Debunking Sleep Myths: What Stanford Experts Teach About Better Sleep
Sleep is one of life’s most essential healing processes. It takes up nearly one-third of our lives and affects emotions, memory, immune function, and hormonal balance.
Yet in this age of information overload and “sleep anxiety,” many people still find themselves tossing and turning—made even more anxious by endless sleep data and “hacks.”
So what does scientific, effective sleep actually look like?
And do we truly understand what sleep really is?
To answer these questions, Dr. Yishan Xu, sleep psychologist and host of the Deep into Sleep podcast, invited her former mentor Dr. Fiona Barwick, Director of the Cognitive Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program at Stanford Sleep Medicine Center, to discuss some of the most common sleep myths—and the science behind them.
💤 Myth 1: “The More Deep Sleep, the Better”
Many people assume that “more deep sleep” equals “better health.”
In reality, deep sleep (slow-wave sleep) makes up only about 10–20% of a normal night’s sleep and occurs mostly during the first three to four hours. Too much deep sleep may even signal certain sleep disorders, such as hypersomnia.
Modern sleep trackers—like smartwatches or apps—measure movement, not brain waves, and therefore cannot accurately determine sleep stages.
Most importantly, when we obsess over sleep data, we turn rest into a performance goal: the harder we try to “sleep well,” the harder it becomes.
“Sleep is a natural ability, not a performance metric,” Dr. Barwick reminds us. “The more you chase it, the farther you get from relaxation.”
💤 Myth 2: “Good Sleep Means No Dreams and Sleeping Straight Through”
In fact, adults naturally wake up about 10–12 times per night—most of which we don’t remember.
Dreaming (REM sleep) plays a vital role in emotional regulation and memory integration. Having dreams doesn’t mean poor sleep—it means your brain is doing its nightly work.
For those with insomnia, distress often comes not from dreaming itself but from over-focusing on sleep quality and interpreting normal phenomena pessimistically.
The key to treating insomnia is not chasing “perfect sleep” but reducing anxiety about sleep.
☀️ Myth 3: “If You Sleep Eight Hours, You Should Wake Up Refreshed”
Have you ever slept a full night but still felt groggy? That’s called sleep inertia—the natural transition from deep sleep to wakefulness.
It can last from 30 minutes to two hours and doesn’t mean poor sleep quality.
Ironically, staying in bed longer often prolongs the grogginess.
“Get up as soon as you wake,” advises Dr. Barwick.
“Open the curtains, expose yourself to natural light, and help your brain enter daytime mode.”
🌙 Myth 4: “Sleeping Early Always Means Sleeping Better”
“Early to bed, early to rise” doesn’t work for everyone.
Our sleep rhythms are genetically influenced and fall into three broad categories:
🐦 Larks – Early sleepers and early risers, most productive in the morning
🐝 Hummingbirds – Somewhere in between
🦉 Owls – Night-active people who sleep and wake later
These patterns are partially hereditary. Forcing an “owl” to sleep early often causes frustration, insomnia, and fatigue.
The key to sustainable rest is to work with your biological clock, not against it.
💊 Myth 5: “Sleeping Pills Guarantee Better Sleep”
Medication can induce drowsiness but cannot replicate natural sleep architecture. Under the influence of hypnotics, REM and deep sleep become imbalanced, impairing memory consolidation and emotional regulation.
While short-term use may help, long-term reliance disrupts circadian rhythms, increases fall and cognitive risks, and may even correlate with higher dementia risk.
“The most effective approach remains Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I),” Dr. Barwick emphasizes.
CBT-I helps retrain the mind and body to associate bedtime with safety and restfulness—allowing sleep to return naturally, without medication.
🌼 Conclusion: Let Sleep Return to Nature
“Sleep is not a skill—it’s a permission to rest,” says Dr. Barwick.
There’s no single formula for perfect sleep. The real secret lies in discovering your own rhythm, creating a calm environment, and easing the anxiety around sleep itself.
If you’re struggling with insomnia or want to learn how CBT-I can help, reach out to Mind & Body Garden Psychology, or check out Dr. Yishan Xu’s CBT-I treatment course. Let science guide you back to peaceful, restorative nights.
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