99% Of People Sleep Wrong — 7 Possible Fixes

Are These Mistakes Keeping You From Getting a Good Night’s Sleep?

Tossing and turning. Staring at the ceiling. Counting sheep that never leap over the fence and trying to force yourself to fall asleep. Having dealt with this myself decades ago, I feel your frustration!

Yet the solution to achieving restful, rejuvenating sleep may be simpler than you think. It requires a little more scrutiny of your sleep habits and sleep set-up.

According to sleep experts, most people make fundamental errors in their sleep setup and habits that sabotage the quality of their slumber. While medications and supplements can provide temporary relief, optimizing sleep for the long haul requires understanding and correcting common and often overlooked mistakes.

It’s Time to Tweak Your Sleep Routine

The good news is that small tweaks to your evening routines and sleep environment can work wonders. Let’s look at the most common sleep mistakes that the majority of people make every night, so you can say goodbye to restless nights and hello to sleep that nourishes both body and mind.

Mistake 1: Using Your Bed For Everything

Are you guilty of lounging in bed while watching Netflix, scrolling through social media, or eating a snack? (Watch out for those crumbs in the bed)

The problem is using your bed as a multipurpose space associates it too closely with wakefulness to your brain. Your mind finds it difficult to associate the bed with sleep alone.

The Fix: Reserve your bed only for sleep and sex. Move TV watching and phone scrolling to another space like a couch or chair. Let your brain re-learn that the bed is linked solely with slumber and not with social media, television, and snacks. This trains your body’s cues to become drowsy when in that environment.

Mistake 2: Staring At Bright Screens Before Bed

If you’re like me, you’ve been guilty of being glued to phones, tablets, and computers during the hour before bed — a major sleep saboteur. Why is this a sleep destroyer? The blue light emitted from these screens suppresses melatonin, the hormone that controls your sleep-wake cycle. This tricks your brain into thinking it’s still daytime, making it difficult to fall asleep.

The Fix: Put away the electronics at least an hour before bedtime. Instead, read a book, take a bath, or do relaxing stretches instead. If you must use a device, enable “night mode” to filter out the blue light, or wear blue-light blocking glasses. This allows your body to naturally boost melatonin and prep for sleep.

Mistake 3: Drinking Caffeine Too Late

Another common mistake: grabbing a soda, coffee, or energy drink in the afternoon without realizing how long caffeine lingers in your system. The stimulant effects can persist for 4–6 hours. Consuming caffeine too close to bedtime is a recipe for sleeplessness.

The Fix: Cut off the caffeine by 2 pm. This gives time for the caffeine to clear your system before bed. Opt for decaf or non-caffeinated beverages like herbal tea in the late afternoon and evening. If you do indulge in an occasional afternoon pick-me-up, aim for earlier in the day.

Mistake 4: Exercising Too Close To Bedtime

While regular exercise greatly benefits sleep, working out right before bed can make it harder to fall and stay asleep. Exercise raises body temperature and stimulates hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. This amped-up state can make it difficult to unwind.

The Fix: Schedule exercise and activity for the morning or afternoon rather than evening. This allows time for your body to lower your core temperature and normalize hormone levels before bed. If evening is the only time you can workout, finish at least 2–3 hours before bed to allow your body to relax.

Mistake 5: Staying in Bed When You Can’t Sleep

Many people respond to middle-of-the-night insomnia by staying in bed. Bad idea! If you lie there and try to force yourself to sleep, you’ll end up anxious and frustrated. Getting out of bed briefly can help break the cycle.

The Fix: If you haven’t fallen asleep after 20 minutes or have awakened and can’t drift off again within 20 minutes, hop out of bed. Engage in a relaxing activity like reading or listening to soothing music in dim light. This keeps your mind from associating yourbed with anxiety. Return to bed when drowsy.

Mistake 6: Not Having a Wind-Down Routine

Hopping straight into bed after the stimulation of the day makes it difficult for your mind and body to switch into sleep mode. We need time to decompress first. However, many people lack a consistent evening routine to transition from wake time to sleep time.

The Fix: Establish a calming pre-bed ritual, like taking a warm bath, listening to soft music, or doing light stretches. This signals your brain and body that it’s time to relax and prepare for sleep. Perform the routine consistently each night to ingrain the wind-down habit. Having a set endpoint to each day encourages better sleep.

Mistake 7: Not Prioritizing Darkness and Cool Temperatures

Many people underestimate the impact of light and temperature on sleep quality. But darkness and a cool room temperature signal the brain that it’s time for bed. Light and warmth subconsciously keep the brain alert.

The Fix: Use blackout curtains or an eye mask to block outdoor light from bedrooms. Set the thermostat around 65°F (18°C) for optimal sleep. Your body naturally cools off at night, helping initiate drowsiness. Adding a fan can enhance the effect. Removing light and keeping cooler temperatures at night goes a long way in promoting sound slumber.

Conclusion

The path to restful, rejuvenating sleep is closer than you think. By avoiding these common mistakes, you can transform your nights and wake up feeling refreshed.

Start by making your bedroom a sanctuary just for sleep. Wind down from the day by limiting evening stimulation from phones, caffeine, and exercise. Establish a relaxing pre-bed routine and keep your sleep space cool, dark, and tech-free.

With simple tweaks to your environment and habits, you can become the master of peaceful slumber. Say goodbye to endless tossing and turning. A world of vibrant, focused days awaits you on the other side of a restful night. Sleep tight!