Understanding Sleep Cycles and Their Impact on Health

9. Impact of Lifestyle on Sleep

While many think of insomnia or sleep disturbances as a nighttime problem, many times, the culprit is actually a daytime phenomenon. Lifestyle factors, such as stress, alcohol consumption, caffeine intake, and diet, can drastically affect sleep quality. Caffeine inhibits sleep by blocking adenosine, a naturally occurring sleep chemical found in the body. While this is helpful in the early morning hours, research finds that caffeine should be avoided at least six hours before bedtime.