7 Common Sleep Myths (and the Truths That Actually Help You Rest)
- Bobby Jakucs, Psy.D.
- Nov 3
- 4 min read
Updated: Nov 4
People who say they sleep like a baby usually don't have one. " - Leo Burke
If you’ve ever googled sleep tips at 2:17 a.m., you’ve met the internet’s confidence. But just because it’s on the internet doesn’t mean it’s correct. Below are seven common sleep myths I see in therapy, why they keep us stuck, and the research-backed truths that help us rest. As we say in ACT, notice the story, then choose what serves your values. And as Christians, we can offer even our sleepless nights to God—letting go of control while practicing wise action.
Myth 1: “Everyone needs exactly 8 hours.”
Truth: Most adults do best around 7 or more hours but there’s a high degree individual variation. Quality and regularity matter as much as the number.
Evidence: The American Academy of Sleep Medicine/Sleep Research Society consensus recommends “7 or more hours per night” for most adults (not a rigid 8) and reviews health risks of chronic short sleep.
Practice: Hold the “8-or-else” rule lightly. In ACT terms, let go of rigid rules and anchor to values-based actions (e.g., “consistent wind-down,” “device-free prayer or examen at night”). Trust that the rest will take care of itself.
Myth 2: “If you can’t sleep, stay in bed until you do.”
Truth: Lying awake trains your brain to associate bed with tossing and turning. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I), encourages practicing stimulus control - the stimulus being your bed. If you’re awake for more than 20 minutes, get up for a quiet, low-light activity and return when sleepy.
Evidence: The American Academy of Sleep Medicine clinical practice guideline recommends behavioral treatments (including stimulus control) as first-line for chronic insomnia.
Practice: Think of it as humble obedience to how God designed learning: we associate contexts with states. Re-teach your brain that bed = sleep (and, yes, marital intimacy), not rumination.
Myth 3: “Naps ruin your sleep.”
Truth: Long or late naps can hurt nighttime sleep; brief, earlier-day power naps (≈10–30 min) can boost alertness and performance without much downside.
Evidence: A 2021 systematic review/meta-analysis found short daytime naps improve cognitive performance, with timing/length as key moderators.
Practice: If you nap, keep it short and earlier. Think “Sabbath micro-pause,” not second bedtime.
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Myth 4: “A nightcap helps you sleep.”
Truth: Alcohol can shorten sleep latency but fragments sleep and reduces REM, worsening overall quality (and snoring/apnea).
Evidence: Reviews show alcohol decreases sleep onset latency but disrupts the second half of the night and REM; it’s linked to poorer sleep quality and breathing problems according to a on alcohol and sleep related problems. Alcohol also may disrupt circadian rhythm, the bodies 24-hour clock and create what researchers call social jet lag (He, Hasler & Chakravorty, 2019)
Practice: If you drink, avoid within 3–4 hours of bedtime. Values check: are we chasing short-term comfort or long-term goods (health, patience with kids tomorrow, presence)?
Myth 5: “I’ll just catch up on weekends.”
Truth: Weekend “catch-up” doesn’t fix the metabolic and circadian disruption of weekday restriction—and can make your rhythm wobblier.
Evidence: In a controlled study, weekend recovery sleep failed to prevent metabolic dysregulation from repeated insufficient sleep
Practice: Aim for consistent bed/wake windows, even on weekends. Like daily bread and daily prayer, healthy sleep loves rhythm over binges.
Myth 6: “Snoring is just annoying, but it’s normal and harmless.”
Truth: While not every snorer has sleep apnea, habitual or loud snoring can be a significant warning flag for Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Snoring often reflects upper-airway instability, which is central in OSA.
Evidence: Maimon & Hanly (2010) found that although snoring intensity correlated to OSA severity, snoring alone is a poor predictor — i.e., “just snoring” can’t be dismissed.
Takeaway: If you or your family note loud snoring + gasping/pauses, treat it as a “check-engine-light.” In ACT language: don’t get stuck on “it’s only snoring.” Notice the pattern, invite evaluation, act on what aligns with your value of health and presence.
Myth 7: “You have to be old and/or overweight to have sleep apnea.”
Truth: Age and elevated weight are risk factors, yes, but they are neither necessary nor sufficient. People of normal weight and younger age also can (and do) have OSA—sometimes overlooked because clinicians assume the stereotype.
Evidence: Antonaglia et al. (2021) review shows non-obese patients (BMI <30 kg/m²) still present with OSA and may have different pathophysiological patterns. An earlier study in 2017 identified that non-obese individuals make up at least ~20% of adult OSA cases.
Takeaway: Don’t dismiss sleep apnea just because you’re “thin” or younger. Values-wise: justice to your body, and stewardship of the life God gave you, means being courageous about symptoms—even if you “don’t fit the mold.”
Bringing It Together
Good sleep isn’t a performance to force; it’s a rhythm we steward. ACT invites us to drop the struggle with unhelpful rules and take committed actions (consistent schedule, wind-down, light/caffeine/alcohol timing). Logotherapy reminds us we can choose our response—even at 3 a.m. And the Christian life teaches surrender and sanctifying ordinary moments of our day (and our night) : dim the lights, say night prayer, and entrust the rest to God.
If this was helpful, you might also like my post on why we can’t sleep when we’re tired.
