Which sleep habits matter most when sleep is difficult? A 2026 study of 2,895 adults found that the most common problems among participants with chronic insomnia were not exercising regularly, getting too little natural daylight and keeping an inconsistent sleep schedule. The useful lesson is to identify the habits that actually apply to you, rather than trying to perfect a long checklist.
There is an equally important boundary. Sleep-hygiene habits may support sleep, but they are not a complete treatment for chronic insomnia. If sleep problems have lasted for months or are affecting daily life, changing a few habits should not replace proper assessment or cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia, known as CBT-I.
Evidence checked: 12 October 2026. This article is based on the study published in Sleep Medicine, NHS insomnia guidance and NICE information on CBT-I.
The 2026 sleep-habits study at a glance
- Study group: 2,895 adults completed the assessment.
- Chronic insomnia group: 300 participants, or 10.4 per cent, met the study criteria for chronic insomnia.
- Assessment: researchers used authorised insomnia screening scales, international diagnostic criteria and the Sleep Hygiene Practice Scale.
- Four habit areas: arousal-related behaviour, sleep schedule and timing, eating and drinking, and the sleep environment.
- Most common gaps in the insomnia group: lack of regular exercise, reported by 55 per cent; insufficient daytime natural light, 36 per cent; and inconsistent sleep schedules, 28 to 38 per cent depending on the behaviour measured.
- Less common in this sample: caffeine-related problems were reported by 26 per cent and alcohol-related problems by 11 per cent.
- Main limitation: this observational snapshot can show associations and common patterns, but it cannot prove which habits caused insomnia or which change would improve an individual’s sleep.
What is sleep hygiene?
Sleep hygiene is the collection of everyday behaviours and environmental conditions that can support sleep. Examples include keeping a reasonably regular schedule, being active during the day, managing light, limiting stimulants and making the bedroom dark, quiet and comfortable.
The phrase can be misleading because it sounds like a single standard that everyone either passes or fails. In reality, sleep is affected by biology, health, work, caring responsibilities, medication, pain, stress, mental health, other sleep disorders and the environment. A habit that matters greatly for one sleeper may be irrelevant to another.
That is why the study authors argue for identifying person-specific issues rather than covering every possible sleep-hygiene topic equally.
What did the researchers find?
All four sleep-hygiene areas were statistically associated with chronic insomnia. Arousal-related behaviours separated the chronic-insomnia and non-insomnia groups most clearly. Sleep schedule and timing also showed acceptable discrimination, while eating and drinking habits and the sleep environment were less able to distinguish between the groups on their own.
This does not mean the bedroom environment, caffeine or alcohol never matter. It means they were not the defining issue for every person with chronic insomnia in this particular sample. A quiet bedroom will not resolve worry-driven wakefulness, just as an earlier caffeine cut-off will not fix a schedule constrained by shift work.
The headline numbers are useful for prioritising questions. More than half of the chronic-insomnia group did not exercise regularly. More than one in three reported insufficient natural daylight. Irregular timing was also common. These are areas a sleeper can observe without buying a device or chasing a perfect sleep score.
A practical one-week sleep-habit audit
Rather than changing everything tonight, spend one ordinary week noticing what happens. The aim is not to grade your sleep. It is to find one or two realistic patterns worth discussing or testing.
1. Start with your wake time
Write down when you get out of bed each day, including weekends. A consistent wake time provides a regular morning anchor for the body clock. If your times vary widely, look for the smallest realistic adjustment rather than forcing an ideal schedule that does not fit work or family life.
Do not respond to one difficult night by repeatedly moving bedtime earlier and spending much longer awake in bed. If you are receiving CBT-I, follow the schedule agreed with your clinician rather than general online advice.
2. Notice daylight, not just screen light
Record whether you spend time outdoors during daylight. The new study identified insufficient natural light as a common issue, but it did not test a specific daylight dose or prove that adding a walk will treat insomnia.
Light is an important time cue for the circadian system. Daytime outdoor light is generally much brighter than ordinary indoor lighting, even when the weather is overcast. For more background, read the HIGGYS guide to your circadian rhythm.
3. Look for regular movement you can sustain
The NHS includes regular daytime exercise among its self-help advice for insomnia. That does not require an extreme training plan. Walking, cycling, swimming, strength work or an adapted activity can all contribute, depending on health, mobility and preference.
Note what you actually do and when. If vigorous late exercise leaves you alert, move it earlier where possible. Seek professional advice before starting a new programme if you have a health condition, injury or mobility concern.
4. Identify what keeps your mind or body activated
Arousal-related behaviour was the study area most clearly associated with chronic insomnia. During your audit, note what happens in the hour before bed and when you are awake at night. Work, difficult conversations, worrying, clock-checking and trying hard to force sleep can all keep attention fixed on being awake.
This is one reason CBT-I is more than a list of bedroom tips. It uses structured behavioural and cognitive techniques to change patterns that maintain insomnia.
5. Check caffeine and alcohol honestly
Caffeine and alcohol problems were less common than some other issues in this study, but they still mattered for a meaningful minority. Record the timing and amount rather than relying on memory. Caffeine can remain active for hours, while alcohol may make someone feel sleepy at first but disrupt sleep later.
6. Separate comfort from insomnia treatment
Note avoidable noise, light, heat, cold and physical discomfort. These can disturb sleep and are worth addressing. Read more about why people wake during the night.
A mattress can influence comfort, pressure, posture and temperature. It cannot correct a disrupted body clock, reduce worry, diagnose a sleep disorder or treat chronic insomnia. This is the evidence-led boundary behind the HIGGYS Recovery Standard.
Why a checklist is not the same as treatment
The study describes patterns. It did not assign people to change one habit and then measure whether insomnia improved. People may exercise less or spend less time outside because they are exhausted, unwell or working unusual hours. Insomnia itself may make routines harder to maintain.
International guidance does not recommend sleep-hygiene education as a standalone treatment for chronic insomnia. NICE information describes CBT-I as first-line treatment for long-term insomnia. CBT-I can include sleep education, but it also uses techniques such as stimulus control, sleep scheduling and cognitive work.
The NHS advises speaking to a GP if changing sleep habits has not helped, sleep problems have lasted for months or insomnia is making daily life hard to cope with. A clinician can also consider other causes, including medication, pain, mental health conditions, restless legs, sleep apnoea and other sleep disorders.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most useful sleep habits to check first?
In this study, common issues included irregular exercise, insufficient daytime natural light and inconsistent sleep timing. Your own starting point should depend on your routine, symptoms and health.
Will better sleep hygiene cure insomnia?
Not necessarily. Healthy habits can support sleep, but sleep-hygiene education alone is not recommended as treatment for chronic insomnia. Persistent problems deserve proper assessment.
How regular should my sleep schedule be?
A reasonably consistent wake time is a practical anchor. There is no single perfect schedule for everyone, and shift workers, parents and carers may need an individual plan.
Does daylight help sleep?
Light helps set the body clock, and insufficient daytime natural light was common in the chronic-insomnia group. This study did not test a specific dose or prove that daylight alone treats insomnia.
Should I stop caffeine and alcohol completely?
Not everyone needs the same rule. Track the amount, timing and effect, then follow medical advice relevant to you. Do not interpret the study’s lower percentages as proof that caffeine or alcohol cannot disturb sleep.
Can a new mattress fix chronic insomnia?
No. A suitable mattress may reduce physical discomfort, pressure and overheating, but chronic insomnia can involve behavioural, psychological, medical and circadian factors that a mattress cannot treat.
References
- Characterizing poor sleep hygiene in chronic insomnia: Implications of addressable and non-addressable factors for sleep hygiene education. Sleep Medicine. 2026;145:109025. DOI: 10.1016/j.sleep.2026.109025. Read the study abstract.
- NHS. Insomnia. Read NHS guidance.
- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Digital technologies delivering CBT for insomnia in adults: final scope. January 2026. Read the NICE scope.
This article is for general information only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Speak to a GP if persistent sleep problems are affecting daily life.