Last Tuesday night, I found myself lying in bed at 11 PM, staring at the ceiling while Matt snored softly beside me.
My mind was racing through tomorrow’s to-do list, replaying a tense moment with Ellie earlier, worrying about whether Milo’s cough was getting worse. The silence felt heavy, almost suffocating.
Without thinking, I reached for the remote.
Within minutes of turning on a familiar cooking show—volume low, just background murmur—I felt my shoulders relax. My breathing slowed. That anxious hum in my chest quieted down. Twenty minutes later, I was asleep.
If you’re nodding along right now, you’re definitely not alone. Turns out, needing the TV on to fall asleep isn’t just a quirky habit—it’s actually linked to some pretty specific psychological patterns.
And after digging into the research, I realized my late-night remote-reaching says more about how my brain works than I thought.
1) They struggle with silence
Here’s the thing about silence: for some people, it’s peaceful. For others, it’s loud.
I never understood this until I tried sleeping without any noise one night. Matt was traveling, the kids were asleep, and the house was completely quiet. Instead of drifting off peacefully, I became hyper-aware of every tiny sound—the refrigerator humming downstairs, a car passing outside, the house settling.
Research from sleep medicine specialists shows that people who need background noise often find that silence amplifies their awareness of random environmental sounds. Every unexpected creak or distant noise becomes startling rather than ignorable.
The TV creates a consistent auditory blanket that masks those unpredictable sounds. It’s not about drowning things out—it’s about giving your brain something steady to focus on instead of scanning for potential threats in the quiet.
2) They’re often night owls fighting their natural rhythm
I’ve never been a morning person. Even as a kid, I’d be reading under my covers with a flashlight while my siblings were fast asleep.
Now as a mom trying to function on a “normal” schedule, I’ve noticed something: my brain doesn’t naturally want to shut down at 10 PM. It wants to keep going, thinking, processing.
Psychologists note that many people who need the TV on to sleep are inherently night owls whose circadian rhythms are naturally inclined to stay awake later. Having a device on helps them transition from their active state to a more relaxed one.
The gradual shift in audio-visual content signals to the brain that it’s time to wind down—a compromise between natural tendencies and societal expectations about when we “should” be sleeping.
3) They use distraction to manage anxiety
Last month, I had a particularly stressful week. Work deadlines piling up, Milo fighting a cold, tension with my mom about our parenting choices. Every night when I’d lie down, my brain would immediately start catastrophizing.
What if I can’t finish the article on time? What if Milo’s cough is something serious? Why can’t my mom just trust my decisions?
The TV became my lifeline.
Clinical psychologist Jenna Carl explains that background noise can be used to distract from or avoid unpleasant emotions and thoughts. When you’re lying awake with racing thoughts, having something else to focus on—even passively—can break that anxious cycle.
It’s not necessarily about avoiding feelings forever. Sometimes it’s just about creating enough mental space to actually fall asleep instead of lying there spiraling for hours.
4) They learned this pattern in childhood
Ellie recently told me she can’t sleep without her white noise machine. At five years old, she’s already formed an association between that sound and bedtime.
Made me think about my own childhood.
I grew up in a small house with two siblings, and there was always noise—TV in the living room, my brother’s music, conversations drifting through thin walls. Complete silence meant something was wrong, or everyone was mad at each other.
Sleep researchers have found that children become accustomed to certain conditions when falling asleep, and these learned behaviors often continue into adulthood. If you grew up in a noisy household, silence doesn’t feel safe or normal—it feels abandoned or eerily wrong.
Your brain learned early on: noise equals security equals sleep. And that pattern sticks.
5) They’re highly sensitive to their environment
Matt can fall asleep anywhere—on the couch, in a chair, even sitting upright on a long car ride. Meanwhile, if the temperature is slightly off or there’s a weird smell or the sheets feel scratchy, I’m awake for hours.
Turns out this sensitivity extends to sound, too.
Studies on Sensory Processing Sensitivity show that highly sensitive people report poorer sleep and more insomnia symptoms. For these individuals, ordinary background sounds feel intense, and nighttime silence can amplify every tiny noise.
A gentle audio blanket—like TV at low volume—gives the sensitive nervous system something neutral to latch onto. It’s less about creating noise and more about creating consistency so your brain can stop analyzing every little sound.
6) They crave routine and predictability
Every night, I follow basically the same pattern: clean up the kitchen, check on the kids, wash my face, climb into bed, turn on the TV to the same cooking channel.
There’s comfort in that predictability.
People who use TV as a sleep aid usually thrive on routines. We find solace in knowing what’s coming next, and this predictability helps us relax. The familiar theme songs, well-loved characters, and predictable plotlines create a sense of comfort that signals to our brains: it’s safe to let go now.
When I worked as a kindergarten teacher, I saw this same principle with kids. The ones who struggled most at naptime were the ones whose routines kept changing. Consistency creates security, especially when you’re trying to transition from alertness to vulnerability.
7) They feel comforted by perceived companionship
Here’s something I’m not proud to admit: sometimes when Matt’s away, I feel genuinely anxious about sleeping alone in our room.
It’s not that I’m afraid of intruders or anything specific. It’s just that the emptiness feels overwhelming. The silence amplifies the aloneness.
Turning on the TV changes everything. Those voices fill the room, making it seem less empty. It’s almost like having someone there sharing the stillness of the night.
The TV doesn’t judge, doesn’t demand conversation—it just provides a soothing presence. Before we label this behavior as “odd,” remember that everyone has their own way of coping with loneliness. For some of us, that might mean falling asleep to the sound of our favorite show.
This isn’t about dependency on technology. It’s about finding comfort during vulnerable moments when we’re alone with our thoughts in the dark.
8) They process information differently
One thing I’ve noticed about myself: I actually think more clearly when there’s some background noise. Complete silence makes my thoughts feel scattered and anxious.
Apparently, this is linked to how our brains process information.
Some people are visual or auditory learners who find steady background noise actually helps them relax and focus. Their brains work better with a certain level of ambient stimulation rather than none at all.
It’s why I can write articles at the coffee shop but struggle in a completely quiet library. And it’s why, at night, having that low hum of TV dialogue helps my brain finally stop analyzing and start winding down.
Conclusion: understanding your sleep needs
The truth is, there’s no single “right” way to sleep. Some people need silence and darkness. Others need weighted blankets and white noise machines. And some of us need the gentle glow and murmur of late-night television.
What matters is understanding why you need what you need, and honoring that without judgment.
These days, I’m more intentional about my sleep environment. I keep the volume low, set a sleep timer so it’s not on all night, and I try to choose calming content rather than anything too stimulating. But I’ve stopped feeling guilty about needing it in the first place.
Because at the end of the day—or really, at the end of the night—good sleep is about feeling safe and comfortable. And if the TV helps you achieve that, then it’s serving its purpose.
Your sleep habits don’t define you. They’re just one small part of how your unique brain and body navigate this world. And honestly? That’s something worth embracing.
