Sleep therapist says five common sleep 'hacks' may worsen insomnia

A sleep researcher at Royal Holloway University of London says five widely recommended sleep “hacks” can make insomnia worse by weakening the mental link between bed and sleep and increasing anxiety about sleep quality.

Kirsty Vant told media outlets that common tactics such as going to bed earlier, lying in later to "catch up," and fixating on achieving a certain number of hours in bed often backfire. She said the more time people spend awake in bed, the stronger the association becomes between the bed and frustration rather than rest, making it harder to fall asleep in future.

Vant challenged several long-standing pieces of advice from sleep scientists — including blanket bans on technology before bed, cutting out caffeine entirely, and rigidly aiming for the same number of hours of sleep each night — arguing they are not universally effective and can sometimes be counterproductive. Instead, she recommended behavioral adjustments intended to restore natural sleep drive, sometimes called sleep pressure.

Among the specific measures Vant recommended was delaying bedtime slightly when struggling to fall asleep, while keeping wake-up times consistent. She said that preserving sleep pressure by avoiding extended periods in bed awake helps rebuild the association between the bedroom and sleep. Vant also warned that trendy consumer sleep trackers can fuel a condition experts have described as orthosomnia — an excessive preoccupation with getting perfect sleep measured by devices — which may exacerbate anxiety and nighttime wakefulness.

Experts have long advised limiting stimulating activities and stimulants close to bedtime, but Vant said rigid application of those rules, or an obsessive focus on nightly sleep totals reported by trackers, may increase worry about sleep and thereby worsen insomnia. "The more time you spend in bed awake, the more you weaken the mental association between bed and sleep—and strengthen the link between bed and frustration," she said.

The recommendations reflect behavioral approaches that seek to correct learned associations and timing around sleep. Reducing time spent awake in bed and maintaining a consistent morning schedule are components aligned with stimulus-control principles used in clinical settings to treat chronic insomnia. Vant framed her advice as a way to strengthen the body's natural drive to sleep rather than trying to force a set amount of time asleep each night.

Clinicians and sleep researchers say insomnia is multifactorial and responses to interventions vary. While some patients benefit from strict sleep hygiene measures, others may respond better to targeted behavioral therapies. Health professionals routinely recommend that people with persistent or worsening sleep problems consult a clinician for assessment and possible referral to specialist services.

Vant's comments add to a growing conversation about the limits of consumer-focused sleep advice and the potential unintended consequences of wearable technology on sleep health. As interest in tracking sleep metrics increases, clinicians caution that device-read data and nightly variability can produce anxiety in some users, complicating efforts to restore healthy sleep patterns.

People experiencing chronic insomnia are urged to seek professional evaluation. Healthcare providers can assess underlying medical, psychological, or lifestyle contributors and offer evidence-based interventions tailored to individual needs.