5 Habits That Ruin Your Sleep

Are your bad habits ruining your sleep?

Sleep is one of the most powerful levers we have to function optimally, both physically and emotionally. But many of us aren’t able to access the power of sleep because we aren’t even aware of the habits that are keeping us overstimulated and awake at night.

Are you guilty of any of the bad habits below?

#1 Scrolling late at night

We get it, there’s nothing like laying down at the end of the day and unwinding with some mindless scrolling. But there’s a sneaky downside to scrolling until your eyes get heavy…the light coming from your phone DELAYS the release of melatonin, a hormone that winds down your body. This might not be the worst thing in the world for that one night, but here’s the catch: that bright light is a trigger that PUSHES your internal clock (your circadian rhythm) later. So, you’ll probably feel more groggy in the morning, want to sleep-in later, and the NEXT night, you won’t start to feel sleepy until even LATER. Avoiding bright lights after sunset, especially blue lights, can keep your circadian rhythm more regular, so you can sleep deeply when you want to sleep, and feel alert and energized when you want to be awake.

#2 Having a drink after dinner

One of the biggest misconceptions about alcohol is that it helps you sleep. We’ll hand it to you, the science says that alcohol does help you fall asleep faster….BUT that comes at a huge cost: poor quality sleep. This means more wake-ups and lighter sleep, which you won’t remember because the brain isn’t in ‘recording mode’ while sleeping. As little as one drink can drop your sleep quality by almost 10%. If you’re going to drink, best to do it earlier in the night so you can recover. Better yet, if you’re using a drink to help you fall asleep, you can instead try mindfulness meditation, focusing on your breathing, or our 12-day Sleep Challenge [link to 12 day challenge landing page].

#3 Letting your mind control you

It’s not just you. One of the biggest complaints we get from our members is “not being able to turn my mind off” at night, whether that’s falling asleep, or waking up in the middle of the night and getting slammed by tomorrow’s to-do list. This creates both sleep problems and health problems. Learning to be mindfully aware of your thoughts without getting dragged into them can go a long way toward getting to sleep or getting back to sleep.

#4 Allowing Noise

While we may think that we’re “dead to the world” when we’re asleep, our brains are actually still taking in SOME information, just in case. Even something as non-threatening as street traffic or the dog shaking off can create “micro-arousals” or mini-wake-ups that we may not remember, but disrupt our peaceful slumber and take away the refreshed feeling we deserve in the mornings. What kind of noises are you exposed to at night?

#5 Not moving enough

Our bodies crave movement. That’s why we feel stiff after sitting in front of a computer all day or sitting on a plane for a few hours. But not getting enough movement can also affect our sleep. Higher-intensity exercise, specifically, can help you fall asleep faster AND prevent you from waking up during the night. Movement really is medicine, in this case, sleep medicine…without the grogginess! We’re here to help you get moving better so you can move more and sleep better!

If you want to discover more hidden disruptors of your sleep and build the habits to give you more restorative sleep and higher daytime energy, check out our FREE 12-Day Sleep Challenge. Crush your bad habits once and for all and create space for the best drug you can give yourself.

Join the free 12-Day Sleep Challenge