How to improve sleep

1. Monitor Your Sleep

The first step to improving your sleep is understanding what might be wrong with it. Sleep monitoring can help with this. It allows you to determine if you have trouble falling asleep, wake up during the night, or experience light sleep.

Today, there are many affordable and compact devices that can assist with sleep monitoring. If you own a smartwatch, specialized apps can track sleep patterns based on heart rate. These devices can also record sounds, which might help you identify snoring or external disturbances that interrupt deep sleep, such as loud noises from outside early in the morning. While conducting this kind of “research” is easier than ever, it’s important to note that its accuracy may be lower than professional assessments.

2. Find the Optimal Temperature

Your body temperature naturally drops during sleep and rises before waking up. Extreme temperatures—either too high or too low—in your bedroom can affect sleep quality.  It’s generally recommended to keep the room temperature between 18 and 24°C for optimal sleep. However, keep in mind that your bedding and pajamas also influence body temperature.

According to experts, your bedroom should resemble a cave: dark, quiet, and cool. To achieve this, you can open a window, lower the heating if possible, or use a fan.

3. Reduce Exposure to Blue Light

Blue light from gadgets can negatively impact sleep quality, disrupting your natural circadian rhythms. This is why scrolling through social media or watching shows before bed isn’t the healthiest habit. Blue light affects  natural circadian rhythms. To minimize the effects of blue light, try avoiding gadgets for 1–2 hours before bedtime. Instead, consider alternatives like reading a paper book, chatting with loved ones, or engaging in a hobby that doesn’t require a phone or computer.

4. Prepare for Sleep

Developing a bedtime routine can greatly improve sleep quality. Make sure all urgent tasks are completed, plans for the next day are set, and you’re ready to relax. Here are some tips to help you prepare for sleep:

• Take a warm (not hot) bath to help your body reach the ideal temperature for rest.
• Write a to-do list for the next day to organize your thoughts and reduce distractions.
• Do some relaxing exercises, like light stretches, but avoid intense workouts before bed.
• Listen to calming music or read a book (not on a phone or computer).

Meditation can also help reduce anxiety, focus on your breathing, and promote relaxation. Research shows that mindfulness practices can alleviate minor sleep disturbances and improve overall sleep quality. People who meditate regularly are less likely to suffer from insomnia, depression, and fatigue.

Important: If insomnia persists for more than four weeks, consult a doctor.

5. Stay Active

Physical activity is known to improve gut health, elevate mood, and support overall physical and mental well-being.
Additionally, studies show that, exercise positively impacts sleep quality and duration, helping with insomnia as well. The best time to exercise is in the morning or afternoon, as this helps prepare your body for restful sleep later.  Avoid intense workouts within two hours of bedtime; instead, opt for light stretching before bed.

6. Stick to a Sleep Schedule

Your circadian rhythm, or internal body clock, regulates your sleep-wake cycle. Ideally, you should feel most alert in the morning and ready for sleep when it gets dark. Disruptions to this rhythm, such as irregular sleep schedules, time zone changes, or shift work, can impact your sleep quality.

To improve this:

• Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. Establish a daily routine and bedtime for children, avoiding the use of their bedroom for time-outs or punishment.
• Maintain a consistent sleep schedule on both weekdays and weekends.
• Avoid heavy meals, alcohol, and nicotine a few hours before bed.
• If possible, incorporate daily walks and stay physically active overall.

Key Takeaways

Lack of sleep is harmful to your health. It increases the risk of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer, affects mental health, and reduces life expectancy.

Sleep is essential for recovery and proper functioning of the body. When we don’t sleep well, productivity, focus, learning ability, memory, and mood suffer.

To improve your sleep:

• Avoid gadgets 1–2 hours before bed.
• Maintain an optimal bedroom temperature.
• Stick to a consistent sleep schedule.
• Stay physically active.
• Limit alcohol and nicotine before bed and avoid heavy meals late at night.