We know from epidemiological studies from millions of individuals that sleep is important for brain activity and general health.
Lack of sleep is fast becoming one of the greatest public health problems in the 21st century.
In this article, you will find a summary of the top tips to get better sleep from the leading sleep researchers, namely Dr. Matthew Walker and Dr. Michael Breus.
Leading sleep researchers provides tips on how to get better sleep
Before we get into the top tips it is probably a good idea to get some background on how sleep works and how it is governed.
You have probably heard of people being called early birds or night owls. These are people with different chronotypes that is linked to their circadian rhythm. Circadian rhythms are the natural physiological cycle of living beings. It regulates your sleep-wake cycle and it can be modulated with light exposure and other factors to an extent.
1. Respect your chronotype
Unfortunately, you can’t forcefully change your chronotype. If you work against your chronotype, you will not only have a tougher time falling asleep, but your quality of sleep will be poor.
Your chronotype governs more than just your sleep and wake times. Your energy levels, vigilance, and focus are also affected. Due to normally scheduled work hours and school times, society caters for the early birds. Night owls are forced to wake up early which disrupts their normal circadian rhythm and influences their quality of sleep.
You will need to adjust your daily routines to respect your chronotype. Here are some tips to help you optimize your schedule:
- Go to sleep at night when you get tired naturally
- The same goes for waking up. Strive to wake up at times when you feel well rested
- Go for a walk during the day when you feel tired. Especially after a big meal
- Schedule intellectually demanding tasks for times during the day when you have the most energy
- Schedule meetings and social interactions during times when you have a reasonable amount of energy
- Take a short 20 min nap or meditate if you are having a hard time staying awake
Example schedule:
7 pm – wake up and exercise
7:30 am – have breakfast
9-10 am – plan your day
10 am – have coffee
10-12 am – work on intellectually demanding tasks
12 pm – eat lunch and take a walk
2:30 to 2:50 pm – take a nap or meditate
3 to 6 pm – Make phone calls and send emails
6 to 7 pm – exercise
7:30 pm – eat dinner
8 to 10 pm – brainstorm
10 pm – turn off all screens
11 pm – go to sleep
2. Aim to get a minimum of 15 minutes of sunlight when you wake up.
Understanding and promoting your circadian rhythm is the key to getting a good nights rest. Light and dark exposure plays a critical role in your circadian rhythm. Therefore, getting lots of sunlight during the day and lots of darkness during the night can increase your quality of sleep.
Dr. Michael Breus stresses the importance of getting at least 15 minutes of sunlight when you wake up in the morning to reset your circadian rhythm and get more energy during the day.
3. Reduce light exposure at least 1 hour before bedtime.
One of the best ways to get better sleep is to defend your last hour. That means that 1 hour before your bedtime you start a routine that is associated with good sleep habits. Switch off your lights at least one hour before going to bed. This will help your body produce melatonin, which is associated with sleep onset.
Also, ensure to stay away from any screens emitting blue light. Including TV, PC and mobile phone screens. These screens emit a blue light that boosts our attention and energy levels while suppressing the release of melatonin. There are some handy free applications available for mobile and pc that automatically filter the blue light of your screen as you near bedtime.
4. Keep it cool
In addition to light, temperature is the other main factor that dictates your circadian rhythm. Before you are able to go to sleep your core body temperature needs to drop 2 to 3 degrees. You might find that it is easier to sleep in a room that is too cold rather than too hot.
A cold room helps you drop your body temperature which initiates sleep and then keeps you cold to sustain it. The average person should aim for a room temperature of 65 degrees Fahrenheit or 18 degrees Celsius.
You can also promote falling asleep by taking a hot bath or a sauna before bedtime. “Wait didn’t you just say that my body needs to cool down before I can go to sleep?” It turns out that even though this will heat you up, your core body temperature will drop rapidly afterward which supports sleep onset. The effects can be amplified if you take a cold shower to cool off after a hot bath or sauna.
5. Keep a constant sleep schedule even during weekends.
You may have found that staying up late during the weekends leaves you tired throughout the week. Keeping a constant sleeping schedule has a significant effect on the quality of your sleep.
You should aim to go to bed and wake up at the same times every day, yes even on weekends. However, sleep researchers have found that the time you wake up is more important than the time you go to bed.
6. Stop caffeine intake at roughly 2 pm.
Caffeine is a stimulant that disrupts sleep. Many studies have proved that caffeine reduces total sleep time and the quality of deep sleep. You should stop using caffeine at roughly 2 pm.
Most people don’t realize that caffeine has a half-life of between 6 to 8 hours. Therefore if you stop at 2 pm at least half of the caffeine will be out of your system by 10 pm.
7. Get at least 20 minutes of exercise.
Daily exercise can have a great effect on your sleep. As little as 20 minutes of exercise a day could improve the quality of your sleep. It doesn’t even have to be an intense workout.
Summary
Sleep is a non-negotiable life necessity. Optimizing your sleep is the key to longevity and healthy, energetic life. Here is a summary of top tips to get better sleep:
- Respect your chronotype by adapting your schedule
- Aim to get a minimum of 15 minutes of sunlight when you wake up
- Reduce light exposure at least 1 hour before bedtime
- Keep it cool. Keep your bedroom temperature at 65 degrees Fahrenheit or 18 degrees Celsius
- Keep a constant sleep schedule even during weekends
- Stop caffeine intake at approximately 2 pm
- Get at least 20 minutes of exercise
If you are interested in further reading on sleep check out leading sleep researcher Dr. Matthew Walkers book: Why We Sleep as well as multiple books about sleep from Dr. Michael Breus.
Information gathered and compiled from:
Dr. Matthew Walker: Why We Sleep
Dr. Michael Breus: Multiple books
