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6 things to do today for better sleep tonight
Sleep problems are inherently complex, and there’s no one-size-fits-all solution 1. But we’ve consulted the research and pulled together the 6 science-backed tips that cut through the clutter to help almost everyone get a better night’s sleep. 01. Beds are for sleep + sex only Using your bedroom for anything other than sleep and sex weakens your brain’s association between your bed and sleep, making it more difficult to fall asleep 2. 02. Focus on the present Focus on nothing other than falling asleep and your breathing. When you notice your mind has wandered away, simply guide it back to your breath, every time. When you focus on the act of breathing, your parasympathetic nervous system is engaged – lowering your heart rate, blood pressure, and muscle tension 3, 4. 03. Have a fixed wake-up time Waking up at the same time every morning helps you sleep better at night. Waking up at the same time every morning means your sleep drive will gradually build throughout the day, making you to feel ready to sleep by bedtime 5. 04. Create a wind-down ritual 30 minutes before bedtime, put the screens away and spend that time doing things that make you feel relaxed. Relaxing activities lower our cortisol (stress hormone) levels and help induce sleep 5. Over time, this repeatable wind-down ritual will trigger sleepiness before you even hop under the covers. 05. Don't drink alcohol at night Drinking alcohol has been linked to poor sleep quality and duration 6, so while it might help you fall asleep faster 7, it won’t give your body the deep sleep it needs to rest and recover. On top of this, routine evening drinking can build tolerance, meaning you’ll need to increase the amount of alcohol you drink to continue experiencing the sedative effects 8. 06. Avoid quick fixes Prescription medications, melatonin supplements, and sleep aids with ingredients you can’t even pronounce may be required by some, but shouldn’t be a starting point for everyone – as they can be a slippery slope. Sure, they might help us fall asleep hard and fast, but more often than not, they are treating a symptom, not the cause*. Looking for some extra help? Tap here for our expert recommendations to help with better sleep. References: 1. Epstein, L, & Mardon, S 2006, The Harvard Medical School Guide to a Good Night's Sleep (Harvard Medical School Guides), McGraw-Hill Education, London. 2. Brunborg, GS, Mentzoni, RA, Molde, H, Myrseth, H, Mår Skouverøe, KJ, Bjorvatn, B & Pallesen, S 2011, ‘The relationship between media use in the bedroom, sleep habits and symptoms of insomnia’, Journal of Sleep Research, vol. 20, no. 4, pp. 569-575. 3. Black, DS, O’Reilly, GA, Olmstead, R, Breen, EC & Irwin, MR 2015, ‘Mindfulness meditation and improvement in sleep quality and daytime impairment among older adults with sleep disturbances’, JAMA Intern Med, vol. 1, no. 4, pp. 494-501. 4. Sharme, P, Thapliyal, A, Chandra, T, Singh, S, Baduni, H & Waheed, M 2015, ‘Rhythmic breathing: immunological, biochemical, and physiological effects on health’, Advances In Mind-Body Medicine, vol. 29, no.1, pp. 18-25. 5. The Drive to Sleep and our Internal Clock 2007, viewed 19 May 2021, Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School 6. Park, SY, Oh, MK, Lee, BS, Kim, HG, Lee, WJ, Lee, JH, Lim, JT & Kim, JY 2015, ‘The effects of alcohol on quality of sleep’, Korean Journal of Family Medicine, vol. 36, no. 6, pp. 294-299. 7. Pietilä, J, Helander, E, Korhonen, I, Myllymäki, T, Kujala, UM & Lindholm, H 2018, ‘Acute effect of alcohol intake on cardiovascular autonomic regulation during the first hours of sleep in a large real-world sample of Finnish employees: observational study’, JMIR Mental Health, vol. 5, no. 1. 8. NIH – Mechanisms of Alcohol Tolerance 2018, viewed 19 May 2021, University of Virginia School of Medicine,
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