Insomnia and Sleep Hygiene: The Impact of Poor Sleeping Habits
on Sleeping Quality
Written by Zhafirah Agni Fatimah
“Sleep is not simply a time to rest, but an important part of the body's
process of restoring energy and maintaining health.”
In today's modern lifestyle, sleep is often one of the first things people sacrifice when
they have a busy schedule. Academic responsibilities, assignments, social media, electronic
devices, entertainment, and other daily activities can cause people to stay awake later than
they should. For university students, staying up late to complete assignments or study has
become a common habit. Although it may seem harmless when done occasionally, repeatedly
sleeping at irregular times can affect sleep quality and contribute to sleep problems.
One of the most common sleep problems is insomnia. Insomnia is characterized by
difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, or waking up too early and having
difficulty returning to sleep. People experiencing insomnia may feel tired even after spending
enough time in bed. They may also experience difficulties with concentration, mood, and
daily activities because their sleep is not restorative.
Sleep problems are particularly relevant among university students. Students often
have changing academic schedules, deadlines, examinations, organizational activities, and
social responsibilities. These demands can make it difficult to maintain a consistent sleep
schedule. Research by Gellis et al. examined sleep hygiene and insomnia severity in college
students and found that approximately 12–13% of students in their samples reported
clinically significant insomnia. The study also found that inconsistent sleep-wake schedules
and certain behaviors around bedtime were associated with greater insomnia severity.
“A healthy sleep pattern is not created in one night. It is built through small habits repeated
every day.”
Sleep is one of the most important basic needs of the human body. Sleep has various
vital functions, such as restoring energy, supporting brain function, regulating mood,
strengthening the immune system, and helping the body recover after daily activities. During
sleep, the body and brain carry out important processes that allow a person to function
properly the following day. Because of these important functions, maintaining good sleep
quality is essential for overall physical and mental health.
Under normal conditions, a person should be able to fall asleep easily, remain asleep
throughout the night, and wake up feeling sufficiently rested. However, when a person
repeatedly has difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or wakes up too early and cannot
return to sleep, this condition may indicate insomnia. Poor sleep habits can also contribute to
sleep problems. These habits are known as poor sleep hygiene, which may include irregular
sleep schedules, using electronic devices late at night, consuming stimulating substances
close to bedtime, or having an uncomfortable sleeping environment. If these habits continue
over time, they can interfere with sleep quality and may increase the severity of insomnia,
resulting in daytime fatigue, difficulty concentrating, mood changes, and reduced ability to
carry out daily activities.
The causes of insomnia are not limited to a single factor. Daily habits and lifestyle can
play an important role in the development of sleep problems. An irregular sleep schedule,
staying awake late at night, using electronic devices before bedtime, worrying or thinking
about important matters while in bed, and an uncomfortable sleeping environment can
interfere with a person's ability to obtain good quality sleep. Among college students,
research has found that improper sleep scheduling, behaviors that increase alertness near
bedtime, and uncomfortable sleeping environments are associated with greater insomnia
severity. In particular, improper sleep scheduling remained significantly associated with
insomnia severity even after other risk factors were considered.
Other factors that may contribute to poor sleep hygiene include excessive caffeine
consumption, irregular exercise habits, daytime naps, exposure to light at night, noise,
uncomfortable room temperatures, stress, and the absence of a relaxing bedtime routine.
Sleep hygiene generally involves behavioral and environmental factors that can influence
sleep, although the specific components may vary between individuals and studies. A recent
bibliographic review identified sleep timing, caffeine, exercise, light exposure, napping,
noise, temperature, stress, and wind-down routines among the most commonly discussed
components of sleep hygiene. Therefore, maintaining a regular sleep schedule and creating a
supportive sleeping environment are important parts of developing healthier sleep habits.
Insomnia does not always appear suddenly. In many cases, it can develop as a result
of everyday routines that gradually disturb a person's sleeping pattern. Staying awake late to
complete assignments, using social media, watching videos, or engaging in other activities
can cause bedtime to be postponed repeatedly. Over time, this can make it harder for the body
to maintain a consistent sleep rhythm. College students may be particularly vulnerable
because academic demands and personal responsibilities can affect their sleeping routines.
Habits such as having an inconsistent bedtime or lying awake while thinking about academic
and personal concerns may further interfere with the ability to achieve restful sleep.
“Sometimes the problem is not that we do not have enough time to sleep, but that our daily
habits slowly take that time away.”
Insomnia can be identified through an assessment of a person's sleep patterns, daily
habits, and difficulties experienced during sleep. Healthcare professionals may ask about
bedtime, wake-up time, difficulty falling or staying asleep, daytime fatigue, and other factors
that may affect sleep quality. In some cases, sleep diaries or standardized questionnaires may
also be used to help assess the severity of insomnia. Identifying the underlying factors is
important because sleep problems may be related to irregular schedules, stress, electronic
device use, an uncomfortable sleeping environment, or other conditions that affect sleep.
Insomnia can often be managed by improving sleep habits and addressing factors that
interfere with sleep. One important approach is practicing good sleep hygiene, such as
maintaining a consistent bedtime and wake up schedule, creating a comfortable and quiet
sleeping environment, and avoiding activities that make the mind overly alert before bedtime.
Research among college students found that improper sleep scheduling was associated with
greater insomnia severity, showing the importance of maintaining a regular sleep pattern.
Lifestyle changes also play an important role in improving sleep quality. Individuals
can gradually establish a regular sleep routine, limit unnecessary activities late at night, and
create enough time to relax before going to bed. Students can also manage their academic
schedules more effectively to avoid repeatedly staying awake until very late at night.
Reducing excessive use of smartphones and other electronic devices before bedtime may also
help create a better environment for sleep.
Prevention is an important step in maintaining healthy sleep. Developing regular
sleeping habits, creating a comfortable sleeping environment, managing stress, limiting
stimulating activities before bedtime, and getting enough time for rest can help reduce the
risk of sleep problems. Sleep hygiene education may also be useful as part of insomnia
management. A 2025 systematic review and meta analysis involving 42 randomized
controlled trials and 4,245 adults found that sleep hygiene education was associated with
improvements in insomnia outcomes. However, sleep hygiene education alone may not be
sufficient for everyone, and persistent insomnia may require professional assessment and
other appropriate interventions.
Ultimately, insomnia reminds us that the body needs sufficient time to rest and
recover. Sleep should not always be sacrificed for academic responsibilities, entertainment, or
other daily activities. Small changes in sleeping habits, when practiced consistently, can
contribute to better sleep quality and overall well being. Therefore, understanding and
practicing good sleep hygiene from an early age can be an important investment in
maintaining physical, mental, and academic health.
Good sleep hygiene consists of several simple habits that can help the body and mind
prepare for healthy and restful sleep. Maintaining a consistent sleep and wake-up schedule is
one of the most important habits. Going to bed and waking up at approximately the same
time every day can help establish a more regular sleep pattern. Creating a comfortable, quiet,
and relaxing sleeping environment is also important because excessive noise, light, or an
uncomfortable room can interfere with sleep.
Another important key is reducing activities that increase alertness before bedtime.
Spending too much time using smartphones, watching videos, playing games, or completing
stressful activities late at night may make it more difficult to relax and fall asleep. Instead,
individuals can develop a relaxing bedtime routine that allows the body and mind to
gradually prepare for sleep. Managing caffeine intake, avoiding long or late daytime naps,
and maintaining regular physical activity can also support healthier sleep habits.
For university students, managing academic responsibilities is equally important.
Completing assignments earlier and creating a realistic study schedule can help prevent the
habit of staying awake until very late at night. Sleep should not always be sacrificed for
academic activities because adequate rest is an important part of maintaining concentration,
energy, and overall well-being.
“Taking care of sleep is not only about preventing insomnia, but also about protecting our
health and giving the body and mind the chance to rest, recover, and live a healthier, better-
quality life.”
References
Gellis et al. (2014). Sleep hygiene & insomnia among college students.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25311289/
Lund, H. G., Reider, B. D., Whiting, A. B., & Prichard, J. R. (2010). Sleep patterns and
predictors of disturbed sleep in a large population of college students.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1054139X09002389
Lichstein, K. L., & Morin, C. M. (Eds.). (2000). Treatment of late-life insomnia. SAGE
Publications.
https://books.google.co.id/books?id=-DI5DQAAQBAJ
Irish, L. A., Kline, C. E., Gunn, H. E., Buysse, D. J., & Hall, M. (2015). The role of sleep
hygiene in promoting public health: A review of empirical evidence.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2014.10.001
