This Big Myth Is Preventing You From Getting the Best Sleep of Your Life

Statistically, one of the most searched topics on the internet by people is sleep. Many people are finding it increasingly difficult to fall asleep or get quality sleep, and according to a sleep expert from the University of Oxford, there's a lesser-known reason for this problem: a very common and destructive myth.

According to Vladyslav Vyazovskiy, one of the biggest myths about sleep is that the more you try to improve it, the more you make it worse.

Asked what his biggest tip for getting a good night's sleep would be, Vyazovskiy didn't mention a bedtime routine or tech gadgets. Instead, he said, "Don't worry if you can't sleep. The more you worry, the worse you sleep."

He also warned about the use of devices that measure sleep: "Most are not accurate and can provide incorrect information, which creates false ideas about how well you are sleeping."

Sleep cannot be controlled. 

The expert says we can't "master" sleep and trying to control it does more harm than good. This view is supported by sleep coach Camilla Stoddart, who in an article for The Guardian compared sleep to a Chinese finger trap: the harder you try, the less successful you are.

Do you wake up at night? Don't fight it – do something that entertains you

Focus on a regular bedtime and wake-up routine. And if you wake up in the night, do something that pleases you: listen to a funny podcast, watch old family videos, or play a mobile game.

The biggest sleep myth: more effort = more sleep

In every other area of ??life, effort pays off. But when it comes to sleep, it's the opposite. Yes, follow healthy advice like avoiding caffeine in the evening and creating a quiet environment, but you can't force sleep to come through force or technology.

In this case, the fastest path to success is to take it easy.

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_{Source: Inc.}