5 sleep myths you can safely forget

Few subjects attract as much folk wisdom as sleep. Everyone has a grandmother, colleague or neighbour with a golden tip, and most of those tips have been around for generations. Counting sheep. Catching up on sleep at the weekend. Sleep before midnight counts double. The problem: a large part of that wisdom is mainly old, not true. Time to hold five stubborn sleep myths up to the light, starting with the most famous flock in the world.

Why are we so keen to believe sleep myths?

Sleep myths survive because sleep is hard to check. You cannot watch yourself while you do it, so we reach for stories that give us something to hold on to. And because everyone sleeps, everyone feels like an expert: your neighbour's tip sounds just as authoritative as a specialist's.

On top of that, many myths have a cosy core. Counting sheep is a sweet image, sleeping in at the weekend feels like a reward. Unfortunately, your body does not make decisions based on cosiness.

Which 5 myths can you scrap?

1. Counting sheep helps you fall asleep. Counting is too boring to hold your attention and too active to relax. A calm thought works better than an arithmetic exercise.
2. Everyone needs 8 hours. The range is 7 to 9 hours and differs from person to person. Your energy during the day is a better measure than the clock.
3. You catch up on sleep at the weekend. Sleeping in softens the worst of the tiredness, but sets your rhythm back; Monday then starts like a mini jet lag. A structural shortfall can only be solved during the week.
4. The harder the pillow, the better. Firm is not the same as rock-hard. A pillow needs to hold its shape and feel pleasant; you can read about the difference in the guide on a firm pillow.
5. If you are tired enough, you fall asleep automatically. Tired is not the same as sleepy. An overstimulated head keeps churning, however heavy your eyes are.

So what does work?

The real recipe for better nights is less poetic than the myths: regularity, light and comfort. Get up at set times, get daylight in the morning, dim the evening, and make sure your body is lying comfortably the moment the light goes out.

For that last part there is no magic either, just mechanics: a pillow that has the right height and holds it all night. SidePillow does exactly that, with three fixed heights (10, 11.5 and 13 cm) and a height test that tells you within a minute which one suits you. Which position to take as your starting point is covered in the guide on the best sleeping position.

Conclusion

Sleep myths are charming, stubborn and usually wrong. The sheep can stay in the meadow, the weekend is not a repair shop for your rhythm, and 8 hours is an average, not a commandment.

If you want to sleep better, three boring truths are enough: regularity, light at the right time and lying comfortably. Less fun at birthday parties, much more fun at 7.00 in the morning.

Ready for mechanics instead of myths?
Not a myth but a measurement: the height test finds your SidePillow size in a minute.

Take the height test

Frequently asked questions

Does counting sheep help you fall asleep?

Not really. Counting is too boring to hold your attention and still keeps your head slightly active. A calm, pleasant thought or a boring book works better for most people.

Can you catch up on sleep at the weekend?

Partly: you soften the worst of the tiredness, but your rhythm gets disrupted because your clock shifts. A structural sleep shortfall can only be solved by going to bed earlier during the week.

Does sleep before midnight count double?

No. What counts is your total sleep and a steady rhythm, not the clock. The first hours of your night are relatively deep, but that also applies if you only go to sleep after midnight.

Is a hard pillow better for your neck?

Not automatically. A pillow needs to be firm enough to hold its shape and height, but rock-hard creates pressure points. Firm and shape-retaining is the goal, not hard.

Photography: Sasha Xenia, cottonbro studio, Ron Lach via Pexels.