A Sleep Medicine Psychologist Shares 3 Sleep Myths We Need To Stop Believing

We all sleep—but how many of us sleep exceptionally well, night after night? Very few, I'd wager, which is why we have board-certified behavioral sleep medicine psychologist Jade Wu, Ph.D., DBSM, author of Hello Sleep, on this episode of the mindbodygreen podcast to drop her expert knowledge on every sleep issue keeping you from dreamland. 

Take it from Wu: "We don't want to go to bed too early." See, hitting the hay before you have accrued enough sleep drive (aka your desire to sleep throughout the day) can backfire and result in even more tossing and turning. This, Wu says, creates a strained relationship between you and your bed. 

"The more you're awake tossing, turning, and frustrated, the more you're learning that sleep is a frustrating thing and your bed is an anxiety-producing place," she shares.

"Then the next time you get into bed, your brain's going to say, 'Oh, I know what this place is. This is where we struggle and get frustrated and get anxious.'" It often leads to a vicious cycle, she says, in which your brain fires up the fight-or-flight response just as you tuck into crisp sheets. 

"So for people who are having trouble falling asleep, one of the quickest ways to reset is to go to bed later, when you're actually really sleepy," she notes. "Make sure your body actually has a chance to feel that sleepiness by having a relaxing wind-down routine." 

Some sleep experts have a strong anti-nap POV, but according to Wu, napping does have a place in a healthy sleep schedule so long as you do so responsibly. 

"Napping could be a double-edged sword," she says. On the one hand, it can really help people catch up on sleep they aren't getting at night.

"I think napping is just such a fabulous elixir of life that we get to have in the middle of the day," she notes. "If you're having a terrible night of insomnia, you can reassure yourself by saying, 'Well, at least I can catch up a little bit tomorrow with my nap.' So maybe that takes some of the pressure off [sleep] and makes you less anxious." 

Now, the problem arises when you nap too late or for too long—that takes away from your overall sleep appetite. "By being awake and active, hopefully by bedtime you saved up enough to buy yourself a good night's sleep," Wu explains. "What you're doing by taking a big, long nap, especially late in the day, is taking away some of the appetite. It's like eating multiple cupcakes right before dinner." 

For a lot of people, especially those who struggle with insomnia, a big roadblock to deep sleep is simply trying too hard. Sleep should feel effortless, says Wu, and trying too many tips and tricks at once can ultimately backfire. 

"Whether it's counting sheep, [putting your head] in the freezer, meditating, or whatever it is—you're trying too hard," she explains. "Anything you're doing to try really hard to get to sleep is going to put more of a spotlight on the fact that you're not sleeping and put more pressure on yourself to get to sleep." 

Rather, if you find yourself tossing and turning, do something you naturally enjoy. Read a book, watch TV… Even pulling out your phone can be OK, says Wu, as long as it takes your mind off the sleep anxiety. (But if doomscrolling gives you more stimulation and stress, it's probably best to keep the phone away.) "Any of that is going to give you less stimulation than what you were doing before, which is trying really hard to sleep," she notes. 

We love a good sleep tip, but Wu says there is no silver bullet for a great night's sleep (and we definitely agree). "Quality of sleep is multifaceted. It's not just one thing that we can boil down to," she adds.

That said, it does help to sort out what doesn't work before diving into the best sleep hygiene advice. That way, you'll be well-equipped to make the right decisions for your own bedtime regimen.