Sleep Tips & Best Practices
Discover practical tips and best practices for improving your sleep quality and establishing healthy sleep habits.
Tips that actually help
Your bedroom setup
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Cool it down
Keep your bedroom between 60-67°F (15-19°C). Your body needs to drop its core temperature to fall asleep, and a warm room works against that.
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Make it dark
Your brain produces melatonin in the dark. Even a small amount of light can interfere. Blackout curtains or a sleep mask make a real difference.
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Deal with noise
Earplugs, a fan, or a white noise machine. Pick whatever works for you. The goal is a consistent sound floor so random noises don't jolt you awake.
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Get a decent mattress
You spend a third of your life on this thing. A mattress and pillows that match how you sleep (side, back, stomach) are worth the money.
Daily habits that matter
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Same time, every day
Your body has an internal clock. Sleeping in until noon on Saturday then trying to fall asleep at 10 PM Sunday is basically giving yourself jet lag.
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Put the phone down
Blue light from screens tells your brain it's daytime. Try to stop scrolling at least an hour before bed. Yes, this one's hard.
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Caffeine has a half-life
That 3 PM coffee is still 50% active in your system at 9 PM. Cut off caffeine by early afternoon. And remember, chocolate and tea count too.
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Move during the day
People who exercise regularly fall asleep faster and sleep deeper. Just don't do a hard workout right before bed — give yourself at least 3 hours.
Build a wind-down routine
Do the same few things every night before bed and your brain starts associating them with sleep. Reading, stretching, a warm shower — pick what works and stick with it.
Set a bedtime alarm
Not to wake up — to remind you to start winding down.
Dim the lights
Turn down the brightness an hour or two before bed. Helps your melatonin kick in.
Read something
A real book, not your phone. It slows your mind down.
Relax your body
A few minutes of slow breathing or light stretching.
When to see a doctor
If you've been sleeping enough hours but still feel wrecked during the day, or if you can't fall asleep no matter what you try, something else might be going on. Talk to a doctor if you notice:
- Can't fall asleep or stay asleep for more than 3 weeks straight
- You snore loudly and sometimes stop breathing (a partner might notice this)
- You're so tired during the day that it's affecting your work or driving
- You move around a lot or act out dreams while sleeping
- Your legs feel restless or uncomfortable when you're trying to fall asleep
A sleep doctor can run tests and figure out what's actually happening. Lots of sleep problems are treatable once you know what you're dealing with.