For many people, good sleep is something to cultivate. It doesn’t come naturally to everyone. A good place to start is with good habits. If you can eliminate some of your bad sleep habits and replace them with a positive routine, it should benefit your sleep.

While sleep experts agree on certain routines and habits, what works for one person isn’t necessarily right for another. Take falling asleep to the television, for instance. Many would say it’s a bad habit, but is it really?

Is it Bad to Watch TV Before Bed?

The traditional answer to this question is yes. However, the reality is more complicated. There are pros and cons, and of course, everyone is different. In general, it’s not the best idea to watch TV right before bed or to have it on as you try to fall asleep for the night. Here’s why:

• Blue light decreases melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone produced toward the end of the day. It’s part of the natural circadian rhythm of your body and signals that it’s time to sleep. The blue light produced by many screened devices reduces melatonin production. This can make you feel less sleepy when you should be drifting off.
• Artificial light is bad for health. Studies of artificial light, especially at night, indicate that it can negatively impact health in several ways. One effect is increased risk of depression. It also increases the risk of having high blood pressure, weaker immunity, memory loss, and being obese.
• TV can be stimulating. It’s best to do something relaxing before bed. A television show/movie can be more stimulating than relaxing, exciting your brain and making it harder to fall asleep. In today’s binge-watching culture, having a TV show that quickly cycles from episode to episode encourages you to stay up later.

On the other hand, some people argue that there are some pros to falling asleep to the TV. At a low volume, it can be like white noise drowning out more disruptive sounds. Some people take comfort in their favorite shows. The soothing effect of your tenth viewing of a Friends episode might be what you need to relax before bed.

Is it Bad to Fall Asleep on the Couch?

Maybe you have avoided having a TV in the bedroom, but you stay up watching in the living room. Your boyfriend falls asleep on the couch every night, so it must be helping, right? While it might seem like a win to get drowsy and fall asleep, it's not a good idea to drift off on the sofa regularly.

A big problem with this is that the couch isn’t designed to be slept on all night. It isn’t as comfortable as a bed and could leave you with significant back or neck pain. Another issue is that if you wake up to head to bed, you might struggle to fall asleep again. It’s generally disruptive to a good night’s sleep.

If you’re going to watch TV at night, give yourself some time before bed to decompress and do something else, like reading a book. If you do prefer to fall asleep with the TV on, keep the volume down or put it on a timer to shut off within an hour or so. For the best sleep, try the tips and tools on BetterSleep instead of television.