Are you trying to figure out how to improve the quality of your sleep? Do you often wake up in the middle of the night, have trouble falling asleep, or just don’t sleep well? In this article, we’ll explain how to maximize and improve your sleep with tried and true methods!
To optimize your sleep;
- Keep The Room dark
- Room temperature At 65-66°F
- Remove All Blue Light
- Stop Exercise 4 Hours Before Bedtime
- No Alcohol Three Hours Before Sleep
- Cut Noise Pollution
- No Caffeine After 12pm (including soda)
If you’ve ever had to function on a poor night’s sleep, then you already know how it can negatively affect every aspect of your life. So we’ve gathered resources on sleep improvement from top doctors and nutritionists. Continue reading the in-depth information below about each item to learn more about getting a good night’s sleep.
1. Keep The Room Dark
If you’re tempted to disregard this rule because you think you’ve never had an issue with lights keeping you awake at night, think again. The reality is that our circadian rhythm – the 24 hour, human, sleep/wake cycle – is based on outside stimulus to keep ticking normally. When artificial light is introduced, it alters this rhythm and creates disruptions in melatonin production which affects the quality and depth of sleep.
And because melatonin is also an immune system modulator, disruptions can have long-term effects. When light exposure during sleep disrupts melatonin production, it can lead to a poorly functioning immune system.
SLEEP BETTER! At bedtime, turn off all electronics that emit light and use a yellow-bulb bedside lamp for night lighting. Use blackout window draperies, and don’t use your phone in bed, instead, read a book to make you sleepy.
2. Room Temperature at 65-66°F
We’ve all had a night when it was just too hot to sleep! So why are we awake when we feel too hot? Since our sleep cycle responds to outside stimulus, that includes temperature.
Melatonin production helps us sleep deeply, and without waking at night. In a recent study on mammals, lowered temperatures were seen to promote levels of melatonin. So if you are having trouble getting quality sleep, try lowering the temperature of your room to raise levels of melatonin during the night.
SLEEP BETTER! The optimal temperature for sleep is 65-66°F, but keep it at least below 75°F. In hot climates where you have less control over the ambient temperature, try to cool the room to at least 20°F below the outside temperature.
3. Remove All Blue Light
Blue light from TV, phone, computer, and electrical light actually stops the production of melatonin! Blue light is actually sensed by melanoptin cells in your retina, and when they sense it, melatonin production turns off.
SLEEP BETTER! Turn off all electronic and electrical light at least 2-3 hours before bedtime. Set your phone, laptop and computer to automatically switch to a yellow screen at 5 pm, or wear blue-light blocking glasses.
The natural light spectrum also produces more blue light in the morning; an evolutionary tactic to activate those melanoptin cells and wake you up in the morning. So keep the room dark if you need to sleep past sunup.
4. Stop Exercise 4 Hours Before Bedtime
Why? Because it takes approximately 4 hours for your body’s core temperature to drop after exercise. As we mentioned above regarding Room Temperature, higher temperatures – both internal and external – inhibit the production of melatonin, affecting the quality of your sleep.
SLEEP BETTER! Try to exercise at lunch, right after work, or in the morning. Don’t exercise right before you sleep.
5. No Alcohol 3 Hours before Sleep
As enjoyable as it is to have a glass of wine with dinner or an after-dinner cocktail, alcohol negatively affects your sleep. This happens because the neurotransmitters that regulate your sleep/wake cycle – the circadian rhythm – are also affected by alcohol. This changes and disturbs healthy sleep patterns.
SLEEP BETTER! Allow at least 3 hours after your last drink to allow the body to metabolize any alcohol and limit yourself to one drink. Many bars and restaurants will come up with all kinds of fun, non-alcoholic ”mocktails” if you ask. So you can still go out with friends for a celebratory drink!
Make a non-alcoholic cocktail!
‘Mojito’ Muddle 1 Tablespoon of caster sugar, 5 mint leaves and the juice of a lime in a glass, add ice and top with sparkling water. Garnish with mint and a lime wedge.
‘Negroni’ on ice – Make a simple syrup flavored with grapefruit (juice and peel), cardomom, and coriander. Strain 1 shot glass full over ice, add a shot glass of white grape juice, top off with soda water, and garnish with an orange slice.
There are tons of exciting, non-alcoholic drink recipes on the internet!
6. Cut Noise Pollution
If you’ve ever used a sleep-tracking app, you might have noticed that noise disturbed your sleep cycles,even if you didn’t realize it at the time! The body goes through 4 cycles at night about every 90 minutes of sleep. Each cycle starts with 3 stages of NREM (Non-Rapid Eye Movement) sleep, each one progressively deeper, and then 1 stage of REM sleep.
The last stage of NREM – N3 – is crucial as it is the deepest sleep where the body repairs tissue, muscle, bone, and strengthens the immune system. To reach this stage, it is important not to be awakened by noises at night during the preceeding sleep stages.
SLEEP BETTER! To minimize noise disturbances during sleep, use earplugs at night, like “Mac’s” wax earplugs for swimmers. They’re comfortable enough for all-night wear, especially if you sleep next to a snorer, or a night mumbler.
Another option is a white noise machine, which keeps the sound level of the room from dropping below a certain decibel range. This means you won’t ’hear’ – or be disturbed – by most noises below that decibel level while sleeping.
Try a free sleep-app to help you regulate and monitor your quality of sleep, especially if you regularly feel fatigued or have trouble concentrating.
7. No Caffeine After 2pm (including soda)
According to an overview of sleep studies, caffeine can help overcome the deficits of sleep deprivation. In the same overview, it was determined that caffeine has a varying effect on different people. Therefore, it’s important to understand that caffeine should not be used as a substitute for sleep, because it affects everyone differently.
In fact, if you find you feel great after a cup of coffee, what you may be experiencing is a ‘net benefit’ of the reversal of caffeine withdrawal following the previous nights, caffeine ’fast’. The reality is that some people may just need better sleep.
Since there are many studies showing the benefits of caffeine on performance and just as many on the negative health effects of poor sleep, it’s wise for anyone who suffers from fatigue, or ’needs’ coffee in the morning to consider that caffeine may be affecting your sleep negatively.
SLEEP BETTER! You may need to stop all caffeine after 12 noon as studies show that caffeine effects can linger for several hours depending on the individual.
….And They Slept Happily Ever After
Now you have the facts to help you get a good night’s sleep! For more information on health and wellness see additional articles on this blog.
LINKS TO STUDIES FOR THIS ARTICLE
Effects of light on human circadian rhythms https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6751071/
Physiology, Sleep Stages https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK526132/#!po=1.31579
Alcohol And The Sleeping Brain https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5821259/
Physiology, Sleep Stages https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK526132/#!po=1.31579
Effects of caffeine on sleep quality and daytime functioning https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6292246/
The Effects of Red and Blue Lights on Circadian Variations…https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2905913/
Environmental noise and sleep disturbances: A threat to health https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4608916/
Association of Melatonin Production…
Caffeine-induced sleep disorder https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caffeine-induced_sleep_disorder