Adults over 25 should aim for 7 to 9 hours of sleep, as virtually no one can function without impairment on less than seven hours.
Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, including weekends, to avoid ‘social jet lag,’ which tortures your biology and has health consequences, while regularity anchors and improves sleep quality.
Stop working an hour before bed and engage in relaxing activities like reading or watching light television to prevent a ‘fizzing mind’ and reduce anxiety that can disrupt sleep.
Avoid screens (phones, tablets) for at least an hour before bed and dim overhead lights in your house to signal to your brain that it’s nighttime, promoting melatonin release for sleep.
Set your bedroom temperature to around 67°F (18°C) or use a fan/open a window, because your brain and body need to drop their core temperature to fall and stay asleep.
Do not consume alcohol in the evening, as it’s a sedative, not a sleep aid; it fragments sleep, blocks dream (REM) sleep, and leaves you feeling unrefreshed, even a single glass can have an impact.
Be mindful of caffeine intake, cutting it off 12-14 hours before bed, as its long half-life means a significant amount remains in your system, disrupting sleep even from midday consumption.
Treat your bedroom like a cave—dark, cold, and free of technology—to optimize it for sleep and avoid associating it with active cognitive engagement.
Incorporate meditation into your routine, especially if stressed or anxious, as it can significantly help you fall asleep faster by balancing your nervous system and reducing stress hormones like cortisol.
If you can’t fall asleep within 15-20 minutes, get out of bed and go to another room to read or meditate in dim light until you feel sleepy, to prevent your brain from associating the bed with wakefulness.
For chronic insomnia, seek Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBTI) as the first-line treatment, as it’s as effective as sleeping pills in the short term and provides long-lasting benefits without the negative side effects.
If you or a partner notice snoring, consult a doctor as it’s a serious and underdiagnosed sleep disorder. You can also use snoring apps or the STOP-BANG questionnaire online to assess your risk.
If partner disruption affects your sleep, consider a ‘sleep divorce’ (sleeping in separate rooms) to improve sleep quality, which can enhance intimacy and relationship stability, while maintaining connection through goodnight/good morning rituals.
Avoid prescription sleeping pills (sedative hypnotics) as they induce sedation, not naturalistic sleep, and are associated with increased mortality risk, cancer, and impaired memory consolidation.
Maximize exposure to natural daylight during the day for both adults and children, as strong light signals promote wakefulness and help regulate circadian rhythms for better sleep at night.
If you struggle with sleep at night, avoid napping during the day to allow healthy sleepiness (adenosine) to build up, giving you the best chance to fall asleep at bedtime.
Have a hot bath or shower before bed, as it brings blood to the skin surface, allowing your body to rapidly release heat and lower its core temperature, which aids sleep.
If reading before bed, opt for a physical book under dim light instead of an e-reader or tablet, as e-readers can delay melatonin release and reduce dream sleep. If using an e-reader, use reverse mode (black background, white text).
If you have a late night, still wake up at your regular time the next morning to prevent drifting into a later sleep schedule, even if it means a short night and a rough day.
When traveling, immediately set your clocks to the destination time zone and plan your sleep on the plane according to that new time to help your body adjust and reduce jet lag.
Refrain from consuming alcohol and caffeine during flights, especially long-haul, as they are enemies of sleep and will hinder your adjustment to a new time zone.
If using melatonin for jet lag, take 0.5 to 3 milligrams, as higher doses can suppress your body’s natural production; it’s most effective for all ages when traveling to a new time zone in the first few days.
If your mind is racing with unprocessed thoughts or anxiety before bed, sit in a chair (preferably outside the bedroom) and do a 10-minute meditation to quiet your mind.
Dim or remove half of the light bulbs in your bathroom, as it’s often the last point of contact before the bedroom, and bright light can disrupt melatonin production.
If frequent bathroom breaks disrupt sleep, try reducing the volume of evening fluids while maintaining the number of glasses to psychologically trick your brain and decrease nighttime urination.
If experiencing bodily restlessness in bed, try reading a (preferably boring) book to shift your focus from physical sensations to mental engagement, which can help induce sleep.
If you spend ample time in bed but have low sleep efficiency, paradoxically, try constraining your time in bed (e.g., 7.5 hours instead of 8) to train your brain to sleep more efficiently during the allotted period.
If you suspect a sleep disorder (like sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, or chronic insomnia), undergo a sleep study for diagnosis, as it helps clinicians identify underlying issues even if you don’t sleep perfectly in the lab.
For concerns like snoring or sleep apnea, ask your doctor about at-home diagnostic sleep tests, which offer a more convenient way to identify potential sleep disorders without a lab visit.
When choosing a sleep tracker, prioritize comfort and non-intrusiveness (like a ring) to ensure consistent, long-term use, as regular tracking is essential for meaningful data.
Recognize that morning grogginess (sleep inertia) is normal, as your prefrontal cortex is the last part of the brain to fully come online; allow yourself time to warm up before engaging in demanding tasks.
If you consistently feel unrefreshed despite sufficient sleep, assess your natural chronotype (morning vs. evening person) and try to align your sleep schedule with your biological preference for better sleep quality.
If you are a night shift worker, minimize the frequency of flipping between day and night shifts, as constant changes are the worst for your health; instead, try to stay on a night shift for longer periods before switching.
For sleep-deprived parents, coordinate with a partner based on chronotype (early vs. late shift) to maximize sleep, and prioritize getting sleep whenever possible, even through daytime naps, to combat chronic restriction.
For children, establish a regular bedtime to promote better sleep, as consistency in sleep-wake rhythms is critical for their sleep quality, similar to adults.
Remove toys from children’s bedrooms to help their minds associate the space solely with sleep, preventing stimulating triggers from associating the bedroom with playtime.
Students should prioritize sleep quality and quantity, especially in the weeks leading up to exams, as it can account for up to 25% of their academic success.
While more research is needed, CBD (non-psychoactive marijuana) shows interesting potential for aiding sleep without disrupting REM sleep or leading to tolerance, unlike THC.
Avoid using THC (psychoactive marijuana) as a sleep aid because it disrupts REM sleep, leads to tolerance, and can cause rebound insomnia when discontinued.
To determine if you’re getting enough sleep, observe if you would sleep past your normal alarm time if it didn’t go off; if so, you’re likely not getting sufficient sleep.
When sharing sleep advice, explain the scientific reasons and mechanisms behind the recommendations, as people are more likely to connect with and adopt habits when they understand the ‘why.’
To prevent falling asleep during meditation, sit up straighter and focus more on your activating in-breath to bring energy into your body, rather than the calming out-breath.
Engage with your meditation practice with active interest and curiosity, focusing on the breath or other sensations, to bring more energy and prevent drifting off to sleep.
Reconnect with your underlying purpose or motivation for meditating, as a strong sense of purpose can bring energy and help you stay awake and engaged during practice.
Strive for balance in meditation by allowing yourself to be nourished by ease and tranquility, but also cultivating wakeful alertness to foster understanding and clarity, rather than consistently drifting to sleep.
If you experience vivid dreams, take time to reflect on their emotional tone, memorable images, or words upon waking, as this can reveal insights into your psyche’s processing and communication.