Recognize Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBTI) as the gold standard treatment, as it reliably targets the underlying problem of conditioned arousal and is effective even with co-existing conditions like chronic pain or sleep apnea.
Learn to surrender control over sleep, especially when experiencing performance anxiety about not sleeping, because trying harder to sleep (effort) adds energy to the system and makes it more difficult to fall asleep.
Implement stimulus control by strictly associating your bed with sleep (and sex), avoiding other activities like scrolling on your phone, working, or ruminating in bed, to strengthen the predictable link between bed and sleep.
If you wake up in the middle of the night and cannot fall back asleep within a few minutes, get out of bed to break the negative association and prevent stress from escalating, returning only when you feel ready to sleep.
Practice ‘restriction of time in bed’ by initially limiting your time in bed to the actual amount of sleep you’re getting, then gradually increasing it as your sleep efficiency improves, to build natural sleep pressure.
Get 15-30 minutes of bright outdoor light exposure (e.g., a morning walk/run) early in the morning to set your circadian clock, strengthen your daytime rhythm, and inoculate yourself against the negative effects of light exposure at night.
Plan your sleep schedule by working backward from your desired wake-up time, considering how much sleep you need, the time required to wind down, and any morning activities, to ensure you budget sufficient time for sleep and preparation.
Consider getting tested for sleep apnea if you frequently wake up suddenly for no reason, can’t get back to sleep, or feel like you can’t get enough quality sleep despite adequate time, as it’s surprisingly common and home tests are readily available.
Prioritize addressing daytime sleepiness and insomnia, as these are stronger predictors of injury (e.g., concussions in athletes) than just sleep duration, indicating impaired focus and decision-making.
Practice ‘sleep banking’ by consistently getting sufficient quality sleep for a week or two leading up to high-stakes events (e.g., competitions), as this builds resilience and minimizes the negative impact of one or two nights of poor sleep.
‘Bubble wrap’ your sleep by using simple tools like a cloth eye mask and earplugs to insulate yourself from minor environmental disturbances, which can consolidate sleep (especially deeper sleep) and lead to improved cognitive performance.
Dedicate at least 30 minutes before bed to a ‘wind down’ routine, dimming lights (preferably to orange tones) and metaphorically detaching from mentally activating tasks to allow your body and mind to slow down.
When using your phone before bed, do so outside of bed, or if in the bedroom, stand or sit upright (not lying down) to maintain awareness of your body’s sleep signals and avoid associating the bed with wakefulness.
Curate your pre-bed media consumption by choosing content that is not mentally activating and that you can easily disengage from if an ‘alarm’ went off, avoiding anything that makes you want to continue for ‘five more minutes’.
Use melatonin strategically: a 0.3-0.5 mg dose 5 hours before bedtime can shift your clock earlier, while the same dose in the morning can delay it. Be aware that over-the-counter doses (e.g., 5mg) are often higher than labeled due to manufacturing practices, so if you feel groggy, reduce your dose.
Limit alcohol consumption before bed, as while it may induce faster initial sleep, its rapid metabolism often leads to rebound activation and awakenings later in the night, disrupting overall sleep quality.
Avoid late-night eating, especially calorie-dense or highly palatable foods, as it often stems from emotional reasons or being awake past your body’s natural sleep time, and can disrupt metabolic processes and sleep quality.
Stop consuming caffeine at least four to six hours before your intended bedtime to avoid it interfering with your ability to settle down and fall asleep.
Wait at least an hour after waking before consuming caffeine, as your adenosine levels are lowest in the morning and your natural sleep inertia will dissipate, allowing you to leverage caffeine’s effects more effectively when adenosine has accumulated.
Avoid using THC for long-term sleep aid, as its sleep-promoting effects fade, it can suppress REM sleep, and discontinuing use often leads to insomnia rebound and vivid, unpleasant dreams.
Avoid using melatonin to treat insomnia, as it is generally ineffective for conditioned arousal where the body already recognizes it’s nighttime but cannot sleep due to stress.
Largely ignore ‘sleep scores,’ ‘sleep quality,’ ‘readiness,’ or ‘recovery’ metrics from wearables, as they are often non-transparent, not scientifically vetted, and may not provide actionable or reliable information.
Avoid ‘orthosomnia’ by not obsessing over wearable sleep data, as fixating on imperfect metrics can create performance anxiety, worsen sleep, and lead to insomnia. Remember that sleep doesn’t need to be perfect to be perfectly fine.
Trust wearable device data primarily for tracking sleep versus wake times and heart rate, as these metrics are captured with high accuracy and have robust algorithms.
Interpret wearable sleep stage data with caution, understanding it’s a ballpark estimate (60-80% accurate) and not a precise measure; a low reading for deep sleep doesn’t necessarily mean you’re not getting enough, but rather that the algorithm may not be picking it up perfectly.
When using wearable data, focus on long-term trends (weekly or monthly) rather than obsessing over single-night readings, as trends provide more meaningful insights into your sleep patterns.
Use wearable data to identify discrepancies between your perceived sleep and recorded sleep, or to spot anomalies like unusual heart rate fluctuations or misplaced sleep stages, which can signal underlying issues like sleep apnea, pain, or environmental disturbances.
If your wearable shows a consistently high or rising heart rate during the night, investigate potential causes such as late-day caffeine/alcohol, medication timing, pain/inflammation, an uncomfortable mattress, or lack of pre-bed relaxation, and address them accordingly (e.g., breathing exercises, temperature modulation).
If you frequently urinate at night, first investigate underlying causes like untreated sleep apnea. If no medical cause, try to fall back asleep without going to the bathroom, as you might be conditioned to urinate during natural awakenings.
Improve overall sleep quality by focusing on daytime habits: get regular physical activity and bright light exposure, eat a healthy diet (especially avoiding late-night unhealthy eating), and work to reduce systemic inflammation in your body.
If your bed partner’s sleep issues (e.g., snoring, movement) are disrupting your sleep quality, encourage them to get tested and treated, or consider practical solutions like separate blankets or even separate mattresses pushed together to minimize disturbance.
Assess if you’re getting enough sleep by observing your daytime alertness: if you can’t stay conscious in a quiet, dark room for 20 minutes, or if you fall asleep immediately when your head hits the pillow, you likely need more or better quality sleep.
If you are a younger adult or athlete, gradually extend your sleep duration by 15-minute increments (e.g., by going to bed earlier) to potentially improve physical performance, strength, and mental sharpness.
Engage in reading physical books before bed, as it’s a self-paced activity that helps you connect with your body’s sleep signals without overstimulation, allowing you to recognize when you’re truly ready for sleep.
Consider magnesium and glycine supplements to help promote sleep, as both have shown evidence of aiding in falling asleep and staying asleep better.
If you primarily need calming and relaxation to prepare for sleep (and don’t have insomnia), consider supplements like L-theanine or chamomile, as they can be helpful for relaxation even if they don’t directly induce sleep.
Avoid supplements containing glutamine before bed, as it can be activating and interfere with sleep, especially for those experiencing insomnia.
Take B12 supplements in the morning, not at night, because it helps boost light’s ability to suppress melatonin and can contribute to morning alertness.
Approach CBD for sleep with low expectations, as research is murky, with some studies showing benefit, others no effect, and some even showing worsened sleep; its effects are likely secondary to anxiety reduction rather than direct sleep promotion.
For long-haul flights across many time zones, immediately adjust your mindset to the destination’s local time upon boarding the plane. Attempt to sleep during what would be nighttime at your destination, even if fragmented, and then power through the first day upon arrival with light exposure and activity.
Avoid napping while adjusting to a new time zone, as it can send mixed signals to your body and disrupt the adjustment process, especially if you drop into deep sleep.
Strategically use light and melatonin for jet lag: expose yourself to bright light during the destination’s daytime (no sunglasses in the morning) to signal wakefulness, and use melatonin at the destination’s evening to signal nighttime.
Exercise immediately upon arriving at your destination to send a strong daytime signal to your body, promoting alertness and helping to suppress any lingering melatonin from your original time zone.
For shift workers, aim for consistency in your shift schedule (e.g., permanently adapting to a night shift) to minimize the health damage caused by frequently shifting between different sleep-wake patterns.
Use strategic napping: for a ‘power nap,’ keep it short (15-20 minutes, or up to an hour earlier in the day) to avoid deep sleep; for a ‘sleep replacement nap,’ allow 2-3 hours to complete a full sleep cycle, beneficial for shift workers or athletes with disrupted nighttime sleep.
If your sleep apnea is positional (worse when sleeping on your back), use a positional therapy device or a simple method like sewing a tennis ball onto the back of a t-shirt to encourage side sleeping.
For mild to moderate sleep apnea, consider a mandibular advancement device (a dental retainer that pushes your jaw forward) to create muscle tone and keep your airway open.
Explore myofacial therapy or specific breathing exercises (like those used for didgeridoo playing) to strengthen upper airway muscles, which can help maintain muscle tone during sleep and alleviate mild apnea.
Use mouth taping only if your issue is mild snoring or mouth-breathing without underlying sleep apnea; avoid it if you have sleep apnea and need to open your mouth to breathe, as it could worsen the condition.
If you’re using a sleep apnea treatment (like a mandibular device), get retested periodically (e.g., every couple of years) while using the treatment to confirm its continued effectiveness and ensure it’s properly adjusted.
If your schedule is irregular (e.g., due to travel or shift work), establish a highly predictable nighttime routine, performing the same actions in the same order, and bringing familiar items (like a pillowcase) to create consistent sleep cues.
Seek out a trained CBTI professional, either in-person or via telehealth, as specialized expertise can be crucial for effective treatment, though self-help resources can also be a starting point.
Address ‘revenge bedtime procrastination’ by recognizing that improving sleep can lead to increased daytime efficiency and productivity, potentially freeing up more personal time during the day, rather than sacrificing sleep for late-night personal time.
Align your daily schedule with your chronotype where possible; if you’re a night owl with early morning commitments, optimize your morning routine to be as short as possible to maximize late-night personal time, and maintain a consistent sleep-wake schedule seven days a week.
Understand that chronic insomnia is often caused by ‘conditioned arousal,’ where the act of trying to sleep becomes predictably stressful, leading to a self-perpetuating cycle of activation and difficulty sleeping. This understanding is foundational for CBTI.
Self-diagnose chronic insomnia if you consistently take >30 mins to fall asleep or are awake >30 mins during the night, at least 3 nights/week for 3+ months, and it causes daytime problems, while giving yourself adequate sleep opportunity.
If you suspect a serious sleep problem based on wearable data or symptoms, consult a sleep specialist who can properly diagnose and treat the issue using established medical protocols, rather than relying solely on wearable metrics.
Prioritize improving your sleep to enhance overall resilience (physical, emotional) and boost cognitive and athletic performance, including reaction time, speed, and mental sharpness.