Excessive sleep monitoring may worsen insomnia — TIME
TIME columnist Joshua Tal writes that striving for perfect sleep and constantly tracking its metrics can worsen insomnia. Sleep specialists call this condition orthosomnia — an unhealthy focus on achieving “perfect” sleep that can cause insomnia.
Tal described the case of a patient who had been sleeping poorly for months, felt exhausted at work and was afraid to go to bed. She showed the author her sleep score on her phone — 61 out of 100. According to Tal, an ordinary period of poor sleep can turn into a serious problem because of constant monitoring and attempts to strictly follow rules.
When rules become a source of anxiety
Common recommendations include keeping a consistent bedtime, avoiding screens before bed and avoiding caffeine after noon. The author emphasizes that these tips are not wrong in themselves, but viewing them as a mandatory checklist can cause anxiety after one bad night.
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According to Tal, people may feel ashamed because they used their phone in bed, took a nap on Sunday or drank a glass of wine with dinner. At the same time, reactions to the same habits differ: television helps some anxious patients fall asleep, while shift workers or travelers with jet lag may need strict limits on digital devices.
Sleep hygiene does not replace treatment
The author notes that sleep hygiene recommendations were developed based on general links between behavior and sleep quality, but they do not take individual needs into account. He cites a large study by British researchers in primary care: a leaflet with sleep hygiene rules had almost no effect on the outcome, while a short course of behavioral treatment proved more than twice as effective.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine also does not recommend using sleep hygiene as a standalone treatment for chronic insomnia. Tal suggests testing individual habits one at a time and creating a personalized set of approaches rather than judging every night as a success or failure.
