21/07/2026
Sleep myths: true or false? 🌙
We hate to break it to you, but your weekend lie in isn’t paying off your sleep debt, that nightcap isn’t actually helping you sleep, and falling asleep in two minutes isn’t the flex you think it is!
Swipe through 5 things almost everyone believes about sleep, fact checked against the research.
Which one surprises you the most? Tell us below and save this for the next time someone hands out sleep advice!
Myth 1: you can catch up on sleep over the weekend 😴
FALSE.
Sleeping in on Saturday doesn’t erase a week of short nights. Weekend recovery sleep doesn’t fully reverse the metabolic and cognitive effects of sleep loss, and shifting your schedule creates “social jet lag” that throws off your body clock, making Monday mornings even harder.
Source: Kim et al., “Different Effects of Social Jetlag and Weekend Catch-Up Sleep on Well-Being of Adolescents,” PMC, 2022
Myth 2: everyone needs exactly 8 hours of sleep 🕚
FALSE.
Eight hours is an average, not a rule. The National Sleep Foundation recommends a range of 7 to 9 hours for adults, and your personal need depends on genetics, age, and health. What matters more than the number is how rested and alert you feel the next day.
Source: Hirshkowitz et al., “National Sleep Foundation’s Sleep Time Duration Recommendations,” Sleep Health, 2015
Myth 3: a drink before bed helps you sleep better 🍷
FALSE.
Alcohol can make you fall asleep faster, but it fragments sleep in the second half of the night and suppresses REM sleep, the stage tied to memory and emotional processing. Net result: more wake ups and less restorative sleep, even if it felt like it helped.
Source: Ebrahim et al., “Alcohol and Sleep I: Effects on Normal Sleep,” Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 2013
Myth 4: falling asleep in under 5 minutes means you’re a great sleeper 💀
FALSE.
Healthy sleep onset typically takes about 10 to 20 minutes. Falling asleep almost instantly is more often a sign of sleep deprivation, your body is so short on sleep it shuts down fast, not a marker of great sleep quality.
Source: Sleep Foundation, “How Sleep Latency Impacts the Quality of Your Sleep”
Myth: snoring is al
