Most people who sleep six hours a night feel functional. That is exactly the problem: the costs of mild, chronic sleep restriction are quiet, and they accumulate in places you can’t feel.
What changes after one short night
After a single night of restricted sleep, insulin sensitivity drops measurably, hunger hormones shift towards eating more, and evening blood pressure stays higher than it should. Repeat that pattern for months and it shows up in your lab results.
Measuring before treating
We start with a two-week sleep diary and, when snoring or daytime fatigue suggest it, a home sleep study. Many “insomnia” cases turn out to be untreated sleep apnea — a very different problem with a very different fix.
Treatment usually begins with structured behavioural therapy rather than pills. It takes a few weeks, and it works for most people for good.
Written by
Dr. Mateo Ruiz
Sleep Medicine
Mateo is a sleep physician who treats insomnia and sleep apnea without defaulting to pills, using home studies and structured behavioural therapy.
This article is general information, not personal medical advice. Talk to your physician before changing medication, supplements or treatment.
