It can be more stimulating than relaxing.
The gist:
Reading in bed can be relaxing, but the practice may actually make it harder for you to fall asleep, says Josh Grill, Ph.D., associate professor of psychiatry and human behavior at the University of California-Irvine School of Medicine.
Expert insight:
If you do anything other than sleep in bed, your brain will associate the space with activity rather than rest over time, says Equinox Health Advisory Board member Jennifer Martin, Ph.D., an associate professor of medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles.
This could make sleep harder to come by, especially if you're consuming a mystery novel or other suspenseful page-turner, she explains. Instead, opt for a book you've read before or a lighthearted piece of fiction. As always, avoid reading on screens at night (with the exception of backlit devices), she says.
The takeaway:
Cap in-bed reading at 10 or 15 minutes, which is short enough to prevent sleep issues. If you plan to go any longer than that, do so in a different room.