Why it is so important not to compensate for a bad night of sleep when you have insomnia

YouTube Video VVVMNUxzTFVlVkEyal9Wc2w1NjI1c2hRLldpd0lzLVpPaXVZ

After a bad night (or a string of bad nights) of sleep, it can be so tempting to compensate for lost sleep by doing things like taking a nap, staying in bed longer than usual, going to bed earlier than usual, calling in sick to work, or canceling plans with friends.<br /><br />Unfortunately, all of these compensatory behaviors can actually make your insomnia worse because they lead to less activity (which increases fatigue and leads to more time spent worrying about sleep), reduced sleep drive, a disrupted body clock (circadian rhythm), and more sleep-related worry and anxiety.<br /><br />If you have a bad night of sleep, the best thing to do is continue with your life without any adjustment and trust your own body's ability to make up for lost sleep by itself. <br /><br />The body doesn't always compensate for lost sleep by giving you more sleep on a subsequent night. Instead, it often prioritizes deep sleep — so you get more of the deepest, most restorative sleep when you do sleep. This also explains why you can feel great after just a few hours of sleep.<br /><br />Related videos:<br /><br />How to reduce high levels of fatigue when you have chronic insomnia:<br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvUG_JcKFpM<br /><br />The quality of your day isn't entirely dependent on the quality of your sleep:<br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgVyzX_HHxo<br /><br />The three causes of chronic insomnia (and how to fix them so you can improve your sleep):<br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fEOA9BTzDs<br /><br />How the body compensates for lost sleep by itself (and why stimulus control is so effective): <br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rhcwXPWEgw<br /><br />▶ Subscribe to the Insomnia Coach channel: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCL5LsLUeVA2j_Vsl5625shQ?sub_confirmation=1<br /><br />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 https://insomniacoach.com/sleep-training/?ref=youtube042319<br /><br />You can also find me here:<br /><br />Website: https://insomniacoach.com<br />Twitter: https://twitter.com/insomniacoach<br />Facebook: https://facebook.com/insomniacoach<br />Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myinsomniacoach/<br /><br />All content found on the Insomnia Coach YouTube channel is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not medical advice or medical treatment 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 other licensed healthcare provider. All content is provided as is, and without warranties.<br /><br />#insomnia<br />#sleep

Why it is so important not to compensate for a bad night of sleep when you have insomnia

Insomnia Coach 16.3K views April 23, 2019 7:23 pm

After a bad night (or a string of bad nights) of sleep, it can be so tempting to compensate for lost sleep by doing things like taking a nap, staying in bed longer than usual, going to bed earlier than usual, calling in sick to work, or canceling plans with friends.

Unfortunately, all of these compensatory behaviors can actually make your insomnia worse because they lead to less activity (which increases fatigue and leads to more time spent worrying about sleep), reduced sleep drive, a disrupted body clock (circadian rhythm), and more sleep-related worry and anxiety.

If you have a bad night of sleep, the best thing to do is continue with your life without any adjustment and trust your own body’s ability to make up for lost sleep by itself.

The body doesn’t always compensate for lost sleep by giving you more sleep on a subsequent night. Instead, it often prioritizes deep sleep — so you get more of the deepest, most restorative sleep when you do sleep. This also explains why you can feel great after just a few hours of sleep.

Related videos:

How to reduce high levels of fatigue when you have chronic insomnia:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvUG_JcKFpM

The quality of your day isn’t entirely dependent on the quality of your sleep:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgVyzX_HHxo

The three causes of chronic insomnia (and how to fix them so you can improve your sleep):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fEOA9BTzDs

How the body compensates for lost sleep by itself (and why stimulus control is so effective):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rhcwXPWEgw

▶ Subscribe to the Insomnia Coach channel: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCL5LsLUeVA2j_Vsl5625shQ?sub_confirmation=1

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 https://insomniacoach.com/sleep-training/?ref=youtube042319

You can also find me here:

Website: https://insomniacoach.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/insomniacoach
Facebook: https://facebook.com/insomniacoach
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myinsomniacoach/

All content found on the Insomnia Coach YouTube channel is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not medical advice or medical treatment 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 other licensed healthcare provider. All content is provided as is, and without warranties.

#insomnia
#sleep