Let's Talk Sleep

Next to air, food, and water, nothing is more essential to life than sleep.

The Better Sleep Council surveyed couples about sleep problems and found that bedroom temperature was the top cause of nighttime sleep disruptions, followed closely by tossing and turning.

These interruptions can impact your deep NREM sleep (which repairs tissues, builds muscle and bone, and boosts your immune system) as well as REM sleep (which refreshes your mind and mood). Remember Sleeping Beauty? She slept for a hundred years—and woke up looking great! That’s a lot of NREM sleep. In short, if your sleep is often interrupted, you’re unlikely to wake up feeling fully rested, restored, and rejuvenated.

Based on today’s sleep science, here are 20 practical tips to help you enjoy deeper, healthier, and more refreshing sleep:

1. Sleep on a quality mattress

Your mattress should conform to your body, provide proper spinal
alignment, take pressure off joints thereby relieving pain issues, reduce sleep interruptions from motion transfer, have temperature-neutral or cooling comfort layers or come with phase change infused materials. Most importantly, it should feel comfortable to you.

2. Keep your bedroom cool

The optimal temperature for sleep is around 18–22°C (65–72°F).
Temperatures above or below this range can cause tossing and turning that disrupt your sleep cycles.

3. Warm your feet

A cool room helps you sleep, but cold feet do not. Warm socks or a hot water bottle at the foot of your bed can help improve circulation and prevent restless nights.

4. Minimize motion from your partner

If possible, sleep alone. If not, choose a mattress with excellent
motion isolation and enough space for both of you to move freely. When it comes to mattresses, bigger really is better.

5. Use the right pillow

Your pillow should keep your neck in neutral alignment. The wrong pillow can cause headaches, shoulder pain, arm tingling, or even nerve compression. A proper pillow supports healthy, pain-free sleep.

6. Avoid sleeping with pets

In a Mayo Clinic study, 53% of people who shared their bed with pets reported sleep disturbances. Give your furry friend their own bed and they’ll rest better too.

7. Rethink your alarm clock

Being jolted awake during REM or NREM sleep can leave you groggy. Smart alarm apps like Sleep Cycle wake you gently during lighter sleep phases, helping you start the day feeling rested.

8. Sleep in total darkness

Light blocks melatonin, the hormone that helps you fall and stay asleep. Turn off TVs, close curtains, cover bright alarm clocks, and keep your room dark, even when you get up at night.

9. Cut caffeine after noon

Caffeine can stay in your system for up to 11 hours. Stopping at lunchtime helps ensure it doesn’t keep you up at night.

10. Limit alcohol before bed

While alcohol can make you feel sleepy, it often disrupts deep sleep and can cause you to wake up in the night. Avoid drinking within three hours of bedtime.

11. Watch late-night eating

Heavy meals can disrupt digestion and sleep. If you’re hungry, choose light, high-protein snacks like yogurt, bananas, turkey, granola, or chamomile tea, or a peanut butter sandwich, which can boost melatonin and serotonin naturally.

12. Take an evening stroll

Gentle activity, like a 30-minute walk after dinner, helps your body
produce serotonin, promoting deeper sleep later.

13. Enjoy a warm bath or shower

Raising your body temperature and then letting it cool signals your body it’s time to rest. A bath or shower also removes allergens or pathogens picked up during the day.

14. Read before bed

A calming routine, like reading a paper book, helps your mind wind down and prepares you for restful sleep.

15. Choose comfortable sleepwear

Loose, breathable pajamas support natural temperature regulation and comfort throughout the night.

16. Prioritize enough sleep

Too little sleep can affect everything from your immune system and memory to mood, metabolism, and heart health. Over time, chronic sleep deprivation increases risks of depression, diabetes, and weight gain.

Here are the National Sleep Foundation’s most recent
recommendations:    

• Newborns (0–3 months): 14–17 hours    
• Infants (4–11 months): 12–15 hours
• Toddlers (1–2 years): 11–14 hours   
• Preschoolers (3–5 years): 10–13 hours    
• School-aged (6–13 years): 9–11 hours 
• Teenagers (14–17 years): 8–10 hours  
• Adults (18–64 years): 7–9 hours 
• Older adults (65+): 7–8 hours

If you wake up still tired, you may not be getting enough restorative
sleep.

17. Sleep before 11 pm if you can

Your adrenal glands recharge most effectively between 11 pm and 1 am.

18. Forget counting sheep

Instead, visualize relaxing scenes like a beach or garden. British
research found this helps people fall asleep about 20 minutes faster.

19. Let sunlight in when you wake

Natural light stops melatonin production, helping you feel alert and refreshed.

20. Keep naps short

A 10–26-minute nap can recharge your mind and body. Longer naps may make it harder to sleep at night.

Still tired?

If you’ve tried most of these tips and still wake up feeling unrested,
talk to your doctor. You could have an underlying condition or sleep disorder affecting your rest.