Establishing good sleeping habits isn't something that happens overnight. At times, it may even get hard trying to identify which sleeping habits are no longer serving you. If you're growing tired of unsuccessfully trying to separate bad sleeping habits from the good, it may be time to broaden your resources. 

If this sounds like an overwhelming task, don't worry. The easiest way to broaden your horizons is by simply reading. Reading more about improving your sleep quality will help you identify your mistakes. 

Are you looking for a place to start your sleep research? You're in luck. A list of bad sleeping habits and how to break them is waiting below.  

1. Doing Work Late at Night 

When the days get busy, nighttime feels like the perfect opportunity to catch up on work. Even though staying up late often helps reduce tomorrow's workload, it is a bad habit to adopt. Eventually, staying up a little later every night will lead to less sleep, daytime tiredness, and even weight gain. 

You will also find it harder to wake up and get going at the start of the day. Instead, try to go to bed around the same time every night, even if it means putting off work for tomorrow. Over time, a consistent sleep routine will give you enough energy to perform all the work you need during the day. 

2. Bringing Your Phone to Bed

Living in a technology-dependent world makes it hard to put your phone down at night. In fact, 3 in 4 adults admit to bringing their phones to bed with them at night, and 93% say they keep their phone next to them while sleeping. As harmless as these facts may sound, the light from your phone actually impacts your brain's ability to make melatonin (an important sleep hormone).

When your brain does not make melatonin, your body won't know it's time to sleep. This disturbance will leave you with restless nights and dreaded mornings. To break this habit, try placing your phone, laptop, and tablet across the room 30 minutes before you get in bed.

If you need something to keep you busy until you grow tired, try reading a book or journaling. 

3.  Working Out Before Bed

In theory, a late-night workout seems like the perfect solution to restlessness. But intense night workouts can do a lot more harm than good. When you work out, your body produces stress hormones and raises your cortisol levels. 

This sudden increase in mental and physical stimulation makes it harder for your body to wind down before bed. If you need exercise to replace your intense cardio, try doing yoga or practicing meditation. Both exercises will help your body relax.

4. Sleeping In

Weekends and vacations feel like the perfect time to sleep in or catch up on sleep. As inviting as lingering in the comfort of your bed may sound, sleeping in can interfere with your body's circadian rhythm. Your circadian rhythm acts as a natural clock and helps your body regulate sleep. 

Changing your sleep schedule will interfere with your brain's interpretation of time, leading your body to grow tired at a later hour. This interference will subject you to many restless nights once your vacation is over. Try to go to bed at the same time every day of the week, even if it feels like a waste of your Friday night. 

5. Eating Late at Night 

Everyone has felt the midnight urge to snack, making late-night snaking one of the most common bad sleeping habits. As tempting as a trip to the pantry may sound, late-night eating stimulates our metabolism. When your metabolism is breaking down your latest meal, your body cannot start relaxing for bed. 

To keep yourself from snacking during the night, make sure you eat plenty of food during the day. You should also drink a minimum of 3 bottles of water a day. Both acts will ensure your body is full enough to make it through the night. 

6. Not Having a Bedtime Routine 

After a busy day, going home and falling straight into bed sounds like a dream. But going straight to bed will eventually impact your sleep quality. Instead, create a bedtime routine to follow every night. 

Initiating your night routine every night will train your brain to associate the actions with sleep. Over time, your brain will use the routine as a sign to prepare for sleep. A night routine will also help you decompress after your day. 

Allowing your brain time to relax and process the day's events will help you lay down with a quiet mind. To help get your thoughts in check, consider adding a journaling session to your night routine. Writing the day out will help you process anything that may keep you up at night. 

Taking a bath, calling a friend, and creating tomorrow's to-do list will also help you wind down before bed. 

Ready to Break Your Bad Sleeping Habits?

A comfortable bed is just as crucial as practicing good sleep hygiene. Poor mattress quality will make establishing good sleep habits difficult and affect your sleep quality. In other words, you need a good mattress before you can even consider fixing your bad sleeping habits. 

If you know it's time to update your mattress and move on to restful pastures, consider Nest Bedding's selection of eco-friendly mattresses. Our mattresses come in a variety of sizes, thicknesses, and materials to ensure you find the right one for you. 

Don't believe us? Come see for yourself. Click here to learn more about our mattresses, take our mattress quiz, or purchase one for yourself.