Those suffering from insomnia are found to be up to 10 times more likely to experience depression and nearly 17 times more likely to experience anxiety. Yet, so many of us aren’t getting the rest we need, with 1 in three U.S. adults stating they aren’t getting enough sleep. Even more concerning is the fact that about 40% of Americans accidentally fall asleep at least once a month, potentially putting themselves and others in danger.
Here’s one of the biggest issues of all: This lack of sleep is happening amidst the backdrop of a culture that is increasingly obsessed with self-care. If you’ve been disheartened that none of your attempts at healthier habits have been sticking despite your best efforts, it’s time to assess your sleep.
Why Sleep Is Necessary for Mental Clarity and Motivation
Creating a new habit means breaking an old one. How many times have we vowed to decrease our screen time only to find ourselves with our phone in hand later that day?
Sleeping at least seven hours a night, the recommended minimum for adults, is related to better working memory and response inhibition. This means that when we’re well rested, we can remember things and have better impulse control.
Impulse control is important because when we are conscious of urges that go against our goals and desired actions, we can combat the temptation.
The Science Behind Habit Loops and Sleep
A habit is a behavior that can begin out of nowhere but is reinforced through repetitive behavior.4 For example, we may pick up our phone randomly one morning and open a social media app. While scrolling, we realize it is a comfortable way to procrastinate and distract ourselves from early morning grogginess.
The next morning, we do the same. Quickly, a habit is formed. There are equal parts of beauty and concern regarding how quickly habits are formed. If you can catch a bad habit quickly, surely you can build a healthier one just as quickly, right? The power of habits and the act of breaking old ones to build new ones isn’t that simple.
Common Sleep Disruptors That Derail Habit Progress
There’s a high possibility that some of our daily activities may be impacting our quality of sleep and, subsequently, derailing our habit progress. These are some common contenders:
*Alcohol within a few hours of going to bed: While a glass of wine or a cocktail might be an appealing wind-down activity, it can lead to disruptive sleep.
*Coffee/tea: The same above goes for caffeine, as well.5
*Blue light: Watching television or scrolling on your phone can make it difficult to fall asleep. As tempting as it may be to veg out on a tech device of your choice, reading or meditation is a much healthier option.5
*Eating meals irregularly: Not eating enough during the day can lead to an extra hefty dinner. If the dinner is too close to your bedtime, you may be doomed to a late night as your stomach takes time to digest.5
Sleep Hygiene Tips to Support Behavior Change
Now that you’re aware of your sleep issues that might be inhibiting your ability to start and sustain new habits, let’s look at solutions. We turned to Mandy Heisler Cornelius, LCSW, psychotherapist and owner at Mindful Therapy Collective, for some insight. Here are her recommendations:
*Establish a digital curfew for yourself. An hour before bedtime, try turning off the television or stopping the scrolling and instead opting for reading, deep breathing, or stretching. “If this feels intimidating, you can always start small, like putting your phone in a different room or away from your nightstand,” Cornelius says.
*Throughout the day, notice how you’re fueling your body. Are you reaching for an afternoon coffee? Be careful, as this could keep you up at night. Are you skipping meals? Try to keep them regulated throughout the day so you aren’t going all in a few hours before sleep.
*Prepare for middle-of-the-night wakeups. “If someone wakes up in the middle of the night and can’t fall back asleep, I recommend that they move to another part of their house and read for a while until they start to feel sleepy again,” shares psychologist Molly Moore, PhD. This simple change of locations can help the brain associate the bed with sleep, instead of stress.
Creating New Habits
Now that your sleep is in check, let’s look at how you can refine your habits. Keep in mind that getting your bedtime routine down is a form of creating a habit. Use that as a testing ground to see how you respond to creating new habits. Track your progress along the way and see what triggers make you want to give up on building a new habit. This can give you plenty of material to adjust your behavior.
Consider taking the approach of habit stacking. This is when you stack a habit with a daily ritual you have to do every day. For example, walking outside to get some sunlight on your face while you brush your teeth is one. Another idea is to journal for five minutes before pouring your morning cup of coffee. Eventually, you can build these habits to help you achieve your mental, physical, and even professional goals. Practice makes perfect, but a good night’s sleep and a solid plan make it all happen.
By Julia Childs Heyl, MSW, Medically reviewed by Deepa Burman, MD, FAASM