Doctors Reveal 7 Sneaky Habits That May Be Hurting Your Sleep

Screen time too close to bedtime

“Screens in bed can definitely delay sleep onset. Phones, tablets, and TVs give off light that can block melatonin activity, which is the main hormone that signals to your body that it is time to sleep,” explains Morgan Soffler, M.D., an assistant professor of pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine at New York Medical College. The light from these screens disrupts the body’s circadian rhythm, or natural sleep-wake cycle, “which can suppress the body’s natural sleep drive and make it harder to fall or stay asleep,” Dr. Bhattacharyya adds.

A review published in Science of The Total Environmentfound that higher light exposure at night was associated with a 22% higher prevalence of sleep problems.

Leaving screens on throughout the night

Another form of inappropriate light exposure that may disrupt sleep is leaving your bedroom TV on throughout the night. One study published in the journal Sleepthat looked at nearly 48,000 people found that sleeping with the TV on was associated with a shorter sleep duration, more inconsistent sleep/wake times, more difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep, and more insomnia symptoms compared to sleeping in a dark room.

Eating or drinking too much or too close to bedtime

For most Americans, dinner is the biggest meal of the day. But consuming large amounts of food or drinks in the hours before bed may worsen sleep quality, says Dr. Soffler. According to a study in the British Journal of Nutrition,people who ate within one hour of going to sleep were more likely to wake up in the middle of the night than those who ate earlier (in most cases, for a trip to the bathroom). Likewise, if you suffer from heartburn or acid reflux, eating too close to lying down for bed may worsen symptoms.

Consuming caffeine late in the day

“Caffeine intake by way of coffee, sodas, or energy drinks can definitely make it more difficult to sleep, especially when they are ingested later in the day,” says Dr. Soffler. “Even for some, having caffeine early in the day can make sleep onset difficult if they are slow metabolizers.” When you need to stop drinking caffeine so that it doesn’t disrupt sleep varies widely from person to person, so if you consider yourself sensitive to caffeine, it may be worth skipping.

Intense evening workouts

If you think that an exhausting workout will drain your energy and help you fall asleep quickly, you may want to reconsider this notion. “Very intense or vigorous exercise may prevent sleep onset,” Dr. Bhattacharyya says. Research published in Nature Communications explains that strenuous exercise stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, triggering changes like an increased heart and respiration rate that can make it harder to fall asleep. All told, the study found that intense exercise within the four hours before bed was associated with delayed sleep onset, shorter sleep duration, and lower sleep quality.

However, it’s important to add that not all exercise is bad for sleep. “Exercise is a unique habit that can either help or hurt the ability to fall asleep,” explains Dr. Bhattacharyya. “Light to moderate exercise may actually help promote sleep, mainly due to the body’s response to cool down after exercise, which can promote sleep through melatonin release.”

Drinking alcohol at night

“Alcohol is a big offender here. Alcohol may help you fall asleep faster, but can fragment sleep later in the night and make it more difficult to get good restorative sleep,” Dr. Soffler explains. Plus, there’s the fact that many alcoholic drinks involve between 5 and 16 ounces of liquid, or more if you’re having more than one. “Large quantities of liquid can also make it more likely that you’ll have to get up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night,” Dr. Soffler says.

Keeping your brain switched “on”

Doing anything before bed that keeps your brain working, such as finishing an assignment for your job, running through your schedule for the upcoming week, or reading a thriller or mystery novel, may hurt your sleep. “Overly stimulating activities may make it harder to clear your mind and allow for proper sleep onset,” Dr. Bhattacharyya says. Both your mind and your body need time to relax before sleep comes.

If one or more of the things on this list are part of your regular nighttime routine, don’t fret—simple tweaks can have a big impact on your sleep quality. You can work through correcting them one at a time, but both of our experts stress avoiding screen time right before bed and especially in the bedroom in order to prevent significant light exposure in the hours leading up to bedtime. Instead, consider using a low reading light or listening to an audiobook.

They also both recommend keeping a consistent schedule. “A consistent sleep schedule will help you fall asleep more quickly and stay asleep through the night,” says Dr. Soffler. Waking up at the same time every day can also help. “Setting a consistent wake-up time in the morning is very important for helping align your circadian rhythm with the earth’s day/night cycle, and getting light exposure shortly after waking up further helps with this,” Dr. Bhattacharyya adds.

Finally, Dr. Bhattacharyya says that if you suspect you have a medical condition disrupting your sleep, such as sleep apnea or other issues that cause pain or anxiety at night, give your physician a call. “If there is concern for a condition like sleep apnea, especially if you snore or have gasping and choking episodes in your sleep, then seeking care from your doctor is very important,” he explains. It may be the first step to getting care that will transform your sleep for the better.