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New research reveals the unhealthy habit costing West Aussies a good night’s sleep

West Australians might be switching off the lights but not their screens, with a new survey revealing more than half of us doomscroll before bed. A survey of more than 1000 Australians, conducted by insurance comparison site iSelect, revealed the State’s unhealthiest sleep habits and how these impact people’s health. Screen time Being on your phone before bed has become a pretty standard part of winding down at night, no matter where you live, but WA had the highest rates of doomscrolling in the country. Screen time was the biggest culprit when it came to poor sleep habits with more than 54 per cent of West Australians scrolling on their phones in bed before sleeping. Close to 44 per cent also watched a show or played video games in bed. Even if not for entertainment, almost one in four people checked work emails or messages before bed, showing how hard it can be to switch off at night. More than 14 per cent of respondents even checked their phone if they woke up during the night. iSelect health general manager Andres Guiterrez said being on your phone, playing video games, or watching TV before bed can make it harder to fall asleep. “The survey tells us that West Australians are glued to their phones at night,” he said. “In addition, 44 per cent said they watch TV or play video games in bed before going to sleep. “Engaging in overstimulating activities like these before bedtime can keep the mind active and make it harder to properly wind down.” Summer Donato is among the majority of West Australians who scroll on their phone before bedtime. The 21-year-old said she does it as a way to relax after a long day. “When I get into bed I usually just go on my phone for a while before actually trying to sleep,” she said. “Most nights I’ll scroll through social media, watch TikToks, or reply to messages for probably an hour. “I think I do it mostly because it feels like my time to relax after the day, especially after a long day at work, even though I know it’s probably not the best habit.” She said being on her phone definitely impacted her sleep. “It can make it harder to properly switch off, and sometimes I struggle to fall asleep because I’ve stayed up longer than I planned,” Ms Donato said. Overthinking It’s not just night time phone use keeping those in WA awake, with the State being among the highest for overthinking while trying to sleep. Almost 44 per cent admitted to stressing in bed. “This was the highest figure recorded in the survey, with all other states reporting between 34 and 39 per cent,” Mr Guiterrez said. Drinking caffeine Drinking too much caffeine can mess with your sleep and more than 15 per cent of West Australians admitted to drinking three or more drinks with caffeine in it a day. The same amount of people said they drank caffeine or energy drinks within four hours of going to bed. How bad habits impact sleep Other bad habits included 23 per cent delaying bedtime to have more time to themselves, 17 per cent being reliant on background noise to fall asleep, more than 15 per cent napping for long periods during the day as well as the same amount of people eating a heavy meal within two hours of going to bed. Almost 10 per cent of respondents also hit snooze multiple times in the morning and more than 14 per cent didn’t have a consistent sleep routine. Mr Gutierrez warned all of these bad habits could lead to fatigue, struggling to fall asleep, and not enough sleep. Over a third in WA say they feel tired most days — the highest daytime fatigue rate reported in the country. One in four reported difficulty drifting off at night, suggesting racing thoughts, stress or screen use may be getting in the way of switching off. Struggling to fall asleep is highest in gen Z, a group that also reports the highest rates of screen-based habits. More than 16 per cent of West Australians also get less than six hours of sleep per night, raisings concerns about impacts on mood, focus and overall health. Women also report worse sleep across every measure. “Our research highlights that many Australians have multiple habits that could be slowly impacting their sleep quality,” Mr Gutierrez said. “Whether it’s scrolling on your phone, going to bed stressed, or not sticking to a bedtime routine, these small choices can add up. “Over time, poor sleep can be linked to a range of health issues.” Sleep tips Here are some tips to get out of bad bedtime habits and improve your sleep quality. Mental health organisation Beyond Blue recommends regular physical activity as being active can help tire your body to prepare it for sleep. Phone lights are designed to trigger hormones in your brain that keep you alert, as can engaging online content. To avoid this, turn your phone on ‘do not disturb’ for at least 30 minutes before going to sleep. Reducing caffeine and smoking before bed can help as these stimulants can keep your body and mind alert up to seven hours after they’re consumed. It is also suggested to reduce alcohol intake as it can send you to sleep faster but reduces the quality of sleep. Sun exposure in the morning and dim lights in the evening can help align your body clock to the right sleep cycle as well as keeping your bedroom quiet, dark and cool. Allowing one to two hours before bed to unwind by doing a calming activity is also helpful as well as being consistent with a bedtime. If you find you’re overthinking, it may help to write down the thoughts you’re experiencing to get them out of your head. Make a time to revisit them the next day so you know they will be dealt with but not when you’re trying to sleep.

The West Australian exclusiveNew research reveals the unhealthy habit costing West Aussies a good night’s sleep

exclusive
New research reveals the unhealthy habit costing West Aussies a good night’s sleep