As technology becomes more advanced, and tools like smartphones and fitness watches become better at collecting health data, more people than ever before have started tracking their sleep. In 2017, about 

 said they used sleep trackers regularly or occasionally to improve their rest. [1]

Sleep trackers may help you become more aware of your sleeping patterns and take note of any potential problems. However, many studies have found that they tend not to be very accurate in their measurements. There is also a risk that using these devices may actually lead to an unhealthy preoccupation with sleep that can contribute to 

There are many types of devices that can track your sleep. They come with varying degrees of complexity — some sleep trackers may record a couple of different types of information, while others may paint a very detailed picture of how you slept at each point during the night. [2]

Some sleep trackers are wearable. They consist of devices that you put on your wrist, finger, or head. Wearable trackers stay in contact with your skin as they continually collect data. Many of these devices also gather information about your physical activity levels and calories consumed or burned.

Other sleep trackers are non-wearable devices. For example, you may collect sleep data with a sleep tracker app on your smartphone. In this case, you may place your phone on the bed next to you as you sleep. You can also use sleep monitors that sit on or under your mattress. Some of these devices may also report information about the conditions of your room, including temperature or humidity.

What Type of Information Do Sleep Trackers Collect?

Sleep trackers typically measure whether you’re asleep or not using metrics like your movements, heart rate, body temperature, and breathing patterns. All of these body processes undergo changes as you move through the different stages of sleep.

. During the first three stages, sleep starts out light and gets progressively deeper — it is deepest during stage 3 sleep. Your heart rate and body temperature decrease with each stage. The fourth sleep stage is rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, in which your heart rate increases, your breathing becomes more irregular, and you dream. [3]

Sleep trackers may use information like your heart rate to report that you were in a period of “light sleep” or “heavy sleep,” but this isn’t exactly the same as reporting your sleep stage. Studies have found that sleep trackers often can’t accurately detect which stage a person is in. [4]

The best way to measure your sleep stages is through tests like 

 that measure brain waves. You can’t go through these tests at home with sleep trackers; you undergo them in sleep clinics. Polysomnography and other tests administered by sleep specialists can help officially diagnose sleep disorders. [4]

Sleep trackers aren’t perfect. Unfortunately, many companies don’t share exactly how their tracking programs work, which means it can be hard to determine their accuracy. Additionally, the vast majority of sleep trackers are categorized as “lifestyle/entertainment” devices. They aren’t regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which means that no one is checking to make sure the devices are accurate or based on current scientific information.5

Multiple studies have found that sleep trackers aren’t as accurate as we might hope. Sleep trackers: [4], [6]

Are likely to report that you got more sleep than you really did

Are very inaccurate when it comes to measuring how long it takes for a person to fall asleep

Often incorrectly report that you’re sleeping when you’re actually awake, especially if you have chronic health conditions

Are poor at distinguishing how deep a person’s sleep is

Despite their limitations, sleep trackers may be helpful for some people. One benefit is that they can make you more aware of your sleep and encourage you to learn more about how to get better rest. [5]

Another positive is that they can give you a broad overview of your overall sleeping patterns. If you’re trying to 

, such as going to bed and waking up at the same time each day, a sleep tracker can help you determine whether you’re on track. It may also point out other helpful insights — for example, you may notice that you get more sleep on days when you’ve been more physically active. [4]

A sleep tracker could also help you detect any overarching problems, such as being woken up early at the same time each day. It may also help you identify potential signs of sleep disorders. For example, loud snoring or waking up multiple times throughout the night could point to sleep apnea.

In the long term, sleep tracker data could also be combined with data from other health devices to help you and your doctor better understand your health.5

One problem with sleep trackers is their potential inaccuracy. People relying on these devices may think they’re getting more or less sleep than they really are. Additionally, the devices often can’t reliably tell what sleep stage you’re in, which means it’s hard to measure your sleep quality. [4]

Additionally, some people using trackers become so preoccupied with their sleep stats that they actually start getting worse sleep. Experts call this “

.” For example, you may find that if your sleep tracker is regularly telling you that you’re not hitting your targets, you develop increased anxiety surrounding sleep. You may even be tempted to spend extra time in bed, which can worsen insomnia. [4]

Although sleep tracker devices and apps may provide you with a lot of data, they don’t always help you understand how to best use this information. For example, you may see that you’re not getting a lot of deep sleep, but feel unsure about how to change this — your sleep stages are largely outside of your control.

Instead, you may want to focus on what you can control, such as what time you lay down in bed and how long you spend trying to sleep. Sleep tracker devices may help, but aren’t strictly necessary when it comes to making these sorts of changes.

Sleep trackers can help define sleeping patterns and are a fantastic starting point to improve overall sleep. However, they may 

 when paired with other strategies such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I).4 During 

, you work with a therapist or online program to adjust your behaviors and beliefs surrounding sleep. CBT-I is known to be very effective in treating insomnia. [7]

CBT-I can provide tailored one-on-one coaching that can teach you how to make the most of your sleep. For the most effective results, use your sleep tracker to start a conversation with your therapist.

To take the first step toward getting a better night’s sleep, 

 to get matched with a sleep coach who can provide personalized advice.

Percentage of U.S. adults that use apps to track their sleep as of 2017, by gender.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/699434/us-adults-that-use-apps-to-track-sleep-by-gender/

de Zambotti, M., Cellini, N., Goldstone, A., Colrain, I. M., & Baker, F. C. (2019). Wearable Sleep Technology in Clinical and Research Settings. 

Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 51

(7), 1538–1557. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000001947

Patel, A.K., Reddy, V., & Araujo, J.F. (2021, April 22). Physiology, Sleep Stages. 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK526132/

Baron, K. G., Abbott, S., Jao, N., Manalo, N., & Mullen, R. (2017). Orthosomnia: Are Some Patients Taking the Quantified Self Too Far?. 

Journal of clinical sleep medicine : JCSM : official publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 13

(2), 351–354. https://doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.6472

Khosla, S., Deak, M. C., Gault, D., Goldstein, C. A., Hwang, D., Kwon, Y., O'Hearn, D., Schutte-Rodin, S., Yurcheshen, M., Rosen, I. M., Kirsch, D. B., Chervin, R. D., Carden, K. A., Ramar, K., Aurora, R. N., Kristo, D. A., Malhotra, R. K., Martin, J. L., Olson, E. J., Rosen, C. L., … American Academy of Sleep Medicine Board of Directors (2018). Consumer Sleep Technology: An American Academy of Sleep Medicine Position Statement. 

Journal of clinical sleep medicine : JCSM : official publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 14

(5), 877–880. https://doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.7128

Conley, S., Knies, A., Batten, J., Ash, G., Miner, B., Hwang, Y., Jeon, S., & Redeker, N. S. (2019). Agreement between actigraphic and polysomnographic measures of sleep in adults with and without chronic conditions: A systematic review and meta-analysis. 

, 151–160. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2019.05.001

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. (2017, August 1). 

https://effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/products/insomnia/consumer

Sleep trackers are now common. Learn how accurate they are and if they really can show you how you slept.

How Accurate are Sleep Trackers? |  Dawn Health

How Accurate are Sleep Trackers?

If you have problems falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up too early, you may have insomnia — a common sleep disorder. Insomnia may make you feel like you barely sleep at night and it may cause you to feel really tired during the day. While occasional sleeplessness is common, you may have chronic insomnia if your sleep troubles have been ongoing for at least a month.

There are several options for insomnia treatment. If your sleeping problems are caused by an underlying medical disorder, addressing that condition is always a good first step. Additionally, certain medications and lifestyle changes can help you get a better night’s sleep. The most well-known and effective option is 

cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I)

 CBT-I is a personalized program that addresses your relationship with sleep and how best to support and promote healthy sleep patterns.

Our expert sleep therapists have no wait and can talk as soon as today. We take insurance in several states and have affordable self-pay options! You can learn about by clicking to our home page.

Several types of medications may help you sleep better. Some sleeping aids can be bought over-the-counter. Some of the most popular options include:

Diphenhydramine, which goes by brand names like Aleve PM, Benadryl, and ZzzQuil

Other medications are sedatives that are prescribed by a doctor. Prescription sleeping aids include:

When going through a severe episode of insomnia, it is typical to reach for these types of aids. Medications for insomnia may help you get a full night’s sleep when nothing else will, and higher-quality sleep can help protect your health.

Unfortunately, sleep medications can also have drawbacks. It is a good idea to talk to your doctor to find out whether these drugs may be helpful for your personal needs.

Experts recommend using sleeping aids only as a temporary fix. They are not a good long-term solution, for several reasons:

The hangover effect — These drugs make some people feel “hungover.” You may feel extra groggy the day after using sleep aids.

You can build up tolerance to over-the-counter drugs — These medications typically work well at first. However, your body quickly gets used to them, making these aids increasingly less effective the longer you use them.

You may become addicted to prescription drugs — If you use sleep aids too often, you may develop a dependence on them and be unable to fall asleep without them.

Side effects — Different types of sleeping pills can lead to different health issues, including headaches, dizziness, tiredness, nausea, diarrhea, and memory and thinking problems.

It is also quite popular to treat insomnia with antidepressants. These medications may alter levels of certain brain chemicals that affect sleep. However, symptom relief can take several months to achieve and is not also sustainable if you stop taking antidepressants. Also, paradoxically, some antidepressants can negatively impact sleep quality. To learn more about using antidepressants to manage insomnia, 

CBT-I is a program that can help you develop better habits and attitudes surrounding sleep. It can be understood as a therapy that creates a bond between your behavior, your thoughts, and your emotions to reprogram your sleep patterns. CBT-I can provide a long-term solution to sleeping problems.5 To learn more about cognitive behavioral therapy for sleep and check out an in-depth explanation of the “CBT-I triangle,” read our 

CBT-I also gives you the tools you need to change unhelpful thought and behavioral patterns.6 Purposely working to build up beneficial attitudes and behaviors through CBT-I can help you develop more positive emotions toward sleeping and feel more motivated to stick to new sleep habits.

CBT-I is the gold standard treatment for insomnia, recommended by both the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the American College of Physicians.

 There are a few reasons why experts recommend CBT-I over medication:

CBT-I tackles the underlying factors that initially lead to insomnia. Sleep aids, on the other hand, merely address surface-level insomnia symptoms.

Because CBT-I more directly taps into the causes of insomnia, it provides longer-lasting relief for sleep problems.

Medications aren’t always effective at treating insomnia. CBT-I has a high success rate and is especially helpful for people who have mental health issues that may be contributing to insomnia, such as anxiety.

You don’t have to worry about tolerance, dependence, or addiction when using CBT-I.

CBT-I doesn’t lead to any uncomfortable or harmful side effects.

CBT-I is one of the best treatments for insomnia. It may work better and be better for your health as compared with sleeping pills. If you want to learn more about CBT-I and gain tools for better sleep, check out 

. Here, you can learn more about how it’s possible to relieve sleeplessness with the right treatment and effort.

If you’re interested in trying cognitive behavioral therapy for sleep, fill out our 

MedlinePlus. (2022, March 29). Insomnia. 

MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. (2022, April 1). Insomnia. 

https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000805.htm

Mayo Clinic. (2019, October 16). Sleep Aids: Understand Over-the-Counter Options. 

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/sleep-aids/art-20047860

Mayo Clinic. (2018, January 30). Prescription Sleeping Pills: What’s Right for You? 

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/insomnia/in-depth/sleeping-pills/art-20043959

Mayo Clinic. (2016, September 28). Insomnia Treatment: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Instead of Sleeping Pills. 

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/insomnia/in-depth/insomnia-treatment/art-20046677

InformedHealth.org. (2016, September 8). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279297/

Feuerstein, S., Hodges, S. E., Keenaghan, B., Bessette, A., Forselius, E., & Morgan, P. T. (2017). Computerized Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia in a Community Health Setting. Journal of clinical sleep medicine, 13(2), 267–274. 

Learn about cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia and how this can be used as an alternative to sleep medication.

Using CBT-I Instead of Medication 

Getting enough sleep is important for physical and mental health. It can boost your immune system, protect against chronic health conditions such as heart disease, and help you think more clearly. [1]

For better sleep, you will want to consider creating a consistent sleep schedule — a pattern of waking up at the same time each day. When your sleep schedule changes from day to day, you are more likely to have poorer quality sleep. [2] Improving an erratic sleep schedule to make it more regular can help you sleep longer each night and feel less tired during the day. [3], [4]

Starting a Routine is the Way to Change Your Sleep Schedule

Nearly half of the actions we take every day are a result of habit. [5] If you’re trying to get better sleep, building a routine that you naturally follow each morning and evening will be easier than trying to motivate yourself to make beneficial decisions on a daily basis. Additionally, once your body has followed your new schedule for long enough, there will be physical cues that deepen this schedule, leading to more reliable and more restorative rest.

There are several steps you can take to get your sleep schedule back on track. Practice these each day to feel better rested.

It's hard to go from full work mode into sleep mode. Pick a time each night to start winding down for sleep. Try to keep the same time for both weekdays and weekends.

Unwinding is crucial for a good night’s sleep. Put your phone on airplane mode 1-2 hours before getting into bed to make sure your brain has switched off from work and has entered relaxation mode.

Before bedtime, start calming your brain and body with an activity like reading, listening to your favorite music, meditation, or taking a warm bath. Make sure the activity is something you like — getting ready for bed shouldn’t be yet another chore! Pick an activity you’ll look forward to and is also soothing.

Scientific studies tell us that habits are formed through “chunking” — that is, we tend to perform routines in which multiple actions are habitually performed together, in the same order. [7]

You likely go through several behaviors while getting ready for bed, such as putting on pajamas, brushing your teeth, and washing your face. Write down each of these steps and perform them in the same order each night, starting at the same time. This will help you build a routine that signals to your brain that it’s time for sleep.

It is tempting to sleep in when we don’t have to get up, especially if we have been struggling with sleep. Try getting up within the same 15 minute window of time every single day, no matter what time you went to bed or how well you slept.

Your circadian rhythm (internal body clock) is synchronized with natural sunlight and electric lights are often ineffective in supporting these rhythms.8 Try stepping outside for a bit when you first wake up, or eating breakfast next to a window, in order to better signal sleeping and waking hours to your body. If you must use artificial lighting, invest in a bulb or lamp that mimics daylight.

When building your sleep schedule, plan to get at least seven hours of sleep per night — the amount recommended by the National Sleep Foundation.9 For someone working a typical “9-to-5” schedule, this may look like going to bed by 10:00 to 11:00 p.m. and waking up by 6:00 a.m. This means you would start your wind-down routine between 8:00 and 9:00pm.

Starting a routine that works well may be trickier if you have a more irregular schedule for work or school. However, it’s still possible to get enough sleep! For example, a 12-hour night shift sleep schedule for someone working from 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. might include going to bed at 8:00 or 9:00 a.m. and sleeping until 4:00 p.m.

Staying motivated with your newly-created bedtime routine isn’t always easy at first, but will become less difficult over time. To help yourself stick to your new habits, you may want to turn to a psychological tool — cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

CBT is effective at helping people live better lives. The foundation of CBT can be thought of as a triangle, with three different key factors: [10]

Thoughts — The things you believe about yourself, your circumstances, and the people around you

Behaviors — The things you do and the way you act

Feelings — The emotions you have surrounding a particular situation

The CBT model has lots of research about how these three factors are all connected. Your thought patterns and the way you behave on a daily basis help shape each other, and also influence the way you feel. Your feelings, in turn, influence your beliefs and actions. [10]

cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia

 or CBT-I can help people with sleeping problems. Scientific studies have shown that this type of treatment is very effective. It addresses the underlying causes of insomnia instead of just relieving symptoms.

CBT-I uses the CBT triangle to connect your thoughts, behavior, and feelings. It helps reprogram your subconscious and create new habits that are more in line with your goals.

When using CBT-I to build a better sleep schedule, you may work to change certain thought patterns, such as: [10], [11]

Learning more about how sleep works, so that you can get rid of incorrect beliefs

Using problem-solving skills to attack the specific issues that are keeping you awake

Addressing negative thoughts that keep you up at night

This program will also challenge you to change certain behaviors in your sleep schedule. For example, you may need to avoid napping, change your bedroom environment, and only spend time in your bedroom while sleeping. [11], [12]

Is CBT-I a good fit for your own needs? Learn more by filling out our 

Hoping for a better night’s rest? You’re already on the right track by looking for information that can help improve your sleep. To hear more about another person’s struggles with insomnia — and their eventual recovery — read 

An Anxious Sleeper’s Guide to Better Sleep

Building a consistent sleep schedule is possible if you work to align your thoughts and feelings with your behaviors. If you’re interested in learning more about CBT-I, check out Dawn’s many resources, articles, and tools geared towards curing sleep problems.

National Institutes of Health. (2013, April).

 The Benefits of Slumber: Why You Need a Good Night’s Sleep

https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2013/04/benefits-slumber

Irish, L. A., Kline, C. E., Gunn, H. E., Buysse, D. J., & Hall, M. H. (2015). The role of sleep hygiene in promoting public health: A review of empirical evidence. 

, 23–36. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2014.10.001

Paterson, J. L., Reynolds, A. C., & Dawson, D. (2018). Sleep Schedule Regularity Is Associated with Sleep Duration in Older Australian Adults: Implications for Improving the Sleep Health and Wellbeing of Our Aging Population. 

(2), 113–122. https://doi.org/10.1080/07317115.2017.1358790

Manber, R., Bootzin, R. R., Acebo, C., & Carskadon, M. A. (1996). The effects of regularizing sleep-wake schedules on daytime sleepiness. 

(5), 432–441. https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/19.5.432

Mendelsohn A. I. (2019). Creatures of Habit: The Neuroscience of Habit and Purposeful Behavior. 

(11), e49–e51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2019.03.978

Smith, K. S., & Graybiel, A. M. (2016). Habit formation. 

(1), 33–43. https://doi.org/10.31887/DCNS.2016.18.1/ksmith

Wright, K. P., Jr, McHill, A. W., Birks, B. R., Griffin, B. R., Rusterholz, T., & Chinoy, E. D. (2013). Entrainment of the human circadian clock to the natural light-dark cycle. 

(16), 1554–1558. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2013.06.039

Hirshkowitz, M., Whiton, K., Albert, S. M., Alessi, C., Bruni, O., DonCarlos, L., Hazen, N., Herman, J., Katz, E. S., Kheirandish-Gozal, L., Neubauer, D. N., O'Donnell, A. E., Ohayon, M., Peever, J., Rawding, R., Sachdeva, R. C., Setters, B., Vitiello, M. V., Ware, J. C., & Adams Hillard, P. J. (2015). National Sleep Foundation's sleep time duration recommendations: methodology and results summary. 

(1), 40–43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleh.2014.12.010

InformedHealth.org. (2016, September 8). 

American Psychological Association. (2017, July). 

https://www.apa.org/ptsd-guideline/patients-and-families/cognitive-behavioral

Insomnia Treatment: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Instead of Sleeping Pills. 

Having a consistent sleep schedule is essential for health and wellbeing. Learn about how you can improve your sleep by having a consistent sleep schedule.

Everything to Know About Sleep Schedules and How to Keep Yours on Track | How to Reset Sleep Schedule | Dawn Health

Everything to Know About Sleep Schedules: How to Keep Yours on Track

Even the best sleepers have restless nights from time to time. Some nights will be better than others, no matter who you are! Occasional sleepless nights don’t usually cause major health effects. However, lack of sleep becomes a problem when you struggle with this issue regularly.

When you chronically don’t sleep enough, your physical health is impacted. You have a greater risk of developing multiple serious health conditions, including heart disease, dementia, and cancer, and your life span may even be cut short. Too little sleep over the long term can also lead to mental health issues such as anxiety and depression.

In this article, we will explain these effects more in-depth. Luckily, there are a few easy-to-follow solutions that can help you with your sleep deprivation, whether short-term or long-term.

The amount of sleep required to stay healthy varies from person to person. Necessary levels of sleep typically change over the course of your life and can even vary day-to-day.

Experts recommend different amounts of sleep per night based on your age:1

Newborn (0-3 months): 14-17 hours, including naps

Older adults (at least 65 years old): 7-8 hours

Keep in mind, though, that these are general recommendations. Paying attention to how you feel during the day is still the best approach to assess how much sleep you need.

Additionally, making sure you’re in bed for a certain number of hours isn’t enough to help you feel well-rested. Researchers have found that 

the quality of your sleep is more important

 than the quantity. If you’re tossing and turning all night, it may not matter that you were in bed for eight hours — you may still feel sleepy during the day and be at risk for health problems.2

Spending more time in the deeper stages of sleep is key for avoiding sleep deprivation.

Not all sleep is equal. As you rest, your body goes through several different 

. The first two stages are lighter; during these stages, different processes such as your breathing and heart rate begin to slow down.3

Stage 3 sleep is the deepest sleep stage. Your body heals itself and builds up strength during this stage. The fourth sleep stage is rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. It is during this stage that you do most of your dreaming. REM sleep may be important for memory and learning.4

Getting high-quality sleep can help ensure that you spend enough time in the deepest stages of sleep. Researchers estimate that healthy adults spend about 13 to 23 percent of their sleep in stage 3. If you get seven hours of sleep per night, this equals about 55 to 97 minutes per night. REM sleep typically accounts for 20 to 25 percent of sleep, equivalent to about 84 to 105 minutes during a seven-hour sleeping period.5

When you don’t hit your target for enough hours of high-quality sleep, your health may suffer. However, there is a considerable difference between pulling an all-nighter and getting insufficient sleep on a regular basis. Not sleeping well for a short time period is unlikely to majorly impact your health in the long term.

You may be tempted to forego sleep to work on a big project that is due. Or, you might experience very poor sleep for several nights in a row if you’re unusually stressed or worried about something. These situations may lead to 

Increased feelings of stress due to higher levels of stress hormones

Negative emotions or feelings, including sadness, worry, irritability, or impatience

Having trouble focusing, remembering, or making decisions

 shows moderate sleep deprivation impairs your ability to complete monotonous and repetitive tasks first. It has little effect on challenging tasks that demand higher-order thinking. Because these tasks are complex, your 

 system kicks in to keep you focused on the job.

The effects of not sleeping well for 24 or 48 hours are generally temporary. You will feel better once you’re able to get more sleep.

If you’re sleep deprived on a regular basis, health consequences can begin to pile up. You may experience problems with many different organs and body functions.

A lack of sleep can increase your chances of experiencing hypertension (high blood pressure) and elevated cholesterol levels — risk factors for heart disease. 

 have found that coronary heart disease diagnoses are more common in those who get very little sleep each night (five or six hours or less). If you are chronically sleep deprived, you are also more likely to experience a heart attack or stroke.7

. Too little sleep can increase levels of ghrelin (a hormone that makes you feel hungry) and decrease levels of leptin (a hormone that makes you feel full). This can make you more likely to crave unhealthy foods and to snack throughout the day or at night.8 Over the long term, you may have a 

 of developing diabetes, and diabetes can in turn make it harder to sleep well.9 Sleep affects how your body uses insulin, a hormone that helps your cells absorb sugar from your blood. Too little sleep can lead to insulin resistance — your cells don’t respond properly to insulin, your blood sugar levels rise, and you have a higher chance of developing diabetes.10

If you have certain conditions that affect the digestive system, such as heartburn, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), you may find that your 

The strength of your immune system is boosted as you sleep. Your body makes new white blood cells as well as substances like cytokines that help fight infection. Too little rest leads to reduced numbers of immune cells and a 

Not getting enough sleep on a regular basis can cause dark circles to form under the eyes. It can also lead to higher levels of stress hormones, which damage collagen, a protein that keeps the skin firm and smooth. This may lead to 

Long-term sleep deprivation can add years to your brain, making it function as if it were the brain of someone who is several years older. In the long haul, your risk of dementia 

 when you’re chronically under-rested.9

. Not getting enough shut-eye can raise your risk of developing long-term depression and anxiety. It can also make you more likely to drink too much alcohol. In teens, studies have linked a lack of sleep to suicide attempts.12

Multiple studies have found that when sleep is disrupted, people are more likely to be diagnosed with cancer. In particular, one study found that women who worked the night shift for more than 15 years had a 

 of developing colorectal cancer. Another study found that sleep disorders like obstructive sleep apnea led to more than double the risk of developing breast cancer.6

 in men who don’t get enough sleep. This risk is even higher for those who have health conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes.13 The link between early death and lack of sleep is less clear for women, however.

Thinking about some of these potential negative health effects can be scary. However, there are a few simple things you can do to help yourself get more sleep naturally. For a better night’s rest, practice good sleep hygiene — habits and behaviors that help boost sleep.

Do your best to set an alarm for the same time each day — and yes, this includes weekends. The more consistent you can be with your wake-up time, the stronger your sleep drive will be.

 is the process that helps you fall asleep. It is a feeling of “sleep pressure” that builds throughout the day, making you feel tired by the time night falls. When you sleep in one morning, your sleep drive won’t be as strong when you go to sleep that night.11

It often helps to allow yourself to wind down before laying down to sleep. If you attempt to crash into bed immediately after doing a lot of work or being very active, sleep may not come quickly.

Try to build a habit of doing the same activities each night before bed. When you begin your routine each night, you’ll be sending a message to your brain that it’s about time to sleep.11 Try listening to music that calms you, reading an enjoyable book, doing some light stretching, practicing meditation or breathing exercises, or taking a warm bath.

, the worse your sleep gets. When you become increasingly obsessed with tracking your sleep or getting a perfect night’s rest, you may start to feel like you are actually sleeping worse. Researchers call this “

Your body generally knows how to handle sleep on its own. Sometimes the best thing you can do is to not get in the way by trying to optimize sleep too much. Bodies are built to handle short periods of stress. Your body knows how to re-establish healthy sleep patterns after a few days of dysregulation.

To learn more about optimal sleep hygiene, read our 

5 Must-Know Tips for Better Sleep Hygiene and Wellness

If your insomnia persists despite these modifications, your doctor may recommend 

Sleep deprivation is common but can pose serious issues. Learn about how much sleep you need and short and long-term effects of sleep deprivation.