Did you know that sleep hygiene is so bad at treating insomnia that it's used as the placebo in clinical sleep trials?

That's right.

Before you invest a ton more money in darker blackout curtains and fancy mattresses,

let's talk about the science behind sleep and sleep hygiene first.

Welcome back to savvy psychologist. My name is Dr. Jade Wu and I'm your host.

Every week I'll help you meet life challenges with evidence-based research, a sympathetic ear, and zero judgment.

Insomnia is one of the most frustrating experiences in our modern existence.

You stare up at the ceiling, or worse at the red numbers on a clock, mind buzzing with random thoughts,

tossing and turning while everyone else snores away blissfully. It can really drive a person crazy.

Everyone has insomnia sometimes. Even though I'm a sleep expert and I was lucky enough to be born with good sleep genes,

I still sometimes toss internal night, believe it or not. And these occasional sleepless nights are actually

totally fine.

They just mean you're excited about something,

or you have had one too many cups of coffee,

or some other fluke stars aligned

to make you unable to shut down for a night or two in a row.

All you have to do is ride it out knowing that you'll be back to your normal sleep routine

soon. But for many people, insomnia becomes chronic.

If you're having a really hard time falling or staying asleep a few times per week,

and this has been going on for a few months, then we're dealing with a different

animal. Chronic insomnia can really disrupt your life. It puts a damper over your

everyday mood and turns sleep into a chore instead of a relief.

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