Common Sleep Mistakes and Expert Advice for Improved Sleep Habits

Adequate sleep is essential for mental and emotional health. Being well rested supports a healthy immune system, plays a key role in weight management, benefits brain health, and reduces the risk of chronic disease and death due to accidents. Getting enough sleep also improves mood and helps you feel more resilient against stress.

All of that said, If you’re reading this article, you’re probably tired of hearing that you should be getting seven hours a night of uninterrupted sleep and just want some tips for actually getting that restful shut-eye. Here are some of the biggest sleep mistakes you might be making and expert tips for what to do instead.

Dr. Shelby Harris, Director of Sleep Health at Sleepopolis says, “One big mistake people make with their sleep environment is not making it dark enough—too much light can affect your circadian rhythm and trick you into staying awake.” Things like TVs, tablets, phones, and smartwatches are some of the more obvious culprits, but even bright lights in your home, night lights, clocks, and light filtering in through the curtains can be disruptive to levels of melatonin, a hormone that regulates our sleep cycle—aka circadian rhythm.

Make an effort to minimize exposure to bright lights and electronics within a half-hour of going to bed. Dim the lights in your home to help signal to your brain and body that it’s time to wind down. If blackout shades aren’t an option, wear an eye mask to prevent light from disrupting your sleep.

Temperature is another big factor in sleep quality. Dr Harris explains, “Another is not keeping the room cool; if it’s too hot, you’re likely to wake up more during the night.” According to research, the ideal sleep temperature is 65 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit. If you’re unable to control the temperature in your bedroom, try using a fan or invest in cooling sheets. Wearing layers can also be helpful if you’re cold when you first get in bed and tend to wake up hot later in the night.

Meredith Broderick, MD, is a triple board-certified sleep neurologist and founder of Sound Sleep Guru. She says that one of the top mistakes most people make is “sleeping with their phones next to their bed. This is really disruptive to the quality of sleep and there is always the urge to stay up later on it, to look at it in the middle of the night, and a diminishment in the association of the bed being only for sleep.”

Dr. Harris adds, “The blue light from phones, tablets, or TVs can be stimulating, making it harder to wind down and fall asleep.” The content you’re consuming can also trigger thoughts that make it hard to relax. Set a cut-off time for social media scrolling, email checking, and game-playing that gives you time to wind down before you get into bed.

Trying to go right from ”doing” mode into sleep mode can make it very challenging to settle down for sleep. Maybe some nights, you’ll be so exhausted you crash right out, but over time, it prevents the body from learning how to transition from day to night. Dr. Harris says, “Not having a relaxing bedtime routine can keep your mind too stimulated, making it harder to wind down and sleep.” If your bedtime is 11 pm and you’re up doing things until 10:57, no wonder you don’t feel ready for bed when you get under the covers.

“Some people also try to force sleep when they’re not tired,” says Dr. Shelby, “which just leads to frustration and restlessness.” This can come up as well if you’re trying to choose a bedtime that’s too early, in which case, it’s best to gradually push up your bedtime in shorter intervals until you reach your goal.

Dr. Broderick shares that electronics and using the bed for things other than sleep (for example, working from your bed or paying bills in bed) are some of the worst offenders when it comes to distractions in the bedroom. “My best practice is to ban electronics from the bedroom and have very firm and clear boundaries that the bedroom is only for sleep. This is based on a technique we use in behavioral sleep medicine called stimulus control therapy, which helps people associate the bed with sleep.” The one exception: sex. Totally fine to keep getting busy in your bed.

While letting your pets sleep in the bed with you is nice, this also may be a “mistake” because they can be disruptive. If you have a pet (especially a cat) you know it’s impossible to keep them from sleeping on your bed and that, really, it’s their bed. But all you dog owners out there who’ve crate trained your beast to sleep in their own damn bed, gold star for you guys. Keep doing what you’re doing.

If you’re having a glass of wine to wind down for the night on the regular, you might want to rethink that. Dr. Broderick says, “Alcohol really impairs the quality of sleep, and there is no amount that is ideal. The ideal amount is zero.”

Ask yourself if what you’re looking to get from the alcohol is the ritual or the taste—or both. There’s a wide range of non-alcoholic alternatives to wine, beer, and spirits to explore, just be mindful to check for caffeine and excess sugar content, which may disrupt sleep. And if you find that the act of pouring a drink helps you mark the end of your workday and the start of “me” time, consider other activities that can mark the transition, such as taking a walk or a stretch, reading for pleasure, or calling a friend for a standing phone date.

Having most of your food intake in the evening hours is not only less than ideal for metabolic health—it can also lead to poor sleep. Dr. Harris says, “Eating heavy meals or snacks close to bedtime can cause indigestion, which disrupts sleep.”

Eat more of what you need during the day rather than trying to “save up” calories for the evening. Besides—you need to fuel your brain and body during the day when you’re doing the bulk of your activities. Ideally, you want to make dinner a lighter meal if it’s late, but if that just doesn’t work for your lifestyle, aim to finish dinner two to three hours before bedtime or about an hour before if you’re having an evening snack.

Dr. Broderick recommends giving yourself time to digest before lying down and being mindful that spicy and acid foods could contribute to acid reflux.

“Caffeine is tricky,” says Dr. Broderick, “because you can feel like it doesn't impact you, but we see how it impacts arousability and sleep quality without being perceived by the sleeper.' The current recommendation, as per the USDA Guidelines for Healthy Americans, is to cap caffeine intake at 400 mg per day (about four 8-ounce regular drip coffees or two strongly brewed drip coffees, or a little more than five espressos), but many people do better with less than that, especially when sleep is a concern.

If you do consume caffeine from beverages like coffee, cola, and other caffeinated sodas, tea (black, green, and white varieties have tea), or energy drinks, keep those limits in mind and consider cutting back if your sleep is interrupted. It’s also best to switch to decaffeinated beverages at least after 2 p.m., if not noon.

Sometimes caffeine is added to foods like protein bars or similar functional snacks, and there is a very small amount naturally present in chocolate, which has about 9-12 milligrams per ounce, depending on how dark it is—the darker the chocolate, the higher the caffeine content.

Having a consistent sleep schedule is super-important, so if you’re trying to “catch up” on sleep come Saturday by snoozing until noon when your usual wake-up time is seven a.m., your inner clock gets really confused. Dr. Harris explains, “A common mistake with sleep schedules is being inconsistent—staying up late on weekends and trying to catch up on sleep during the week throws off your body’s natural circadian rhythm.”

Dr. Broderick says this is especially important if you struggle with sleep during the week. “Sleeping in on the weekend can be counterproductive if there are issues with falling asleep at the desired time during the week.

Another disruption to your sleep cycle is hitting the snooze button often, which, Dr. Harris explains, can actually make you groggier.

If you’re struggling with getting the amount or quality of sleep you need, look at the habits that may be working against you and implement a healthier sleep routine. Keep the bedroom cool, dark, and quiet, and limit distractions and electronic use. Stick to a consistent sleep and wake-up time, and give your brain and body a chance to wind down before you get in bed. It can also help to shift your eating habits if needed to make dinner your smallest meal and limit alcohol and caffeine intake late in the day.

If you’re doing all of these things and still struggling, consider contacting a sleep doctor to assess an underlying condition that disrupts sleep.