5 Sleep Tips That Could Worsen Your Insomnia: Here’s What to Avoid!

Many of us have heard the common wisdom: avoid technology before sleep, reduce caffeine intake, and maintain a regular sleep schedule. While these tips might sound sensible, they can actually be counterproductive for those suffering from severe insomnia.

Kirsty Vant, a doctoral student in psychology at Royal Holloway University of London, argues that much of the standard advice on sleep hygiene is intended for people who don’t experience significant sleep issues. She compares ineffective insomnia advice to oversimplified suggestions given to those with eating disorders, noting that this advice often misses the underlying problems, as she discussed in The Conversation.

Here are five common sleep strategies that might actually be making things worse.

1. Spending Extra Time in Bed

It may seem intuitive to hit the sack earlier or sleep late to catch up on missed sleep, but spending too much time in bed awake can lead your brain to associate the bed with stress rather than rest. It’s better to wake up at a consistent time every day and only go to bed when you’re genuinely sleepy.

2. Completely Eliminating Screen Time

Though blue light often gets blamed for sleep troubles, the real issue may be the racing thoughts that come when you’re left alone in the dark. If you need something to occupy your mind, consider watching a calming TV show or listening to a soothing podcast instead of lying awake overwhelmed by thoughts.

3. Completely Giving Up Caffeine

Caffeine inhibits adenosine, a chemical that promotes sleep, but its impact varies greatly from person to person based on genetic differences. If you find that caffeine later in the day impacts your sleep, avoid it. However, a morning caffeine boost can actually help establish a healthy sleep-wake cycle for many people. Caffeine isn’t always a sleep disruptor.

4. Overly Striving for Perfect Sleep

Focusing too much on achieving the perfect sleep can be detrimental. The proliferation of sleep-tracking technology and an array of sleep aids have created what might be called a performance sleep culture. Remember, your body inherently knows how to rest. Over-managing every aspect of sleep only contributes to stress and anxiety.

5. Expecting Sleep to Be Consistent

Sleep patterns can naturally vary from night to night. Factors such as age, stress, hormonal changes, and even weather conditions can influence your sleep. Accepting that some nights will be better than others can prevent frustration on the nights when sleep is more elusive.

If traditional methods haven’t worked for you, don’t blame yourself. Treatments like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) and new medications such as daridorexant have proven effective for many. Sometimes, the usual tips just aren’t suitable for everyone.