Ep.13 - Why can’t I sleep? Tips to fix insomnia beyond sleep hygiene, with Kathryn Pinkham

Most of us have had a bad night’s sleep. But when insomnia becomes chronic, a whole new world of lifestyle advice seems to open up – one that is confusing, and sometimes fails to fix the problem.

So this week, Greg and Charlie take a deep dive into chronic insomnia with a new guest: Kathryn Pinkham. 

Kathryn is the founder of The Insomnia Clinic and one of the UK’s leading experts in treating chronic insomnia. Kathryn has helped over 5,000 people sleep better using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) - the NHS-recommended, gold-standard treatment that outperforms sleeping pills for long-term outcomes. Her message: insomnia is very curable, however long or severely someone has been struggling.

Starting with the science, Kathryn walks us through what sleep actually is and how it goes wrong. She explains the two biological systems that drive sleep: the circadian rhythm and sleep drive. She also makes the case for why standard sleep hygiene advice (the dark room, no caffeine after 2pm, a lengthy wind-down routine) often falls short. And yes, it can even add to the problem.

In the practice segment, Kathryn, Greg, and Charlie get into what CBT-I actually involves. Including:

• Why spending less time in bed can cure insomnia and why that works
• How your bed becomes a source of anxiety and how to fix that association 
• What to do when your mind won’t stop racing at bedtime

Finally, in the experience section, we turn to your listener questions. We hear from a parent navigating sleep disruption with a toddler and a newborn on the way, and tackle questions about whether the 8-hour rule is real, and whether deep sleep really matters as much as we’re told.

Enjoy this conversation, and if you’d like to send us your health questions for future episodes, remember to email us a voice note or write in at themethod@thriva.co

To Explore Further

• Kathryn Pinkham’s Insomnia Clinic: theinsomniaclinic.co.uk
• Sleep Well, Live Better course: theinsomniaclinic.co.uk/sleep-well-live-better
• Kathryn Pinkham’s Instagram: @theinsomniaclinic  
• Greg Potter’s Website: gregpotterphd.com
• Greg Potter’s Instagram: @gregpotterphd
• Thriva’s Website: thriva.co

About Thriva

Thriva is a proactive health platform built for the modern age. The promise of longevity often comes with years spent in poor health. We want to bridge the gap between lifespan – how long we’re living – and healthspan – how well we’re living. We combine powerful at-home blood testing with wearable insights and expert guidance. So you can know exactly what’s going on inside your body  – and what to do about it – before issues arise. With this podcast, we hope to bring listeners confidence in everyday health decisions. To learn more about Thriva’s values and services, visit thriva.co.