6 Poor Sleeping Habits (and What To Do About Them)

July 05, 2022

4 mins

Just about everyone could use a little more out of each day. But how exactly do you get more energy?

For many people, the most productive solution to feeling more energetic daily is often the simplest — getting a better night's sleep.

Sleep is a frequently overlooked but critical aspect of health and wellness, yet many people neglect good sleep habits as a part of their wellness journey.

Below is a closer look at some of the worst sleeping habits and how they decrease your sleep quality, the best types of sleep, and tips to improving your sleep.

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1. Inconsistent Wake-Up Time

One of the more common poor sleeping habits is an inconsistent wake-up time, which can lead to insufficient length of sleep. This is common when you sleep in on the weekends and wake up earlier on days that you work. Additionally, it occurs when you go to bed at sporadic, late-night hours.

While you may think it feels good to sleep in on the weekend, the reality is that it can hurt sleep quality and lead to poor sleep hygiene.

The human body thrives on consistency, and this is especially true for healthy sleep. Your internal clock, known as your circadian rhythm, regulates a number of bodily processes. Waking up consistently every day helps strengthen your circadian rhythm and essentially trains your body to know when it should expect to be awake.

By having a consistent wake-up time, your body will naturally take you out of deeper levels of sleep and wake you up without the assistance of an alarm. Waking up naturally in this way can help you feel more refreshed in the morning and have more energy.

2. Variable Bedtime

On a similar note to inconsistent wake-ups, a highly variable bed time may also decrease your quality of sleep and can make for a particularly detrimental sleep habit. 

Late-night plans with friends or instances where work may require you to stay up can throw a wrench in your consistent sleep schedule, but you should try your best to reduce the frequency of these events.

A late night every once in a while won’t throw your circadian rhythm and sleep patterns out of whack entirely, but consistently having a variable bedtime can reduce sleep quality and, in turn, decrease how refreshed you feel after a night's rest.

3. Falling Asleep With the T.V. On

Falling asleep with the T.V. on happens to the best of us, and while this can seem like a harmless mistake, it can actually be detrimental to a good night’s sleep.

Aside from wasting energy, falling asleep with the television on introduces a number of stimuli to your sleeping environment. The flashing lights and sounds can drastically reduce your ability to get quality rest, even if you don't realize it.

The best and most conducive environments to sleep are those that reduce the number of external stimuli. A quiet, dark, and comfortable room can facilitate a better night’s rest. Keeping the T.V. on introduces both sound and lights that can disturb sleep and decrease your quality of sleep.

4. Using Electronic Devices Before Bed

We have more access than ever to digital content. While this makes life easier, staring at screens late into the evening can have unintended consequences on your sleep.

The main issue with electronics before bed is that they emit considerable light. The screen of your phone, tablet, computer, or even T.V. can hurt your ability to fall asleep by interfering with melatonin production.

Your body naturally uses light levels to determine the timing of sleep. Looking at this from an evolutionary perspective, humans throughout history had sleep schedules that followed the sun's rising and setting.

Devices that emit bright light can inadvertently trick your brain into staying awake, which can harm your ability to naturally wind down and fall asleep when the time comes.

As a general rule, you should try to put screens away 60 minutes before bed.

5. Eating Right Before Bed

One habit that may seem harmless to sleep is your eating schedule, but a recent study published in the British Journal of Nutrition indicates that when you eat may impact your sleep. The study looked at groups that ate or drank at different intervals of time before they slept.

The research found that those who ate or drank less than an hour before bed had a significantly higher likelihood of decreased sleep quality.

There are a number of reasons why this may play a role in sleep quality, and some include needing to go to the restroom in the middle of the night or even instances of acid reflux and heartburn.

6. Drinking Caffeine Late in the Day

Everyone knows stimulants like caffeine affect alertness, but caffeine also impacts your sleep schedule.

Caffeine is naturally occurring in beverages like tea and coffee, and it's even added to beverages like soda and energy drinks.

Caffeine interacts with receptors in the brain at a biochemical level to trick you into feeling more alert and awake. Consuming caffeine late in the day can make it difficult to get to sleep and cause you to have low-quality sleep. If you consistently drink coffee late in the day and have a hard time sleeping, you may struggle to get enough sleep — repeatedly.

Over time, you may experience sleep deprivation, and this lack of sleep can contribute to sleep disorders, issues with mental health, and increased risk of certain medical conditions.

The Takeaway

A lack of quality sleep can rear its head in the form of exhaustion or diminished cognitive functioning, and sleep deprivation can even cause impotence. Addressing these six common bad sleep habits can be a fantastic first step towards a better night’s rest.

While you can mitigate certain instances of poor sleep through lifestyle changes, some instances may warrant medicinal assistance.

If you find you're unable to get to sleep or stay asleep consistently, a medical professional with Rex MD can determine if a prescription sleep medication is right for you. For some people, prescription medication can help them return to some normalcy for sleep and their sleep routine. Our physicians can prescribe common, non-habit forming sleep medications online, if appropriate, and have them sent to your door. 

Sources

Associations between bedtime eating or drinking, sleep duration and wake after sleep onset: findings from the American time use survey | British Journal of Nutrition

Effects of an irregular bedtime schedule on sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, and fatigue among university students in Taiwan | NCBI

Caffeine | The Nutrition Source | Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health.