Improve the quality of your sleep by implementing these 7 habits.

For optimal physical and mental benefit, an average adult needs between 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that we spend about one-third of our lives sleeping. But have you ever wondered why we need to sleep in the first place?
Sleep is essential to our physical and mental well-being as lack of it causes the brain to operate at a lower rate and efficiency. Let’s take a closer look at what exactly happens during sleep. Your bedtime is the only time in a day when your body and mind can renew their functions and prepare you to be at your prime condition the following day. Your brain recharges itself, removing toxic waste by-products out of your system. Many changes inside your body also take place during that time; cells are being repaired, energy is restored and molecules( like hormones and proteins) are being released. Healthy sleep also improves the immune system, making it more effective in fighting diseases.

Regrettably, many of us still struggle to reach the optimum number of rest hours. Research^[1] conducted in March 2021 concluded that around a third of adults living in the UK suffer from insomnia. When you are deprived of sleep, due to the amygdala (part of the brain responsible for emotional stability) being more reactive, you will be more likely to seek sensations or rewards. That, in turn, can cause further problems, like weight gain or addictions. You may also experience a decreased capacity to learn and memorise.

Here are 7 steps to help you sleep better:

1. Go to bed at regular times every night.

Developing your own bedtime routine ^[2] may be a useful strategy to configure your biological clock, which helps regulate the circadian rhythm of your body. National Institute of General Medical Sciences describes circadian rhythms as “physical, mental, and behavioural changes that follow a 24-hour cycle [which] respond primarily to light and dark and affect most living things, including animals, plants, and microbes.”^[3] Once your body is programmed to sleep on your scheduled time you won’t need to think about it, your internal body clock is there to make sure that you become fatigued, increasing your chances of having a restful sleep.

2. Reduce blue light exposure at night.

Studies^[4] have shown that exposure to blue light reduces the production of melatonin( often referred to as the sleep hormone). Melatonin production occurs in the pineal gland( a small gland located near the centre of the brain) and is elicited by darkness. Light, however, stops it. “Normally, blue light peaks in the morning, signalling your body to wake up for the day. Red light increases in the evening, signalling that it is time to wind down and go to bed. By interrupting this natural cycle with the blue light emitted by electronic devices, the normal sleep-wake cycles are thrown out of whack.”^[5]

3. Put your phone away 30 minutes before bed.

Aside from the negative effects of blue light on melatonin release, poor sleep quality can also be caused by excessive brain stimulation during bedtime. These days, mobile phones give us access to all kinds of entertainment, including videos, games, and social networks, all of which contribute to hyperarousal. Excessive brain stimulation pre-bedtime is likely to cause you to feel alert, which in turn has an effect on the quality of your sleep^.[6] Make sure to switch off your devices at least 30 minutes before bed.

4. Regulate your bedroom temperature.

Setting the right room temperature that will keep you comfortable throughout the night is one of the most important factors in achieving good sleep quality. You should aim for a temperature of approximately 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18.3 degrees Celsius), which has a correlation with your body’s internal heat regulation. Your body temperature drops around bedtime and continues to cool itself throughout the night. If the temperature in your sleeping environment is too hot or cold, it may affect the drop in your body’s internal temperature and cause you to have disrupted sleep.^[7] Researchers also found that heat exposure affects sleep stages, decreases REM and increases wakefulness.^[8,9]

5. Avoid having caffeine 4 to 6 hours before bedtime.

NCBI (The National Center for Biotechnology Information) advises that “caffeine is the most widely used central nervous system (CNS) stimulant in the world. The pharmacological effects of caffeine […]include mild CNS stimulation and wakefulness, ability to sustain intellectual activity, and decreased reaction times.”^[10] Surely one can imagine that because of its arousing properties, pre-bedtime caffeine consumption is not recommended. For optimal sleep, abstain from caffeinated drinks (i.a. coffee, black and green tea) four to six hours before bedtime. Alternatively, opt for decaf drinks.

6. Take a hot bath.

Your body temperature fluctuates during the day. To get your body into sleep mode it needs to drop. You can achieve that by taking a hot bath, which will increase your body temperature at first and then consequently cool it down afterwards. It’ll leave you feeling relaxed and will help you fall asleep faster. Researchers suggest you should take a hot bath about 90 minutes before going to bed to allow cooling of your core body temperature.^[11]

7. Meditate.

Sleep problems often originate from anxiety and stress. Meditation is known for its calming effects on the mind and body, which can initiate a state of relaxation and consequently help you sleep. Meditation might also decrease heart rate, blood pressure and improve melatonin production.^[12]

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Research references

1. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XHGvnqrbAup5uG_YauYl_V9yXX1inD5eVVAOrDSeRFE/edit
2. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-hygiene/bedtime-routine-for-adults
3. https://www.nigms.nih.gov/education/fact-sheets/Pages/circadian-rhythms.aspx
4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30311830/
5. https://www.verywellmind.com/how-do-smartphones-affect-the-brain-2794892
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7320888/
7. https://www.healthline.com/health/sleep/best-temperature-to-sleep
8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3427038/
9. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00484-004-0209-3
10. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK223808/
11. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1087079218301552?via%3Dihub
12. https://www.healthline.com/health/meditation-for-sleep