva, R. C., Setters, B., Vitiello, M. V., Ware, J. C., & Adams Hillard, P. J. (2015). National Sleep Foundation’s sleep time duration recommendations: methodology and results summary. Sleep Health, 1(1), 40-43. doi.org/10.1016/j.sleh.2014.1...
Lauderdale, D. S., Knutson, K. L., Yan, L. L., Liu, K., & Rathouz, P. J. (2008). Self-Reported and Measured Sleep Duration. Epidemiology, 19(6), 838-845. doi.org/10.1097/ede.0b013e318...
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My name is Martin Reed and I am the founder of Insomnia Coach®. I offer sleep coaching services that give people with insomnia all the skills and support they need to enjoy better sleep for the rest of their lives. I also offer a free two-week sleep training course for people with insomnia at insomniacoach.com/sleep-train...
All content found on the Insomnia Coach KZbin channel is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It is not medical advice and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, disorder, or medical condition. It should never replace any advice given to you by your physician or any other licensed healthcare provider. Insomnia Coach LLC offers coaching services only and does not provide therapy, counseling, medical advice, or medical treatment. All content is provided “as is” and without warranties, either express or implied.
#insomnia
#sleep

[@InsomniaCoach]

All content found on the Insomnia Coach KZbin channel is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It is not medical advice and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, disorder, or medical condition. It should never replace any advice given to you by your physician or any other licensed healthcare provider. Insomnia Coach LLC offers coaching services only and does not provide therapy, counseling, medical advice, or medical treatment. All content is provided “as is” and without warranties, either express or implied.

[@conan7080]

I love coming back to this video every now and then because it helped reduce so much of my anxiety around sleep (although I still struggle with some conditioned arousal.) As a child I would read late into the night and be up for school bright and early. As a teenager I would wake up sometimes 2 hours before my friends when I was staying over. Reflecting on it my average amount of sleep per night must have been around 6 hours, yet I would still wake up before my alarms. I never slept until an alarm unless it was a particularly late night. I always found it funny that I would get to watch my alarm go off most mornings. Unfortunately, I eventually became anxious about my sleeping habits because I kept hearing about how I needed my 8 hours. So I decided to start trying to generate more sleep which led me down the insomnia rabbit hole I'm working to fix today. The guidelines may be well intentioned but they really can do more harm than good, particularly for those of us who fall well outside the norm like myself

[@InsomniaCoach]

I am so happy to hear this, Conan - thanks for sharing! As you have experienced, if our individual sleep requirement happens to be around six hours, striving to get eight hours of sleep only leads to more effort, more arousal, more worry, and - very often - less sleep! I bet you'll really identify with Scott's story in this podcast episode: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pYfZpoicodCNY6M

[@Rudi1984]

Martin! Since I started to listen to you my sleep got waaaay better! Thank you for that! You are doing a great job :) :) :)

[@InsomniaCoach]

This is great to hear! The fact your sleep got better is down to your own efforts to change the way you think about sleep and to implement more appropriate habits and behaviors. The improvements you're enjoying are also down to your own natural ability to sleep!

[@mariarooney6262]

Such excellent counsel. Thank you so much.

[@spottedpardalote]

Martin this stuff is so important. I had so many thoughts and opinions on insomnia I never knew other people shared until watching your videos and listening to podcasts. Mainly around those fear inducing web articles saying how absolutely awful insomnia is for your health- no one is reading those but people with anxiety!! Since actually looking at research and hearing lived experience, I no longer fear my health due to insomnia (some people in their 70s and 80s say they’ve had insomnia for decades and their health is just fine..)… But still need to tackle the anxiety atm!

[@basiabarbara3365]

Thank you Martin. As always, very encouraging:)

[@InsomniaCoach]

You're welcome, Basia!

[@eddakraynak5951]

Thank you, Martin. Always so helpful. I look forward to these every week.

[@InsomniaCoach]

This is great to hear, Edda! I am glad to know that you find the videos helpful.

[@gigi1332]

I have found these so helpful. Thank you so much

[@InsomniaCoach]

You are so welcome!

[@mskitten1203]

Thank you!!! I feel better already💚

[@InsomniaCoach]

You are welcome!

[@mattnsim]

Hi Martin I’ve been struggling a bit these last 5 years with patchy bouts of insomnia. Last night I had a terrible sleep, I felt like I was up all night, with maybe a few minutes of dozing here and there. I’ve been extremely anxious all day in anticipation of tonight. I’ve experienced this many times before over the past five years, but I still seem to be sick in a panic state about it all. The funny thing is, even after last nights terrible sleep, I don’t feel that bad. I’ve definitely felt worse with more sleep. I just need to be one with my anxiety. I can be sometimes, but today not so much.

[@InsomniaCoach]

Thanks for sharing your experience, Matthew! I wonder if your difficulties might be down to a strong desire to avoid wakefulness? If you became a bit more accepting of wakefulness, I wonder if that might make things easier?

[@mohammadbilal4768]

Your way of talking is very interesting..Such a precious information.Thanks a lot to share this knowledge❤

[@quely1977]

This video is very helpful and comforting. Thank you

[@InsomniaCoach]

I appreciate your feedback. Thank you for sharing.

[@AngelOSullivan]

Thank you this was helpful. During the lockdown I developed insomnia for thr first time at the age of 50. I tried lots of things but what eventually worked was a sleep hypnosis track as I go to sleep & getting up earlier. I now know that sleep restriction and CBT are considered the most effective treatment for insomnia. I used to sleep late in the morning to make up for a bad nights sleep but looking back, I may have been caught in a viscous cycle. Eg sleeping late to make up for lack of sleep was causing insomnia the following night. I am now operating on average 5 hrs sleep and I feel very good. I rarely get tired during the day. I feel groggy and out of sorts if I sleep 8 hrs. But I was worried that reduced sleep might be detrimental to my health, hence watching this video. It's good to know that the 8 hrs sleep rule does not apply to many people.

[@InsomniaCoach]

Thanks for your comment, Angela! I am happy to hear how well you're doing and that you have been able to identify the (quite understandable!) behaviors you implemented in a bid to improve your sleep that actually got you caught in that vicious cycle!

[@JesseNickelltheFourth]

Thank you for making these videos and for sharing them with us.

[@InsomniaCoach]

You're welcome, Jesse! I am glad you're finding them helpful!

[@JesseNickelltheFourth]

@@InsomniaCoach :)

[@stevet1578]

Great video, however was hoping to hear more on the breakdown of sleep types (deep, REM, etc) and what might be considered “normal” durations.

[@matildewosnjuk7508]

Thank you

[@InsomniaCoach]

You're welcome, Matilde!

[@mork2351]

Thanks Martin, I record my sleep with any device like watch and different apps in phone, I found out the emotion that I get after not getting enough sleep is strongly related to the hour counts not the feeling I have in morning maybe its just OCD with numbers of hours!

[@InsomniaCoach]

There's an important insight there - tracking sleep often exposes us to another source of anxiety (something many people with chronic insomnia are trying to fight/avoid)! Furthermore, there's nothing we can do with any of the data because sleep cannot be controlled. More important are the things we do that help us move toward the kind of life we want to live, independently of sleep and even in the presence of difficult thoughts and emotions - because our actions (not how much sleep we get) are truly what determine whether we live a rich and meaningful life.

[@loriscolangeli6142]

Yep, on days I'm tired with 10 hours of sleep. Today I slept for 5 hours and felt fully rested, it really is hard to tell

[@InsomniaCoach]

Thanks for sharing your experience!

[@kiran_roch]

Thankyou

[@InsomniaCoach]

You're welcome, Kiran!

[@thesleepcoachschool8192]

Wow such clarity! Thanks Martin for such a great video on a topic where helpful information is all but impossible to find :) Question: Do you use a teleprompter or did you remember all those numbers? Cheers!

[@InsomniaCoach]

Thanks for the kind words, Daniel! I have started to use a teleprompter because I was often recording videos and then realizing that I forgot to mention something I wanted to cover! Having a teleprompter helps to ensure I cover everything I want to cover - and it gives me a transcript I can use to give my videos closed captions, too.

[@thesleepcoachschool8192]

Insomnia Coach Aha! You know that makes sense and the video looks great 👍 I have to look into that as I tend to redo episodes when I forget something. Best!!

[@InsomniaCoach]

@@thesleepcoachschool8192 I find that it's a real time saver now I've got it all set up!

[@meghanfranceeiiss]

Is it normal to go 4hrs one night 4hrs the next night 12 hours the next night then 6hrs the next night?? There’s no consistency in the hours that I get usually if I go a couple nights with 4hrs of sleep which makes me feel awful I’ll crash about 2 nights after that and sleep a whole 12 hours. Is this normal? My insomnia is triggering horrible depression and I feel I’m losing myself. I’m trying to stay strong and stay away from benzo use although I know I’ll get good sleep if I take one of those. I’m starting some CBTi i’m hoping to make a recovery in due time your videos and channel gives me comfort and hope. I also love hearing the success stories of your clients it brings me so much hope and fills my heart. I’m 22 years old and have been dealing with this for about 3 weeks and it’s been really hard even makes me suicidal some days but I’m trying to remain as strong as I can.Thank you for this video it made me want to continue my fight with this and hopeful that I will make a full recovery one day and get back to my normal sleeping hours of 7 to 8 hours.

[@InsomniaCoach]

There's always hope, Meghan. Your experience is totally normal. You might find this video helpful, too: How to stop the sleep roller coaster and make sleep more consistent and more predictable - kzbin.info/www/bejne/bmfUdZKJe7WXaJY

[@raissounitarik1567]

I'm glad that your and coach daniel ericksen's videos were of a great help to help me get over my insomnia I can say that my sleep improved by 80% compared to last month the key to overcome insomnia is to trust your body's natural ability to sleep otherwise any slight effort you do to sleep will make your insomnia perpetuate ... Thank u so much Martin !

[@akashverma5756]

Have your quality of life returned to normal after sleep restoration ?

[@InsomniaCoach]

This is wonderful to hear - thank you for sharing!

[@InsomniaCoach]

We can actually take steps to improve our quality of life before our sleep improves! Delaying this usually only serves to make sleep more difficult - here's a video about this: If you have insomnia, what happens tonight is far less important than what you do today and tonight - kzbin.info/www/bejne/rIDIaZWGdrxof7M

[@fawkes.6820]

Before the lockdown i got between 7-8 hours of sleep without issue. Went to bed between 11pm and 12am and wake up to my learn at 7:30 or 8am. I will be honest i eas sleep depriving myself due to the lockdown and stuff so i coped by sleep late and sleeping in.

[@deanjacobson2113]

Martin….. I stumbled upon your videos and it must be some kind of magic because I slept last night like I haven’t for years! I was going on ten days without sleep. Is it really all in my head?

[@InsomniaCoach]

Great question - what do you think Dean?!

[@1timbarrett]

Your Regelian approach is so loving! 🥰

[@matthewxaviur8930]

Hello Martin, I developed insomnia from about 2 months now. It was caused by severe stress which later convinced me I couldn’t sleep, but after watching your videos I’m having less worries and stress about sleep especially after constantly researching insomnia. I have some questions however and I hope you can help me out. My sleep goes like this now: I sleep for 6-7 hours in one day, but the day after I have a paradoxical insomnia (I know this because I can recall some dreams I get while having the sensation of simply lying in bed), but the day after I sleep for 6-7 hours again, and the next day paradoxical insomnia again. This is literally how the cycle keeps on going. I’m hoping you have some tips on stopping paradoxical insomnia and feeling the sleep like I do on those sleep days, I don’t feel any stress at all just sleeplessness. I’d like to add that on those sleep days I usually go to bed at 2:30 am and wake up at about 9 or 10

[@InsomniaCoach]

Glad to hear you're starting to feel less worried and stressed about sleep, Matthew! Often when we experience nights of a lot of sleep followed by less sleep, we might be allotting too much time for sleep. Here's a video about this: How to stop the sleep roller coaster and make sleep more consistent and more predictable: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bmfUdZKJe7WXaJY Here's a separate video about paradoxical insomnia: How to address paradoxical insomnia (sleep state misperception): kzbin.info/www/bejne/p2fMg5mKaJ2jg7s I hope this helps!

[@ikay8938]

I usually sleep at 1 am , then wake up at 7 am then take a nap at 1 pm to 3 pm , other times my asthma is trigger bacause of that sleep schedule , since i have a full time work and part time

[@InsomniaCoach]

Thanks for sharing, IKAY! I wonder if you might find it helpful to allot a bit more time for sleep at night, while moving away from daytime naps?

[@maxresdefault3691]

I can get at most 2 hours. On a typical night I fall asleep at around 1 to 1:30 AM and then wake up in a state of hyperarousal at 2 to 2:30 AM. I lay in bed tossing and turning until 5 or 6 AM, at which point I start having hypnogogic nightmares for about 30 minutes to an hour, sometimes accompanied by freakish sleep paralysis. After this I get out of bed and need to drink at least 4 cups of strong black coffee to merely be able to feed myself and move about my apartment..

[@InsomniaCoach]

Tossing and turning for hours definitely sounds unpleasant. I wonder if getting out of bed to do something a bit more pleasant until conditions feel a bit better for sleep might make the nights a bit better and help prevent you from potentially reinforcing a negative association between your bed and unpleasant wakefulness?

[@user-mp9lq3xv5b]

How are you now ?

[@1timbarrett]

Thanks for teaching me a new word: ‘hypnogogic’. 🙏 BTW, I hope you are sleeping better now. ❤

[@mikes3703]

For years I would set alarm for 5:30 am and would never fall asleep until 11:30. I seldom was awakened by the alarm. Retired now and I still go to bed the same time and am always awake before 6:00am.

[@InsomniaCoach]

Sleep definitely changes as we get older - and when we retire, sleep can even take a turn for the worse as we often lose the daily structure that gave our sleep schedules some kind of routine and predictability.

[@lesdeuxanes6203]

Question for Martin and anyone else. I have an issue where at some point in the night I just decide I won’t sleep. Around 3 or so I will say it’s too late to try and go back to sleep. Is there some point that some sleep is better than none even if you’re doing the restricted bed window?

[@InsomniaCoach]

It's hard to answer this question without knowing what kind of sleep window you're trying to implement. If you regularly start your day around 3:00 AM but aren't going to bed until midnight, for example, you might end up intentionally depriving yourself of sleep if you regularly start your day at 3:00 AM. With this in mind, it's often a good idea to avoid checking the clock when you wake (since this can generate arousal and make falling back to sleep more difficult) and to continue giving yourself the opportunity to get more sleep until the end of your sleep window. If being in bed doesn't feel good, that's a good cue to get out of bed and do something more enjoyable until you feel conditions are right for sleep - at that time, you might return to bed and see what happens. I hope this helps.

[@petersutter64]

I used to sleep for about 6.5 hours. When in February 2020, I started taking vitamin D pills, my sleep pattern changed completely. Although I feel less tired during day day, I am only able to sleep for 4-5 hours. Sometimes, it's hard to fall asleep, or I wake up frequently during the night and can't seem to fall back asleep. Although I have read that vitamin d supplementation reduces sleep drive I have developed sleep anxiety. I'm like ' okay, vitamin D might be the reason, but can it really be normal now for me to only need 4.5 hours of sleep when I used to sleep 6.5 hours ? What do you think? Have you ever heard of the effect of vitamin D on sleep duration.

[@InsomniaCoach]

I don't know of any evidence that Vitamin D can have such a dramatic and lasting effect on sleep. Although I am not a doctor, it sounds to me like you might be experiencing a typical case of chronic insomnia - there was a memorable trigger and the sleep disruption continued when that trigger was no longer present or relevant. The reason why the insomnia sticks around is due to a change in our sleep-related behaviors (the things we do to try to get our sleep back on track) and - quite often - a change in the relationship we have with the difficult thoughts and feelings that come along for the ride.

[@akashverma5756]

Before Insomnia started, I used to sleep six hour per night and feel fine. After reading article about importance of sleep on Internet, Effort to increase sleeping hour to 7 hour threw me in vicious cycle of insomnia. Is five and half hour sleep window is suitable for me or Should I shorten it to build more sleep drive ? My average sleep hour is around four and half hour.

[@InsomniaCoach]

Your experience is, unfortunately, not uncommon. This is exactly what happened to Scott - and you can hear/watch his story here: insomniacoach.com/scott-sleep-related-worry-anxiety-insomnia-ep4/ I don't usually suggest a sleep window of less than five-and-a-half hours, so if you are currently averaging around four-and-a-half hours of sleep then a five-and-a-half hour sleep window might be a good starting point.

[@akadinvest3460]

I don't about you guys but this video makes me sleepy

[@InsomniaCoach]

Mission accomplished!

[@johndavid3351]

Hey Coach! I've been sleeping horribly for the past few nights, but last night I got a good sleep and I woke up still feeling a bit fatigue, is this normal?

[@InsomniaCoach]

It sure is - that sounds like sleep inertia to me!

[@rohrichoak9740]

Do you have a dedicated video about melatonin, cortisol and their relationship to sleep, as well as the influence of daytime and nighttime in melatonin release?

[@InsomniaCoach]

Thanks for the great question! I don't have a video specifically about melatonin because people with chronic insomnia do not typically have any problem with melatonin production or regulation - and there is no evidence that melatonin supplementation is an effective treatment for chronic insomnia.

[@rohrichoak9740]

@@InsomniaCoach thanks

[@InsomniaCoach]

@@rohrichoak9740 You're welcome! Thanks for contributing to the channel!

[@monikavarro2020]

I can't remember ever getting 8 hours of sleep. I only get half that. I'm always awake during the night usually around 3 am. ☹️

[@InsomniaCoach]

In that case, I hope you found it somewhat reassuring to learn that it's quite unlikely you need eight hours of sleep, Monika! How much time do you usually allot for sleep? If you typically get around four hours of sleep each night, you might find it helpful to create a sleep window of somewhere around five-and-a-half to six hours to build sleep drive and reduce nighttime wakefulness and go from there. I hope this helps!

[@wokeok7450]

Hi how do i switch my mind of thinking about my jaw tmj pain or is it not possible to ignore the pain cause i need sleep been awake for 2 days pls help

[@InsomniaCoach]

Pain management isn't my area of expertise, so I can't offer any specific guidance in this area, unfortunately. What I can say is that when we focus attention on pain it can feel even more intense. So, with this in mind, it can be helpful to get out of bed (if that's possible) when being in bed doesn't feel good and to do something more enjoyable instead. This can help distract the mind, draw attention away from pain, and prevent you from reinforcing a negative association between the bed and unpleasant wakefulness. Allotting an appropriate amount of time for sleep can also help build sleep drive and reduce the amount of time you spend awake during the night. I hope this helps.

[@ilikeethan7368]

i used to sleep for 8 hrs but for 2 weeks i have been waking in the middle of night with night sweats and i cant go back to sleep until 5 in the morning how can i cure this

[@InsomniaCoach]

If you used to sleep for eight hours, there's no reason to believe you won't sleep for eight hours again! You might want to discuss those night sweats with your doctor and once they have been addressed if your sleep issues continue you might want to look into cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) to help create the right conditions for sleep. Here's an overview of CBT-I: insomniacoach.com/cognitive-behavioral-therapy-insomnia/

[@johnsmusicpassions9740]

i live in a very hot humid climate and constantly have to fight the desire to take a nap in the very hot afternoon - should i always try to avoid having a short nap - thanks

[@InsomniaCoach]

I don't think there's anything wrong with taking a nap if you are sleeping well at night and are napping because you enjoy the experience of napping!

[@teey9738]

Hi Martin ,hope you well. I suffer from bad sleep. I'll be lucky to get 5hrs. I usually get round 3 hrs , sometimes 4, followed by few hrs of , on and off sleep for like 30mins sleep followed by an hour of no sleep. But the crazy thing is I feel OK during the day, I can walk everyday for like 7miles , a heavy weight lifting session 4 times a week. Is this normal or do I need help. ?

[@InsomniaCoach]

If you feel OK during the day then you might be one of those people who doesn't need much sleep.

[@Arrasel]

Can you imagine Martin saying we all need at least 8-9 hours of sleep, otherwise we will die or something? :) We would all freak out and panic because 99% of us have anxiety and that's why we don't sleep. He would make it worse :) Yes, everybody is different, but I strongly believe the more we sleep, the better. The adrenals will crash after long periods of no sleep and we can only heal them with sleep and potassium.

[@InsomniaCoach]

Studies actually find that longer sleep is associated with more health issues than shorter sleep! In any case, there is no evidence that insomnia causes any health problem whatsoever. I hope this helps!

[@ravi_teja2768]

@@InsomniaCoach but martin is it not true that insomnia causes mental disorders like bipolar depression schizophrenia my fear is because in my family my mother and uncle had bipolar and schizophrenia now im suffering from acute insomnia past 3 weeks so afraid if i develop any mental health condition as iam sleeping only 30 mins to 1 hour everyday ?

[@InsomniaCoach]

​@@ravi_teja2768 There is no evidence that insomnia causes any mental disorder or any other health condition, for that matter! It might also be helpful to recognize that insomnia is not the same as sleep deprivation: kzbin.info/www/bejne/lZWziHePjJKMnac

[@1timbarrett]

@@ravi_teja2768 Growing up with a bipolar Mom is an anxiety-maker for sure. I hope you are sleeping better now. 😘

[@ravi_teja2768]

Thanks a lot coach I followed your vedios on sleep and just within 4 months regained my sleep, please let me know if you are interested in making a podcast with me, I will do it for you, you really helped me break the insomnia

[@Aneliii]

What if my body wants 5 hours of sleep and I am dying od tiredness?

[@InsomniaCoach]

If your body needs 5 hours of sleep it will generate 5 hours of sleep. If you try to make that happen, though, it'll be a lot more difficult!

[@mattsauer2683]

If the body gives you the minimum, then why do I have nights where I get zero hours??

[@InsomniaCoach]

Great question! Taking a single 24 hour period is probably a bit too focused in the context of an entire human lifetime! If we expand our focus a little - over the course of a week, for example - do you get zero hours of sleep? Lots of people with (and without!) insomnia have nights of no sleep - but catchup sleep always happens in the end. And, even when that catchup sleep isn't as long as you might hope, the body is working away in the background adjusting sleep architecture as needed. The result is the body is generating, at the very least, the minimum amount (and type) of sleep it needs - for as long as it is given the opportunity to do so!

[@mattsauer2683]

@@InsomniaCoach right now I’m stuck in this cycle of getting decent sleep only every other night. The bad nights might be 2-4 hours and sometimes zero.

[@mattsauer2683]

@@InsomniaCoach it’s also tough because my sleep has been messed up for so long and then I look at my wife and she can almost go to sleep on command. Lol

[@InsomniaCoach]

Those roller coaster nights are quite common and serve as evidence that your sleep drive system is working as it should be - after nights of less sleep, better sleep become more likely on subsequent nights. As for your wife apparently sleeping upon command - have you asked her what her "secret" is? Perhaps there's an insight there!

[@1timbarrett]

@@mattsauer2683I love Coach Daniel’s term ‘sleep envy’. I feel that too whenever my husband falls asleep on the sofa during a film or whatever. I hope you are sleeping better now. Many people cannot fathom how isolating insomnia can be…!😢

[@mkmllrc]

I noticed everytime I woke up at the middle of my sleep with 3-6 hours slept, my mind just get turned on so I have need to relax my mind 2-3 hours again before I could sleep.

[@InsomniaCoach]

Sometimes it can be more difficult to fall back to sleep when we wake during the night after a few hours of sleep since sleep drive is not as strong. So, if we have any concern about being awake, this can make falling asleep again more difficult since we have less sleep drive available to help overpower that arousal. This is why allotting an appropriate amount of time for sleep and getting out of bed when being in bed doesn't feel good can be so helpful - these techniques help reduce the amount of time spent awake, build sleep drive, and weaken arousal. I hope this helps!

[@mkmllrc]

Insomnia Coach Thank you again man, I appreciate your kindness. I’ll learn and practice this sleep drive so I could rest for 8 hours. Continue more your insomnia coaching cause you’ve help so many people and we appreciate your compassion.

[@InsomniaCoach]

@@mkmllrc Glad this was helpful, Mark! You might find this overview of cognitive and behavioral techniques helpful, too: insomniacoach.com/cognitive-behavioral-therapy-insomnia/

[@mkmllrc]

Insomnia Coach woke up again twice now exactly at 3:40 AM ruminating about the past, future, things I should or have done.

[@mkmllrc]

I have this feeling again that I only got 5 hours again! I should’ve got 7 or 8. As I’m writing this now at 5:06 AM cause my mind always pops up so many thoughts. Recent days I get to sleep even when I woke up at midnight with 7 or 8 hrs of sleep now I felt bad I only got 4:30-5hrs of sleep.

[@wokeok7450]

Hi i always fall asleep at 6 am i go to bed at half 11 is insomnia curable pls be honest??

[@mikes3703]

No it's incurable. Of course it can be overcome. Not sure it can be cured in the short run but over a period of time once you gain control of your cognitive function concerning sleep and apply some of the techniques Martin talks about then I believe you will at some point no longer even think about insomnia.

[@Arrasel]

If you have anxiety and that is why you don't sleep, you should cure that first. A gluten free and dairy free diet will help you, along with selenium. Balancing my blood sugars healed my anxiety. I had insomnia for 2 years. Often it has an organic cause.

[@InsomniaCoach]

Chronic insomnia is perpetuated by the thoughts and behaviors we develop in response to sleep disruption. These thoughts and behaviors lead to one or more of sleep drive disruption, body clock disruption, and arousal. So, by addressing the thoughts and behaviors that perpetuate insomnia, we can recognize that chronic insomnia is curable and that it is possible to leave insomnia behind.

[@InsomniaCoach]

Studies show that when anxiety is present along with insomnia, addressing the insomnia can also help alleviate anxiety, too! There is no need to delay addressing insomnia because anxiety is present (especially because some degree of anxiety is present in virtually all cases of chronic insomnia)!

[@catherinezetajones6982]

06 hours everyday and 04 hours sometimes

[@InsomniaCoach]

How do you feel after six hours of sleep? Do you feel that's your individual sleep requirement?

[@user-yl9ck9ob5t]

B.s sleep at least 8 hours

[@InsomniaCoach]

There's no evidence to support that, but I appreciate you sharing your opinion!

[@mohammadbilal4768]

Your way of talking is very interesting..Such a precious information.Thanks a lot to share this knowledge❤