Notes on How to Get Better Sleep

Note: I am not an expert on sleep. All of these suggestions are either gleaned from other sources or taken from my own personal experiences. Feel free to try alternative strategies or modify this list according to what works for you.

• The first step, ironically, is to not stress about getting bad sleep. If you beat yourself up about not getting enough sleep, the anxiety may end up keeping you awake. Scare tactics aren’t going to work here. You need to use the carrot, not the stick.

• Keep your bedroom cool and with sufficient airflow. Try setting the temperature somewhere around 65-70 degrees F (18-21 C).

• Try having some ambient noise. Turning on a fan or opening a window can help, with the added bonus of additional airflow.

• Avoid “blue light”, which can keep you awake. Use a filter on your computer or phone that overlays the screen with an orange hue. Choose lighting in your home that is indirect, diffused, and closer to the “warm” end of the lighting spectrum. Avoid screens or bright lights at least 30 minutes before bedtime - the less contact with light at night, the better.

• Keep your room as dark as possible. Consider using blackout curtains and covering up electronic devices that have LEDs.

• Stay active during the day. Get some exercise and go outside to help your circadian rhythm work correctly.

• Avoid alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine - this includes coffee, tea, soda, and chocolate.

Also, I am currently reading the book Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker. Many of the above tips above come from the appendix “Twelve Tips for Healthy Sleep” (originally from NIH Medline Plus, see Sources). I will continue to update this post as I get through more of the book, and I may write a more comprehensive summary eventually. Stay tuned!

Sources:

NIH Medline Plus, “Tips for Getting a Good Night’s Sleep”. Page 20. https://magazine.medlineplus.gov/pdf/MLP_Summer2012web.pdf

Harvard Health, “Blue Light has a Dark Side”. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/blue-light-has-a-dark-side

Cleveland Clinic, Section “How can I sleep better without sleeping pills?”. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/drugs/15308-sleeping-pills