7 sleep myths that could be ruining your rest

If you’re having trouble focusing at work and start dragging midday, the solution may not be grabbing another cup of coffee. A productive day starts the night before with quality sleep, yet sleep can feel elusive. According to a Gallup poll, 57% of U.S. adults said they’d feel better if they got more sleep.

Sleep seems like such a simple task. You just go to bed and close your eyes, right? Unfortunately, there are some common sleep myths that might be coming between you and feeling well-rested tomorrow.

1. I Need 8 Hours of Sleep

For most people, the ideal amount of sleep falls between seven to nine hours. Thinking you need a solid eight, then, makes sense. However, the range of healthy sleep can be anywhere between five and 11 hours, says Kaitlyn Masai, a psychologist with Refreshed Psychotherapy, specializing in insomnia.

“The amount of sleep we need changes as we age, from needing a lot of sleep in infancy to needing much less in adulthood,” she says. “Once we get to adulthood, the amount of sleep we need remains relatively stable with a slight decrease in older age.”

What’s more important than the quantity of hours is the quality of the sleep, which is harder to measure. “Someone who is getting eight hours of poor-quality sleep is going to feel like they are not getting enough sleep while another person might be able to get deep, good-quality sleep that is only six hours and feel like they got all the rest their body needs,” says Masai. “A good indicator to determine if you are getting enough sleep is how you feel during the day.”

2. Relaxing in Bed Will Encourage Sleep

More time in bed doesn’t always mean getting more sleep, says Masai. In fact, if you head off before you feel sleepy and lie awake for a long period of time, watching TV or scrolling on your phone, it can contribute to insomnia.

“Spending too much time awake in bed weakens the association your body has between the bed and sleep,” says Masai. “Instead, it increases conditioned arousal which is the association between bed and wakefulness.”

Spending time awake in bed can also increase the time you spend feeling frustrated or anxious about sleep, which can lead to trying to force sleep.

“Forcing sleep doesn’t work,” says Masai. “It does, however, create energy in the body which ends up pushing sleep away. Spending more time in bed is only helpful for people who feel sleepy but are procrastinating going to bed. It is important to listen to your body and go to bed when you feel sleepy.”

3. I Can Catch Up on Sleep Over the Weekend

While sleeping in after a week of poor sleep might feel good in the moment, it doesn’t completely reverse the effects of lost sleep, says Dr. Chelsea Perry, a clinician and owner of Sleep Solutions, sleep apnea specialists.

“Chronic sleep deprivation can’t be fully made up with occasional long nights of rest,” Perry says. “The truth is, consistent, quality sleep throughout the week is far better for your health.”

Not getting enough sleep creates a sleep debt, which is your body’s need for more sleep, says Masai. Consecutive nights of too little sleep will lead to a greater sleep debt that becomes harder to recover from.

“While you can partially recover from sleep debt, you can never fully replenish the lost opportunity for sleep,” says Masai. “Having an inconsistent sleep schedule can also lead to a greater likelihood of developing insomnia disorder. If you are getting adequate sleep on the weekdays, your body will not be able to get significantly more sleep on the weekends.”

4. A Consistent Bedtime Will Improve My Sleep

When working to improve sleep, many people focus on having a consistent bedtime, but what’s more important is having a consistent wake time. Inconsistent wake times can cause disruptions to your circadian rhythm, which is your body’s internal biological clock, says Masai.

“The circadian rhythm regulates the timing of sleep and wakefulness,” she explains. “While several factors can influence the circadian rhythm, wake time is the most important. A consistent wake-up time will also cause you to get sleepy around the same time every evening, which can help with developing a consistent bedtime.”

5. My Body Is Used to a Lack of Sleep

This sleep myth suggests that if you sleep less, your body will adjust to the lack of sleep and function normally, says Marten Carlson, a certified sleep science coach at the mattress-review site Mattress Clarity.

“Research has shown that both short-term and long-term sleep deprivation can have negative effects on your body,” he says. “While you might feel okay for a while when pushing yourself to sleep less, the consequences will catch up with you eventually.”

Some people believe that you can train your body to need less sleep, adds Perry, who is also a diplomate of the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine. “While people often try to get by on less sleep, the body doesn’t adjust to needing less sleep without negative consequences,” she says. “Chronic sleep deprivation reduces cognitive function, mood, and overall health. The truth is, getting enough sleep is crucial, and you can’t simply train your body to function optimally on less.”

6. A Nightcap Will Help Me Sleep

A glass of wine in the evening can be relaxing, helping you wind down for bed. But be careful not to use it as a crutch for falling asleep, says Carlson.

“While drinking alcohol before bedtime might make you feel drowsy at first, the full effect it can have on your sleep quality is surprising,” he says. “It can significantly affect your ability to get deep REM sleep, disrupt your sleep schedule, and worsen snoring or sleep apnea.”

Masai agrees: “Alcohol is a depressant and so can help with falling asleep,” she says. “However, alcohol is more likely to cause poor sleep quality and more frequent sleep disruptions.”

7. If I Get Enough Sleep, I Will Wake Up Feeling Great

If you wake up and don’t feel refreshed, it’s natural to assume you didn’t get enough sleep. However, Masai says it’s perfectly normal to feel sleepy or groggy for the first 30 to 60 minutes after waking.

“This is called sleep inertia and can resolve faster with physical movement and light exposure,” she says. “If the fatigue continues for longer, this can be due to a variety of other factors such as sleep apnea, medication side effects, poor nutrition, or lack of exercise.”

A substantial amount of Americans are sleep deprived. By understanding and correcting some of the common myths around sleep, you can help put yourself on the road to better rest.