Podcast Summary: Más de uno – “Qué sabemos del insomnio: Es un mito que haya que dormir ocho horas”

Date: January 27, 2026
Host: OndaCero
Guests: Isaac Rosa (autor de “Las buenas noches”), Dra. Ainhoa Álvarez (neurofisióloga clínica, presidenta de la Sociedad Española de Sueño)

Main Theme & Purpose

This episode delves into the complexities of insomnia: exploring personal experiences, social stigma, scientific understanding, and persistent myths about sleep, especially the idea that everyone must get eight hours. Writer Isaac Rosa shares insights from his novel “Las buenas noches,” while Dr. Ainhoa Álvarez joins to provide expert explanations about insomnia, its societal roots, medical criteria, and healthy sleep habits.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Ubiquity and Experience of Insomnia

• Literary Portrayal: The episode opens with a reading that captures the nightmarish and universal experience of insomnia, echoing the feeling of being trapped in sleeplessness regardless of age, environment, or circumstance.

  [00:04] “No podemos dormir… tenemos calor, tenemos frío… nada duele ni pique. Y tampoco podemos dormir…”

• From Novel to Reality: Isaac Rosa’s novel explores how insomnia is often lived in secret, as a “shameful” or “guilty” condition. Many do not discuss it openly, potentially underestimating how widespread the problem is.

  [03:48, Isaac Rosa] “En general, no solemos hablar de lo mal que dormimos… si lo hiciéramos, nos daríamos cuenta de que somos muchos…”

• Societal Scope: It’s estimated about 10% of Spaniards suffer chronic insomnia (4 million people), but Isaac and hosts suspect the real number is much higher when including “intermittent insomniacs.”

2. Stigma, Self-Blame, and Silence

• Silence and Stigma: The shame and guilt associated with not sleeping well leads many to keep their struggles private, even from close family members.

  [05:12, Isaac Rosa] “Hay una mezcla de vergüenza… de culpa, de sensación de fracaso…”
  “Como no lo compartimos… nos sentimos también muy solos los que dormimos mal…”

• Cultural Attitudes: The group discusses cultural attitudes that imply insomnia is personal failure or due to bad habits (like phone usage at night), fuelling self-blame.

3. Defining and Diagnosing Insomnia

• Clinical Criteria: Dr. Ainhoa Álvarez explains official guidelines for diagnosing chronic insomnia:

  • At least 3 months of sleep disturbances
  • Occurring at least 3 times a week
  • Causing daytime impairment

  [08:04, Ainhoa Álvarez] “Hay unos criterios claros… por lo menos tres meses… de queja de sueño… y una repercusión durante el día… al menos tres veces a la semana…”

• Late Diagnosis: Many sufferers delay seeing a doctor due to stigma or fear of being prescribed drugs, often not viewing insomnia as a “real problem” until it becomes unmanageable.

  [09:04, Ainhoa Álvarez] “…van dejando hasta que ya llega un momento que no pueden más…”

4. Origins and Perpetuation of Insomnia

• Predisposing Factors: Some people are more susceptible to developing insomnia due to personality or biological factors. A stressor (like loss or work stress) can trigger acute insomnia, which becomes chronic when maladaptive habits set in.

• Perpetuating Factors: Trying to “fix” sleep (staying longer in bed, watching TV in bed, etc.) can reinforce insomnia rather than cure it.

  [11:48, Álvarez] “…hacemos cosas que son perpetuantes del insomnio crónico…”

• Coping Strategies: Cognitive-behavioral therapy is highlighted as an effective, non-pharmacological intervention.

5. Societal Pressures, Productivity & Sleep

• Sleep as Lost Time: In today’s society, sleep is often seen as unproductive, and people may subconsciously resist it to “win back time” or due to FOMO, especially after family obligations end each day.

  [14:00, Isaac Rosa] “Detrás de quienes no podemos dormir, muchas veces hay alguien que no quiere dormir… querríamos ganarle horas a la noche…”

• Myth of the Sleepless Achiever: There’s admiration for (often exaggerated) stories of successful people thriving on little sleep, creating a sense that “normal” amounts of sleep are for the unambitious.

  [14:48, Rosa] “Esta especie de aristocracia del sueño… gente que presume de dormir muy poco…”

• Modern Life Against Sleep: Modern lifestyles—constant stimulation, technology, always-on society—work against quality rest.

  [15:08, Rosa] “Lo raro es dormir, lo raro es la gente que puede dormir bien…”

6. The Eight-Hour Sleep Myth

• History and Biology: Dr. Álvarez debunks the one-size-fits-all rule of “eight hours of continuous sleep,” explaining that pre-industrial humans often slept in segments, and night awakenings are normal.

  [19:16, Álvarez] “Eso es un mito. No vas a conseguir dormir 8 horas sin despertarte… nuestro cerebro… siempre está un poco atento por si hay una amenaza…”

• Accepting Imperfect Sleep: Minor night awakenings are natural; the problem is the anxiety that results from them.

7. Medication and the Spanish Context

• Overprescription of Benzodiazepines: Spain has one of the world’s highest rates of benzodiazepine use for sleep. This stems from short medical consultations and the demand for quick fixes.

  [23:31, Álvarez] “Somos líderes… porque queremos soluciones rápidas…”

• Long-Term Risks: Chronic use is discouraged; non-drug interventions like cognitive-behavioral therapy should be first-line.

• Society’s Contradiction: A paradox where people use sedatives to sleep and stimulants to wake up.

  [27:27, Rosa] “Somos una sociedad que masivamente consume productos para dormir y productos para estar despierto…”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Stigma

  [05:12, Isaac Rosa] “Hay una mezcla de vergüenza, por no hablar de ello, de culpa, de cierta sensación de fracaso…”

• On Cultural Myths

  [19:16, Ainhoa Álvarez] “Hemos aprendido desde muy pequeños que hay que dormir 8 horas seguidas y eso es un mito.”

• On Modern Life

  [15:08, Isaac Rosa] "En la vida que llevamos ahora mismo, casi lo raro es dormir, lo raro es la gente que puede dormir bien, porque parece que todo conspira contra nuestro descanso."

• On Drug Use

  [27:27, Isaac Rosa] “Somos una sociedad que masivamente consume productos para dormir y productos para estar despierto... disparate.”

• Listener Story
  [21:30-22:38] A listener describes her insomnia linked to contraceptive use (resolved during pregnancies, returned with hormonal contraception), highlighting the need to find causes, not just treat symptoms.

Important Timestamps

• [00:04] Vivid literary depiction of sleepless nights
• [02:14] Transition from literary excerpt to broader discussion
• [03:06] Isaac Rosa shares personal and literary perspective
• [04:50] Conversation about shame, loneliness, and insomniac “secrecy”
• [07:32] Dr. Ainhoa Álvarez (neurophysiology) joins the dialogue
• [08:04] Clinical definition of insomnia
• [10:12] Insomnia as symptom versus syndrome
• [11:48] Behavioral traps that perpetuate insomnia
• [12:25] Reflection on productivity culture and sleep as “lost time”
• [14:48] Risks of idolizing minimal sleep and always-on culture
• [19:16] The myth of eight uninterrupted hours of sleep
• [23:31] Why benzodiazepines are overprescribed in Spain
• [27:27] Paradoxical societal reliance on both sedatives and stimulants
• [21:30-22:38] Caller illustrates hormonal origin of her insomnia

Practical Takeaways

• Insomnia is common, often surrounded by stigma and silence.
• There are clear medical criteria for “chronic insomnia” (minimum frequency and duration, plus daytime impairment).
• Insomnia can be caused/aggravated by both biology and lifestyle—preconceptions, schedules, and coping strategies matter.
• Many habits intended to ‘fix’ insomnia (more time in bed, TV in bed, anxiety about sleep) can backfire.
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy is highly effective and should be first-line, before medication.
• Chronic use of sleep medications (e.g., benzodiazepines) should be avoided.
• Not everyone needs “eight hours,” and night wakings are often normal.
• Society’s 24/7 demands, productivity pressure, and technological environment work against natural sleep cycles.
• Open discussion breaks stigma and may help sufferers feel less alone and get help sooner.

Tone and Language Notes

• The conversation balances humor and empathy (“como una novela de terror”; “el puto mosquito”; “parecemos unos perdedores cuando podríamos estar desde las cinco de la mañana ya resolviendo”).
• Language is accessible, conversational, and sometimes self-deprecating, reflecting the realities and frustrations of poor sleep.

Conclusion

The episode provides a multifaceted exploration of insomnia, blending literature, expert medical advice, and real-life experience. It busts myths, spotlights societal contradictions, and emphasizes the power of empathy and appropriate treatment—showing that while sleeplessness is common, it need not be endured in silence or tackled with medication alone.