Each year, Insomnia Awareness Night shines a spotlight on chronic insomnia and the effective treatments that can help people sleep better. Organized by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Society of Behavioral Sleep Medicine, the annual event raises awareness of a sleep disorder that affects millions of people.

This year, sleep experts answered questions from the Reddit community during a live “Ask Me Anything” (AMA) session for Insomnia Awareness Night. Spencer Dawson, PhD; Sarah Honaker, PhD; Monica Kelly, PhD; and Jennifer Martin, PhD, shared guidance on insomnia, sleep health, and treatment approaches with people seeking answers about their sleep concerns.

Continue reading to see some of the top questions and answers from the Reddit AMA.

I know you can’t “catch up” on sleep, but does getting more sleep on the weekends do anything to reduce the long-term effects of getting too little sleep on weekdays?

Jennifer Martin, PhD (SleepExpertMartin): Yes and no. Some studies show that catching up on sleep on weekends is better than not catching up at all. However, getting seven or more hours of sleep on a regular basis is best for long-term health and well-being.

How useful is sleep tracking with a device such as an Apple Watch?

Sarah Honaker, PhD (SleepExpertHonaker): Tracking sleep over time using a device such as an Apple Watch can be helpful, particularly if it motivates you to change a sleep-related behavior, such as going to bed at the same time each night. However, it’s important to recognize that these devices may not be fully accurate. In some cases, sleep tracking can make sleep worse by causing stress or anxiety about sleep. The most important indicator is how you feel the next day.

Are there supplements you recommend, particularly to help you stay asleep? I microdose THC (1 mg) and have added 1 to 2 mg of melatonin to help me.

Jennifer Martin, PhD (SleepExpertMartin): The number of sleep supplements on the market is growing faster than the scientific evidence supporting them. It’s almost impossible to know what works and what may be a placebo effect.

In the case of insomnia, supplements sometimes seem to work because we believe they will. Once we take something, we may stop trying so hard to fall asleep, which can allow sleep to come to the surface.

With regard to THC microdoses, there aren’t any high-quality studies showing whether they are effective or safe. Melatonin can be used to treat some sleep disorders, but it is most effective for conditions related to sleep timing, such as jet lag, rather than insomnia.

If you have been struggling with insomnia — difficulty sleeping that affects you during the day, occurs at least three times per week and lasts longer than three months — the best available treatment is cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia.

Are binaural beats really a proven way to help you fall asleep? I listen to them on Spotify and they seem to relax my mind.

Spencer Dawson, PhD (Dr_Dawson_sleep): There hasn’t been much high-quality research on binaural beats for sleep. If binaural beats work as suggested, they may help induce a calmer brain state. However, even if they don’t work in that way, they may serve as a pleasant and relaxing distraction. This is somewhat similar to listening to a podcast or audiobook while falling asleep.

How can you stop having hyperarousals during sleep? My clinical sleep study shows I “wake” every two minutes. As you can imagine, I’m very tired!

Jennifer Martin, PhD (SleepExpertMartin): Frequent arousals during sleep can be a sign of a sleep disorder. Talk to the healthcare professional who conducted your sleep study and discuss possible causes. If you have not yet seen a sleep medicine specialist, ask for a referral so the full range of potential causes can be discussed.

I consistently wake up at 4 to 4:30 a.m., hours before I’m supposed to be awake, and am unable to go back to sleep. Is it better to just wake up at that time, even though I’m not getting my recommended seven hours of sleep? Are there ways to go back to sleep?

Spencer Dawson, PhD (Dr_Dawson_sleep): It depends on the reason you’re waking up. Early morning awakenings can be caused by many different factors. These include naturally needing less sleep than others, being an extreme “morning type,” age-related circadian phase advances, anxiety, depression and sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea.

In general, if you want to be able to sleep later, we recommend that you don’t start your day until the time you want to be awake. Giving yourself an opportunity to fall back asleep can help, as long as you don’t force it.

If you’ve woken up early and can’t determine the reason, it may be that your body has had as much sleep as it needs. Instead of trying to force sleep, allow your brain and body to get whatever sleep is still needed.

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These responses have been edited for brevity. Visit the Reddit AMA thread to see all the questions and responses about insomnia and healthy sleep.

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Kate Robards