How to Master a Sleep Routine That Actually Works
Are you low on energy? Thinking about taking supplements? Wearing blue-blocking glasses in the evening? Before you jump into biohacking quick fixes, how about trying the boring, obvious, and effective thing: get some sleep.
Most adults need an average of seven to nine hours of sleep each night. It varies, so you can be a seven o’clock person or a nine o’clock person. (Young people usually need more, older people need less.) So if you feel tired all the time, the first thing you should ask yourself is: How much time do I spend in bed? If it’s not even those seven hours, it’s not enough.
If you find it difficult to wake up on time, but fall asleep easily when you are sitting still (for example, watching a movie), you may just not be getting enough sleep. And if you know you need to get more sleep but can’t figure out how to do it, here are the basics of sleep hygiene you need to master.
How to stick to a sleep schedule
The first priority here is to set a wake up time that you can stick to every day. Consistency is important here: don’t set your alarm for 6 a.m. on weekdays and sleep until noon on weekends. If you can’t be completely consistent, for example if you work in shifts, adjust as needed, but try your best.
The next step is to set the sleep time. Find out what time you need to go to bed to get enough sleep before your alarm goes off. Then work backwards to figure out when to start changing into your pajamas and everything else your nightly routine includes.
Critical to both steps is sleep priority. If you’ve been having trouble sleeping lately, give yourself a couple of weeks to make your bedtime and wake-up time (and about nine hours in between) the most important event on your calendar. Don’t go out late and stay up late postponing revenge . There will be time for occasional indulgences once you get your sleep schedule in place.
Incorporate these things into your bedtime routine
So what is included in this routine? You can decide on the specifics, but sleep experts recommend including the following:
- At least 30 minutes dedicated to folding . Don’t expect to turn off the lights and immediately pass out.
- No screens right before bed . No, not even with blue-blocking glasses. Either way, these goggles don’t block blue light very much . Videos and social media keep your brain awake and unsettled, so they shouldn’t be part of your vacation anyway.
- Dim the light . In a cool dark bedroom it is easier to fall asleep and sleep longer .
- Do something relaxing . Read a cold book. Take a luxurious bath . Do some breathing exercises . Whatever works for you.
Following this routine will help you stick to your sleep schedule (you won’t be able to finish a movie halfway through at 10:00 pm if you refrained from starting it at 9:00 pm), and it will also help you set yourself up for restful sleep.
Do waking things at waking times
Your body expects bright light and meals during the daytime, so providing these things at the right time will help keep your internal clock on track.
- Get plenty of sunlight in the morning . (A light box can help in winter.)
- Exercise . You can combine this with sunshine by going for a morning or afternoon walk. But any kind of exercise will help you sleep better.
- Eat food . We sleep best when we eat during the daytime; if breakfast fits your schedule, consider making it a regular. But at least don’t eat right before bed.
Avoid caffeine and alcohol in the evenings
Caffeine is invigorating, and it lingers longer than we think. If you drink a 200 milligram cup of coffee at noon, you might still have about 100 milligrams in your body at 5:00 pm and 50 at 10:00 pm.
The rate at which we break down caffeine varies from person to person, but in general: it affects you more than you think. If you think of yourself as someone who “could drink an energy drink and then fall asleep right away”, you are probably (a) in denial – hey, you are the one who clicked on the article on how to improve sleep – and/or ( b) you’ve built up a huge caffeine tolerance because you drink so much that you stay awake, which in turn is because you don’t get enough sleep so you’re tired all the time. Do yourself a favor and break the cycle.
An easy way to back off is to give yourself a cutoff time. Let’s say no caffeine after 5:00 pm. Once this becomes part of your routine, return by 2:00 pm or noon.
Alcohol is another chemical that affects our sleep. Drinking alcohol before bed can make you sleepy, but it tends to impair the quality of your sleep. If you’re unsure, just start keeping a sleep diary – paper is fine if you don’t have a sleep-tracking gadget – and see if you’re getting more and better sleep on the nights you don’t drink. .
Turn your bedroom into a small dark cave
A welcoming, cozy bed will help you fall asleep faster. Make it dark, with blackout curtains or an eye mask if needed. Make it quieter by using a white noise generator or earplugs if you can’t completely drown out everything around you. And make it a comfortable temperature. Most people prefer a cool environment, around 66 degrees, but again, it depends on the individual.
Comfortable sheets and pillows can help. If you are constantly tossing and turning, try to find out if something is bothering you physically. (A new mattress may not be on the budget, but a firmer or softer pillow is an easy fix.)
Experiment
While the tips here are basic things you should at least try , you may not need every aspect to be a tutorial. For example, I get cold if my room is set to 66 degrees, so I keep the thermostat a little warmer and always make sure I always have a warm blanket, even in summer.
You may find that you can get around some rules but not others. I always get a bad night’s sleep if I drink, but late meals don’t bother me. Once you get regular sleep, you can start playing with your routine.
And if you do your best to maintain good sleep hygiene but still feel tired all the time, consider seeking medical attention if you have sleep apnea or another condition that can affect your sleep or energy levels.