Dispelling 3 Sleep Myths and Demystifying Sleep
As a therapist, I see so many clients express frustration with sleep. It's time to demystify sleep and replace common myths with science-backed facts. Let’s take a minute to better understand our bodies and what they need to sleep. Let’s demystify three things people struggle with when it comes to sleeping:
Myth 1: The Rigid 8-Hour "Golden Rule"
The pressure to get exactly eight hours of sleep every night is a major source of sleep anxiety. Who says eight is the magic number? It’s actually not scientific. People need anywhere from 5–6 to 8–10 hours of sleep a night.
The Reality: Find Your Sweet Spot. Your ideal amount is unique to you, influenced by genetics, age, and recent physical activity.
Myth 2: You Must Go to Bed at the Same Time Every Single Night
Have you been told you should keep a consistent bedtime? I remember being assigned a bedtime growing up. But let me tell you: going to bed at the same time every night is not correct. How do I know if you used up all your energy for the day and have enough "sleepiness" built up by your bedtime? Think of your body like a cell phone that has a very specific rule: it won’t properly "charge" until the battery hits 0%.
Throughout the day, every time you move, think, or check off a task, you are draining that battery. If you spend the day relaxing on the couch, your battery might only drop to 60%; when you try to plug it in at bedtime, the "charger" (sleep) won't engage because there is too much juice left. You need to hit that 0% mark through physical and mental activity to trigger the deep, restorative sleep your body craves.
The Reality: The Wake-Up Time is the Anchor ⚓ Your body’s internal clock is set by the consistency of your wake-up time.
Myth 3: Hitting Snooze Will Get Me More Sleep
This myth is all sorts of wrong. You get good quality sleep when you are in the deep sleep stages—past the first stages of sleep. When we hit snooze, we are maybe getting 5, 10, or 15 more minutes. It takes way longer than that to get into the deep, restorative stages of sleep that make us feel refreshed.
What we are actually doing when we hit snooze is failing to utilize the energy we just tapped into. Think of our eyes opening as the exact second our energy starts. Have you ever been to a water park and watched those giant buckets high above the playground? They slowly fill up, drop by drop, until they reach the tipping point—and then, WHOOSH, they pour everything out onto the kids below.
Your sleep cycle works exactly like that bucket. While you sleep, your body is gathering and storing the energy you need for the next day. Think of this as the bucket slowly filling with water. By the time your alarm goes off, the bucket is full and ready to tip. Hitting snooze doesn’t stop this energy; rather, it restarts a new sleep cycle influenced by all the energy we have built for today. Think of that full energy bucket dumping out, and then sleep being turned upside down with only one drop falling out. (Remember: the sleep bucket already spilled out, and that’s how we knew we were tired enough to go to bed last night and sleep tight.)
The Reality: Pressing the snooze button to force extra minutes of sleep results in fragmented, poor-quality rest. Turn on the lights, toss off the covers, throw your feet off the bed, and use that energy!
Key Takeaway for Restorative Sleep
Sleep isn't some mythical thing only a few get to know. Getting to know your body is the first step in understanding your sleep needs. I am a trained CBT-I sleep therapist and would love to help you find out more about your sleep needs. I don't just give sleep tips; I help you rebuild your body's natural relationship with rest.
