Why Checking the Clock at Night Keeps You Awake (and What to Do Instead)

It takes one second. You roll over, glance at the clock or tap the phone, and see 2:47. Then the second minute starts: "If I fall asleep now I get four hours. Tomorrow is going to be awful." That little glance is one of the most reliable ways to stay awake.

This article explains what the research shows about clock watching, why it works against you, how to break the habit, and what to do with your attention instead.

Does checking the clock at night keep you awake?

Yes, it appears to. Researchers tested this directly in two experiments. In the first, 30 good sleepers and 30 poor sleepers were told either to watch a clock or not while trying to fall asleep. The clock watchers reported more worry before sleep and took longer to fall asleep, and this was true for good sleepers as well as poor ones (Tang et al., 2007).

In the second experiment, 38 people with insomnia watched either a clock or a neutral display. Watching the clock was rated as more worrying and more sleep-interfering, and those who watched it took longer to fall asleep than on their usual night (Tang et al., 2007). The researchers concluded that clock monitoring is one of the things that keeps insomnia going.

Why the clock is such a problem

Time at night is loaded with meaning. Seeing it starts a chain: calculating hours left, predicting how tired you will be, worrying about tomorrow, and noticing that you are not asleep yet. Each link wakes the alert system a little more.

Phones add a second problem. The screen is bright, and once it is in your hand, it is easy to see a message or a headline. Evening use of a light-emitting device delayed sleep and reduced melatonin compared with reading a printed book (Chang et al., 2015). A quick time check can become ten minutes of light and content.

How to break the clock-checking habit

1. Turn every clock away from the bed. Set the alarm first, then face it to the wall.
2. Put the phone across the room. Do not disturb on, face down, out of reach. If you must keep it near, place it in a drawer.
3. Decide in advance what you will do instead. For example: "When I wake, I will do five minutes of slow breathing."
4. When the urge to check comes, breathe instead. In for 4 seconds, out for 6, for about 5 minutes.
5. Trust your alarm. It is the clock's only job at night. If it has not rung, it is not time to get up.
6. If you are awake and frustrated, get up by feel. Go somewhere dim and calm, and return when sleepy.
7. Expect the urge for a week or two. Habits fade with repetition. It usually gets easier.

What to do with your attention instead

Clock checking is often a way of filling the silence. Replacing it with something calm works better than simply resisting. Three options:

• A slow breath. Five minutes of 4 in and 6 out gives you a rhythm to follow.
• An engaging picture. In a study of 41 people with insomnia, those trained to imagine an interesting, calm scene in detail fell asleep faster than those given no instructions (Harvey & Payne, 2002).
• Body weight. Notice where your body touches the mattress, one area at a time, letting each one feel heavier.

Setting up a clock-free bedroom

A few small changes make the habit easier to keep, because the easiest temptation to resist is the one you cannot see.

• Choose an alarm that does not show the time all night. Many bedside clocks can dim fully or switch off the display. A simple wind-up alarm facing the wall works too.
• Charge the phone outside the bedroom if you can, and use a separate alarm. If you cannot, use a drawer or a shelf across the room.
• Cover small glowing lights. Standby lights on chargers and TVs can draw your eye and remind you of the time.
• Tell your partner. If they check the time at night, ask them not to announce it.

What to tell yourself when you wake

The words you use in the dark matter. Instead of "What time is it? How long do I have left?", try a short, calm script: "It is night. My alarm will wake me. My only job is to rest." Then begin the slow breath. Resting quietly with your eyes closed is not wasted time. It is still restful, and sleep often returns while you are not chasing it.

What the research shows

• 30 good and 30 poor sleepers: clock watching raised pre-sleep worry and lengthened time to fall asleep in both groups (Tang et al., 2007).
• 38 people with insomnia: clock watching was more worrying than a neutral display and delayed sleep compared with baseline (Tang et al., 2007).
• Light-emitting eReader in the evening vs printed book: later sleep, less melatonin, lower next-morning alertness (Chang et al., 2015).
• 41 people with insomnia: imagery distraction shortened time to fall asleep (Harvey & Payne, 2002).

The takeaway: clock watching is a small habit with a real cost. The studies are small and mostly short term, but the change is free and easy to try.

Common mistakes

• Smart watches with always-on faces. Turn off the display at night or take the watch off.
• Using the phone light to check. Even a few seconds of screen can invite more scrolling.
• Checking "to see if it is morning yet". The alarm will tell you.
• Swapping the clock for a sleep tracker app. Looking at sleep scores at night creates the same worry.

Who should be careful

• People who need to take medication at a set time at night: use an alarm rather than repeated checking.
• Parents and carers on call: keep the phone on with alerts for the people who matter, but face down and out of reach.
• People with insomnia on most nights for months: these habits help, but cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia is the recommended treatment.
• People who snore loudly, wake gasping or are very sleepy in the day: see a doctor about possible sleep apnea.
• Anyone who feels dizzy during breathing: stop and breathe normally.