Night Habits That Are Ruining Your Sleep

A good night's sleep is the absolute best form of self-care. But several common nighttime behaviors may be wrecking your ability to fall asleep, stay asleep, and consistently get quality rest. Each habit impacts people differently, and some might unexpectedly help you stay asleep. (If you swear scrolling your phone helps you sleep better, don't stress over it.) However, if you’re struggling with a bout of poor sleep, start by eliminating every sleep habit on this list that applies, then add them back one by one to find the culprit. We spoke with sleep experts about the worst sleeping habits and how to get back on track.

There’s nothing like a full bladder or stomach to disrupt your sleep. Getting up to urinate will interrupt sound rest, so drinking too much before bed may mean multiple trips to the bathroom during the night. Eating a large meal near bedtime may provoke heartburn symptoms when you lie down, which can make you uncomfortable. Obstructive sleep apnea can also cause both nocturia and heartburn at night.

Lying Awake in Bed

If you are having trouble getting to sleep, the last thing you need to do is lie there awake. If this happens chronically, as may occur in insomnia, you may learn to associate your bed with anxiety and not being asleep. Rather than tossing and turning, try a relaxing activity like reading. If you continue to struggle, get out of bed to reset your sleep.

Sleeping Somewhere Too Cold, Too Warm

It’s no use trying to sleep somewhere that is stimulating to our senses. If the stereo is blaring, the lights are on, and it’s stifling, how can you expect to sleep? Subtle variations on this theme will likewise make it hard to catch a few winks. Keep the bedroom comfortable with low lighting, noise, and temperature.

Taking Long Naps

This one may be a little controversial. Some cultures promote the midday nap, and many people swear by them. If you sleep well at night, it may not be a problem. However, if you are having trouble sleeping, then the last thing you need to do is to add fuel to the fire by sleeping during the day. Naps diminish your ability to sleep at night, and excessive daytime sleepiness may suggest a sleep disorder like sleep apnea.

Using Your Bedroom as a Multipurpose Room

Filling your bedroom with televisions, gaming systems, computers, telephones, and other gadgets will ensure a plethora of stimulation will be at hand. Unfortunately, none of these will help you to sleep better. The light from screens may be harmful to sleep. Using them just prior to bed will prompt your brain to be active, and this is the last thing you need to fall asleep. Charge your phone in the kitchen and clear out technology from your sleep sanctuary.

Drinking Alcohol, Coffee, or Smoking a Cigarette Before Bed

Though grandpa may have always enjoyed an alcoholic “nightcap” to get to sleep, this is actually not helpful. Alcohol may cause you to feel a little drowsy, but it fragments the stages of your sleep and makes it more disrupted as it wears off. It may worsen snoring and sleep apnea if consumed near bedtime.

Caffeinated beverages like coffee, tea, soda pop, and foods like chocolate work as stimulants to keep you awake for hours. Caffeine should be avoided in the 4 to 6 hours before bed or earlier if you are sensitive to its effects. Likewise, the nicotine from a cigarette will ruin your ability to sleep, and the craving associated with withdrawal may wake you during the night.2

Sleeping Less When You're Busy

We all get busy for different reasons, and it’s easy to find extra time in the day by sleeping less. Why waste 8 hours in bed? Wouldn’t you rather be watching television, playing on the internet, or spending time with your friends or family?

Unfortunately, the quality of the time we spend awake is significantly impacted by not getting enough rest. If you cut back on sleep, you may find that you aren’t gaining much if you spend the day bleary-eyed and befuddled. Get enough time in bed to meet your sleep needs every night.t

Staying Active Until the Moment Before Hopping Into Bed

Sleep is a quiet, relaxing activity, so it doesn’t make much sense to try to transition to that directly from something that is quite the opposite. Our bodies don’t do well with abrupt changes. The same is true for getting ready to sleep.

Quiet sleep rituals such as reading, listening to calming music, ic or taking a nice bath help to prepare us mentally and physically for sleep. Sleep 30 to 60 minutes before your bedtime, preparing your body and mind for sleep.

Exercising Vigorously Before Bed

Although it is ideal to exercise for 30 minutes every day—and this will likely ensure a good night’s sleep—exercising right before bed is probably a bad idea. It causes difficulties as your body will be revved up when you should be winding down. It may raise your body temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure.

Don't go to bed sweaty from your workout. Try to minimize aerobic exercise right before bedtime, unless it is the only time of the day that you can find to get your exercise done.

Varying Your Sleep Time From One Day to the Next

We are creatures of habit, and our sleep is no exception. If you go to bed and get up at different times every day, your body will have no sense of when it is supposed to feel tired and sleepy. This ultimately depends on our natural clock, called the circadian rhythm, and varying the times we are asleep can negatively influence it.

By keeping a consistent schedule, we are able to sleep better. Start by fixing your wake time with an alarm and go to bed when you feel sleepy, ensuring you get enough hours on a consistent basis to meet your sleep needs.

Do you wake up still feeling tired? Do you find your nights restless and anxious,s or have a hard time getting to sleep? Do you wake up in the middle of the night often and have a hard time getting back to sleep?

Tired Sleepy Woman

Many people form habits that disrupt their night’s sleep without realizing it. If you are having sleeping problems, consider these 8 habits you may have formed that could be the cause of your restless nights.

Reading from an e-reader

According to the National Academy of Sciences, using an e-reader could be the cause of your sleeping troubles. E-readers emit blue light that disrupts sleeping patterns. If you are using an electronic device in bed or less than an hour before bedtime, this light could be the cause of your restlessness.

Using alcohol as a sleep aid

Alcohol, though it does contribute to initial sleepiness, is more of a hindrance to sleep than an aid. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, alcohol decreases the quality of sleep and may contribute to waking up in the middle of the night.

Your weekend partying

If you have a completely different sleeping schedule on the weekends, such as staying up much later than usual and sleeping in late, you may experience a “social jet lag” come Monday. For better sleeping habits, try to keep a relatively similar schedule all week long.

You’re trying to go to sleep too early.

In an effort to be less tired the next day, you may be trying to force your body to go to sleep too soon. Try waiting until you are tired to put yourself to bed. Staying up later signifies to your body’s system that it needs more sleep, and you will have an easier time getting to sleep once you do get in bed.

You’re having caffeinated beverages late in the day.

If you are having trouble sleeping, limit caffeine to the mornings. According to the National Sleep Foundation, six or more cups of coffee per day is considered excessive intake of caffeine and could be affecting your sleeping habits,s regardless of what time of day you drink them. Also, keep in mind that caffeine can stay in the body 8 to 10 hours and could still be affecting you at bedtime.

Not having a bedtime routine. ine

Having a relaxing bedtime activity 20-30 minutes before bed signals to your brain that it is time to go to sleep. Try having a cup of herbal tea and reading a book (not from an e-reader) or taking a warm bath.

You get out of bed when you wake up in the night.

Unless you have to use the toilet, try to avoid getting out of bed when you wake up in the night, as it will only rouse you more. Try to remain relaxed and unfrustrated as you lie in bed waiting to fall back asleep.

You look at the clock in the middle of the night.

Looking at the clock will only increase your anxiety about how much sleep you are getting (or not getting). Resist the urge to check the time.