The habits that most often hurt sleep are an irregular schedule, screens and bright light late at night, afternoon caffeine, a nightcap, big late meals, hard workouts right before bed, too little daylight, long or late naps, a warm or bright bedroom, and lying in bed awake and worrying. Most of them work the same way: they either push your body clock later or keep your brain and body alert when they should be winding down. Start with the two or three you do most often.
An irregular bedtime is one of the easiest habits to fix: choose your wake-up time and let the sleep calculator suggest bedtimes.
This is the problem-first list. For the full positive routine, see the sleep hygiene checklist.
Bad Sleep Habits At A Glance
| Bad habit | What it does | Swap it for |
|---|---|---|
| Different bed and wake times, weekend lie-ins | Disrupts the body clock | Same wake time every day, weekends within about an hour |
| Phone, laptop or TV in bed | Light and stimulating content keep the brain alert | Devices off at least 30 minutes before bed |
| Coffee or tea after lunch | Caffeine is still active at bedtime | Caffeine in the morning only |
| A drink to help you sleep | Lighter, broken sleep later in the night | No alcohol in the 3 to 4 hours before bed |
| Big dinner or lots to drink late | Harder to fall and stay asleep, bathroom trips | Lighter, earlier dinner; fewer drinks in the evening |
| Hard workout right before bed | Raises heart rate and body temperature | Intense exercise earlier; stretching at night |
| Indoors all day | Weak daytime signal to the body clock | Time outside every day, ideally in the morning |
| Long or late naps | Less sleep drive at night | 20 minutes or less, before 3 p.m. |
| Warm, bright or noisy bedroom | More restless, fragmented sleep | Around 65 F, dark, quiet |
| Lying awake and worrying in bed | Bed becomes linked with being awake | Get up after 20 minutes; write worries down earlier |
The 10 Most Common Bad Sleep Habits
1. Going To Bed And Waking Up At Different Times
Why it hurts: Staying up late and sleeping in late at the weekend can disrupt your body clock’s sleep-wake rhythm (NHLBI). A shifting bedtime means the Monday alarm can arrive while your body clock still thinks it is night.
Do this instead: Get up at the same time every day, even on weekends or during vacations, and set a bedtime early enough for at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep (AASM). If weekends must differ, keep the gap to no more than about an hour (NHLBI).
2. Scrolling, Working Or Watching TV In Bed
Why it hurts: Bright artificial light, such as from a TV or computer screen, may signal the brain that it is time to be awake (NHLBI). Phones, tablets and computers give off blue light that can suppress melatonin, and the content itself, such as social media, games or work email, can make it harder to relax. Night mode may help, but limiting device use is generally more effective (Sleep Foundation).
Do this instead: Turn off electronic devices at least 30 minutes before bedtime and limit bright light in the evening (AASM). Charge your phone outside the bedroom, keep lamps dim, and use the TV sleep timer if you doze off watching it (Sleep Foundation).
3. Caffeine In The Afternoon
Why it hurts: Caffeine blocks adenosine, a substance in your body that promotes sleepiness. It has a half-life of 3 to 5 hours, it can delay your body clock and reduce deep sleep, and one study found that caffeine taken 6 hours before bed cut total sleep time by 1 hour. (AASM). Its effects can last up to 8 hours, and tea, cola and chocolate count too. Nicotine is also a stimulant that can interfere with sleep (NHLBI).
Do this instead: Keep caffeine to the morning and avoid it in the late afternoon and evening, and keep daily intake to no more than about 300 to 400 mg, roughly three to four 8-oz cups of coffee (AASM). The caffeine impact on sleep calculator estimates how much is still in your system at bedtime.
4. Using Alcohol As A Sleep Aid
Why it hurts: Alcohol is a sedative, so a nightcap can help you fall asleep faster at first. As your body breaks it down, though, sleep becomes lighter and more fragmented, with more awakenings in the second half of the night and less REM sleep. Alcohol also relaxes the throat muscles, which makes snoring and sleep apnea worse (Sleep Foundation).
Do this instead: Avoid alcohol within three to four hours of bedtime, and longer if you notice it still affects you (Sleep Foundation).
5. Eating A Big Dinner Or Drinking A Lot Late In The Evening
Why it hurts: Large meals close to bedtime can interfere with your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep (Sleep Foundation). Drinking a lot in the evening means more trips to the bathroom during the night.
Do this instead: Avoid heavy or large meals within a few hours of bedtime; a light snack is fine if you are hungry (NHLBI). Drink plenty earlier in the day and reduce your fluid intake before bedtime (AASM).
6. Doing A Hard Workout Right Before Bed
Why it hurts: Intense exercise late in the evening can raise your heart rate, body temperature and adrenaline. Research is mixed, but vigorous workouts in the hour before bed can reduce sleep efficiency and total sleep time (Sleep Foundation). Skipping exercise is not the answer, since regular activity helps adults fall asleep faster (Sleep Foundation).
Do this instead: Avoid intense exercise in the hour before bed (NHLBI). If you already have insomnia, aim to finish physical activity at least 5 to 6 hours before bedtime (NHLBI). Yoga, light stretching and breathing exercises are better evening choices (Sleep Foundation).
7. Staying Indoors All Day
Why it hurts: Light is one of the strongest regulators of your internal clock. Bright light during the day supports a healthy sleep-wake cycle, and direct sunlight is far brighter than indoor lighting, at up to 10,000 lux (Sleep Foundation).
Do this instead: Get enough sunlight during the day (MedlinePlus) and spend time outside and be physically active every day when you can (NHLBI). Morning sunlight in particular is one of the healthy light habits linked with better sleep quality (Sleep Foundation), so a morning walk or breakfast by a window is a good place to start.
8. Taking Long Naps Late In The Day
Why it hurts: Naps longer than about 30 minutes can take you into deep sleep, and waking from deep sleep can leave you groggy. Napping too late in the day may contribute to sleep problems at night, and relying on naps instead of consistent night-time sleep can lead to fragmented sleep (Sleep Foundation).
Do this instead: If you have trouble sleeping at night, limit naps or take them earlier in the afternoon, and keep them to 20 minutes or less (NHLBI). Do not nap after 3 p.m. (MedlinePlus). The nap optimization calculator helps you pick a nap length and time that will not cost you sleep at night.
9. Sleeping In A Warm, Bright Or Noisy Room
Why it hurts: A higher core body temperature is linked with less restorative slow-wave sleep, and most people sleep best at around 65 F (about 18 C), give or take a few degrees (Sleep Foundation). Light matters too: sleeping with a light on interferes with sleep cycles and causes more fragmented sleep, and your eyelids cannot block enough of it (Sleep Foundation).
Do this instead: Keep the bedroom quiet, cool and dark; a dim night light is fine if you need one (NHLBI). Blackout curtains or a close-fitting eye mask block light (Sleep Foundation), and earplugs or white noise can help with sound (Sleep Foundation). The sleep temperature calculator suggests a room setting, bedding and sleepwear for your climate.
10. Lying Awake In Bed And Taking Your Worries With You
Why it hurts: When you feel stressed or anxious, your body releases hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline that raise your heart rate and keep your brain alert, a state called hyperarousal (Sleep Foundation). Trying harder to sleep usually backfires: the more people with insomnia try, the more frustrated they get and the harder sleep becomes (MedlinePlus).
Do this instead: Use your bed only for sleep and sex, do not go to bed until you are sleepy, and if you are not asleep after 20 minutes, get up and do a quiet activity in low light without electronics (AASM). This is the core of stimulus control, which helps you link being in bed with being asleep (NHLBI). Earlier in the evening, write your worries down in a journal so your thoughts are quieter at bedtime (MedlinePlus).
How To Break A Bad Sleep Habit
Sleep patterns are often learned in childhood and repeated for years until they become habits, so changing them can take some time (MedlinePlus).
- Start with the wake-up time. A steady morning makes the other changes easier.
- Change one or two habits at a time, starting with the ones you do most often.
- Replace, do not just remove. Swap the late coffee for decaf and the phone for a book.
- Keep a simple sleep diary for two weeks of bedtimes, wake times, caffeine and alcohol. It is useful if you later see a doctor.
When Habits Are Not The Whole Story
See a health care provider if you keep having trouble sleeping despite better habits. You may have a sleep disorder such as insomnia or sleep apnea, and your provider may suggest a sleep study or other treatment (MedlinePlus). Mention loud snoring, gasping or waking up exhausted after a full night (Sleep Foundation). For long-lasting insomnia, sleep habits are only one part of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), the most effective long-term treatment (AASM).
Bad Sleep Habits FAQs
What Is The Worst Habit For Sleep?
It varies, but an irregular schedule is among the most common and most disruptive because it shifts your body clock. Late caffeine and a nightcap come close behind.
How Long Does It Take To Break A Bad Sleep Habit?
It varies. Habits built over years can take a while to change, so give each change a few weeks and work on one or two at a time.
Is It Bad To Use My Phone In Bed?
Close to bedtime, yes. The light and the content both keep your brain alert. Turn devices off at least 30 minutes before bed.
Is A Glass Of Wine Before Bed Bad For Sleep?
It may help you fall asleep, but it makes sleep lighter and more broken later in the night. Stop drinking three to four hours before bed.
Is It Bad To Exercise At Night?
Not in general. Regular exercise helps sleep. The problem is intense exercise in the hour or two before bed; gentle stretching or yoga is fine.
What If I Fix My Habits And Still Cannot Sleep?
Talk to a doctor. Ongoing poor sleep can be a sign of insomnia, sleep apnea or another condition that needs more than better habits.