

#107 How To Cure Insomnia & Fall Asleep Fast | Dr. Michael Grandner
241 snips Oct 2, 2025
Dr. Michael Grandner, a sleep scientist and director at the University of Arizona, shares his expertise on overcoming insomnia without medication. He discusses the importance of distinguishing between poor sleep and insomnia, and how condition arousal can turn your bed into a wakefulness zone. Listeners learn practical strategies like stimulus control and sleep restriction therapy. Grandner also highlights the role of morning light and caffeine timing in enhancing sleep quality, while debunking myths around sleep trackers and supplements.
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Insomnia Is Learned Wakefulness
- Chronic insomnia usually emerges from a conditioned arousal that outlives the original trigger.
- The act of trying to sleep adds activation and strengthens the negative sleep association.
Make Bed = Sleep
- Reserve the bed only for sleep (and sex) and get out if you can't sleep.
- Train the bed as a conditioned cue so being in bed reliably predicts sleep.
Stand To Scroll, Sit To Signal Readiness
- If you must use a phone near bedtime, stand or sit up rather than lie down.
- Standing/sitting preserves body signals (head-bob) that tell you when you're actually ready for sleep.