8 tips for better sleep
"Chief nourisher in life's feast"
After reading the book Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker and listening to The Huberman Lab podcast, I was inspired to write a blog about optimizing sleep. Walker and Huberman have investigated this topic in detail and using science, and I wanted to share some of their overlaps in findings.
Below are the tips I have found helpful for better sleep and changes I plan to enact in the future.
8 Tips For Better Sleep
1) Wear nose strips and/or mouth tape
This adjustment has been the #1 game changer for me. I was initially introduced to the seemingly crazy idea of taping your mouth while you slept when Somnifix presented on SharkTank. Initially, I thought it was nuts because I knew I was a mouth breather when I slept and didn't know how this would all work. After doing some research, I found quite a few benefits to keeping your mouth closed when you sleep (better oral health, deeper sleep, and reduced chances of snoring). However, our bodies naturally either keep their mouths open or closed when we sleep, and we can't control it. I was the latter and decided to give this a try.
By taping your mouth closed, the assumption is that you have a clear nasal passage to breathe through that all night. I have had allergy problems before, so I use nose strips in addition to mouth tape to combat this.
The combination of these two has been incredible, and I highly recommend you test these out to wake up more refreshed than ever. If there were one change to try out of the 8 mentioned, it’d be this one.
2) Know what mattress fits your sleeping style
It was when I was 28 that I started understanding which mattress was ideal for my sleeping style. I am a side sleeper and need a softer mattress, but I always slept on a more firm mattress (with a mattress topper - another sign you have the wrong mattress) because I just thought that was the better one to rest on, regardless of style. I thought it was normal to occasionally wake up like you just did half of a shoulder workout.
Like point #1, we cannot control how we sleep at night (on the side, back, or stomach), and each person differs. It’s essential to invest in a mattress that enables you to be at your best for a third of your life. Sleepopolis has been an awesome site to ensure I choose the right mattress.
I am a big fan of the Casper Nova Hybrid. Highly recommend this for side sleepers.
3) Limit your blue light exposure (at night)
I always thought "blue light damages your eyes" was a little woo-woo until I read "Why We Sleep.” Blue light is fine during the day but does a number on your ability to fall asleep at night.
Blue light messes with our circadian rhythm, which heavily influences when we sleep and wake up. If you're exposed to too much blue light at night, your body will have a more challenging time winding down and getting those z's you need for an energized day ahead. Blue light suppresses the body’s release of Melatonin, an important chemical naturally produced before bedtime.
To combat this, I have put blue light blockers on all my devices (phone, tablet, second monitors) and wear my blue light Warby Parker’s late at night.
4) Limit caffeine after noon
I recently cut out caffeine from my diet (I felt too jittery when I consumed it, already being an extrovert), and the results have been great. However, I realize most people love their morning coffee, and there are plenty of health reasons to have it still.
Caffeine has a 4-6 hour half-life, meaning that if you drink 100mg cup in the afternoon, you’ll still have half of that later in the day when you want to go to bed. It’s recommended to cut it out 8-12 hours before bed. That afternoon coffee is messing up your sleep more than you know. While this is common knowledge, reading more about its why was interesting.
The reason caffeine keeps us awake is that caffeine blocks adenosine, the chemical we produce throughout the day that makes us tired. You want to feel this before bed at the end of the day and not be super awake. Caffeine blocks the receptor, so if you still have some in your system before bed, it is a blocker to going to bed efficiently.
Remember that chocolate and some chewing gum have caffeine in them also, so limit this before bed. Decaf coffee also still has caffeine, but only about 10% maximum of a normal cup. This Healthline article was helpful, outlining the foods that sneakily have caffeine in them.
5) 3/2/1 rule with eating, drinking, and screens
The 3/2/1 rule is to have your last meal 3 hours before bed, your last drink of liquid 2 hours before bed, and no screen time in the last 1 hour before bed. Huberman and Walker both swear by this.
Don’t eat within 3 hours of sleep
Your body needs to digest and process food properly, which is challenging when lying down and trying to sleep. Having a full stomach can make it more difficult to relax, meaning that even if you eventually do fall asleep, it will likely be of a lower quality than usual (less deep sleep, which is the most important for rest). If you eat too close to bedtime, your body may still be trying to digest the meal as you wake up, which can cause less-than-ideal feelings.
I’ve seen a correlation between those that fast 16 hours a day and those who get great sleep - I can see why after reading more about the “3” in the 3/2/1 rule.
Don’t drink liquids within 2 hours of sleep
Drinking too close to bedtime can often result in a late-night run to the bathroom, disrupting your sleep cycle and leaving you exhausted in the morning.
No screens 1 hour before bed
Unless you have blue light blockers, looking at your phone/screens can mask melatonin production. Research has also shown that the blue light produced by screens inhibits melatonin production and disrupts your circadian rhythms, which can cause various sleep-related issues like insomnia. To ensure the best possible night's rest, shut off all screens at least one hour before bedtime.
6) Limit medicines that keep you up, and don’t take Melatonin
I have a history of getting sinus infections, and I never knew that antihistamines such as Sudafed and Advil Cold and Sinus were bad to take before bed. It has a stimulant-like effect that will keep you up, so take these earlier in the afternoon at the latest.
With Melatonin being over the counter, it is very unregulated. Studies have shown that Melatonin gummies vary in efficacy - ranging from 30% of the expected dose to 400%. Overdosing on Melatonin with a gummy that has 400% would make you so groggy the next day that it would completely throw off your energy. You are better off instilling better habits, such as limiting blue light before bed, so Melatonin is more naturally produced.
7) Understand your ideal cooling temperature
Your body naturally decreases its body temperature when you sleep. Keeping your room sub-70 degrees Fahrenheit is crucial to a good night's sleep, so you don’t wake from overheating. The ideal temperature varies from person to person but sleeping on the cooler side benefits you greatly. Start with 65 degrees and adjust from there.
8) Don't exercise too late in the day
When the body engages in physical activity, the metabolism speeds up, the heart rate increases, and adrenaline levels rise - all of which make it harder to calm down and fall asleep. Even light exercise right before bed can prevent deep sleep, keep a person awake, or create restlessness throughout the night. Walker suggests at least three hours between physical activity and resting to ensure quality sleep. After hearing this, I will switch my workout schedule to the morning after the holidays.
Some articles on this for further reading
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I highly recommend reading Why We Sleep and listening to the Huberman Lab podcast to learn more about 1/3 of our life.