Jak pokonać problemy ze snem i ocalić zdrowie? Mateusz Majchrzak [Expert w Bentleyu]
- Insomnia is a Common Problem: Insomnia is widespread, though increased awareness makes it seem like a modern issue. It's often triggered by stressful life events (e.g., divorce, job loss) [00:03:39], [00:21:03].
- The Danger of Counter-Intuitive Habits:
- Do not try to "delete thoughts" when you can't sleep, as this is counterproductive [00:00:07], [00:28:34].
- Do not mistake light sleep (N1) for being awake; people often underestimate their total sleep time [00:16:19].
- Attempting to "catch up" on sleep (going to bed early, sleeping in) destroys the crucial sleep pressure (ciśnienie na sen) [00:22:39].
- Core Principles of Sleep Therapy (CBT-I):
- Fixed Wake-up Time is Key: The most important rule is to maintain a consistent wake-up time, varying it by no more than an hour, even on weekends [00:25:55].
- Sleep Restriction: If you spend 8.5 hours in bed but only sleep 6, the initial goal is to restrict your time in bed to 6 hours to build up sleep pressure [00:24:12], [00:26:15].
- Stimulus Control: If you cannot fall asleep after 20 minutes (or wake up at 3 AM), get out of bed and engage in a calming, non-stressful activity (like watching a show or reading) until you feel intensely sleepy, then return to bed [00:29:09].
- Consequences of Sleep Deprivation:
- Relationships: Lack of sleep increases the risk of divorce, reduces empathy, and makes couples argue worse [00:09:44], [00:10:14].
- Health and Cognition: It weakens the immune system (doubling the risk of catching a cold) [00:11:37], drops testosterone levels (by 10-15%) [00:12:07], impairs strong willpower, leads to worse decision-making, and increases the craving for junk food [00:14:30], [00:31:32].
- The "3 AM Brain" operates with low positive and high negative affect; do not make major life decisions or ruminate during this time [00:30:12], [00:30:48].
- Medication and Chronotypes:
- Zolpidem (Z-drugs) is generally not recommended for primary insomnia, as its side effects (e.g., amnesia, accidents, increased depression/suicidal thoughts) can be more severe than the insomnia itself [00:36:49].
- Chronotypes (larks vs. owls) are genetically determined; waking up at 5 AM is a development guru myth that can be harmful for "owls" [00:55:12], [00:56:44]. Owls and adolescents benefit from later school/work start times [00:59:21], [01:00:13].
- Managing Shift Work:
- Shift work increases health and mental health risks [00:43:15].
- Strategies: Nap for 1-1.5 hours before the night shift, use caffeine only in the first half of the night, eat well during the shift, and get a small nap (20 minutes) if possible [00:48:26], [00:49:55], [00:51:00].
- Day sleep is always worse than night sleep; it's recommended to accept a shorter day sleep to get daylight exposure and physical activity later, which helps regulate the circadian rhythm [00:52:02], [00:52:48].
- Dreams: Dreams help the psyche process daily events and emotions [01:07:05]. If you have recurring nightmares, use Imagery Rehearsal Therapy (IRT): change the end of the nightmare, write down the positive new ending, and visualize it daily for 10-15 minutes [01:08:42].