‘Snoring means you’re dying in your sleep 300+ times per night’: Sleep doctor shares 10 sleep habits

Struggling with poor sleep is more than just an occasional inconvenience – it can take a serious toll on your long-term health. From heart disease to cognitive decline, sleep problems are closely linked to a range of chronic conditions. Experts stress that cultivating healthy sleep habits isn’t optional but essential, and ignoring persistent issues may put your overall well-being at risk.

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Board-certified sleep specialist Dr. Christopher J. Allen, known for regularly sharing insights on sleep health, recently outlined 10 key habits that can shape your circadian rhythm – for better or worse. In an Instagram video posted on September 4, he explained how certain behaviors, from falling asleep with the TV on to the long-term physiological toll of sleep deprivation, may be quietly disrupting healthy sleep patterns.

Snoring

According to Dr. Allen, “Snoring means you’re dying in your sleep 300+ times per night. Your partner isn’t just annoyed—they’re watching you suffocate.” Chronic snoring can be a sign of obstructive sleep apnea, a serious condition that if left untreated, can lead to health issues like high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke, as per Johns Hopkins Medicine.

Waking up mid-sleep

Do you often find yourself waking up in the middle of the night, especially between 1am and 3am, unable to get uninterrupted sleep? Dr. Allen cautions that this is not a random phenomenon – it means your stress hormones are in overdrive, making it impossible for your nervous system to shut down.

White noise

Dr. Allen cautions against making “falling asleep with the TV on” a habit. Requiring white noise in the background in order to sleep trains your brain to fear silence, eventually disrupting your sleep cycle. White noise may feel soothing and help you fall asleep, but it can prevent your body from reaching the deep, restorative stages of sleep.

Sleep debt

Dr. Allen said, “Sleep debt compounds like interest—but backwards. Miss one night and you lose brain cells you’ll never get back.” He suggests that chronic sleep loss doesn’t just make you tired – it can cause lasting harm to your brain, and the effects build up the longer you deprive yourself of proper rest.

Jaw pain

Waking up with jaw pain is not a coincidence related to stress. It can indicate that you are choking in your sleep due to sleep apnea, according to Dr. Allen. Grinding your teeth while sleeping is also related to a condition called sleep bruxism, which can lead to jaw pain and sleep disorders, as per an article on Mayo Clinic.

Long naps

Dr. Allen says that research suggests taking very long naps (especially more than 1.5 hours) on weekends, often to catch up on missed sleep during the week, not only leaves you feeling groggy and sluggish afterwards but also raises the risk of heart disease.

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Wine before sleeping

“That ‘harmless’ glass of wine before bed? Studies show it increases your risk of dementia long-term,” according to Dr. Allen. Excessive consumption of alcohol disrupts sleep and brain function, negatively affecting REM sleep – increasing the risks of dementia, hypertension, as well as diabetes, according to a study published in Nutrients journal.

Melatonin gummies

Many people rely on melatonin supplements in order to induce sleep. However Dr. Allen says that taking melatonin gummies every day does not fix your sleep problems – it rather trains your body to stop producing its own melatonin.

Late bedtime

Staying up late at night is common among adolescents, often seen as a way to assert independence and push back against parental or societal norms. However as per Dr. Allen, it is a set up for stress and anxiety – “Your kid’s late bedtime isn’t ‘independent spirit’. It’s dysregulation, and it rewires their brain for anxiety later.”

Cold bedroom

Have you noticed that sleeping in a cold bedroom helps you fall asleep faster? Dr. Allen states that it is no coincidence – “it literally signals your nervous system that it’s safe to shut down.”

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. It is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.

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