For better health, make sleep a priority. Start by identifying & confronting challenges to a good night’s sleep. Includes tips for better sleep.
There’s a reason you’re meant to spend a third of your life in slumber—good health depends on it. Most people need seven or eight hours of sleep each night. During sleep:
- Your brain sorts the important elements of the day from the unimportant & stores memories, allowing for more efficient long-term memory recall
- Your body regulates hormones such as cortisol (to help manage stress), human growth hormone (to repair muscle tissue), insulin (to regulate blood glucose), & others
- Cell turnover rids waste from your cells, leaving the immune system restored
Chronic sleep deprivation impairs attentiveness, coordination, & reaction time. It also increases the risk of obesity, high blood pressure, heart attack, diabetes, & depression. & sleepiness is an all too common cause of accidents & fatalities in the workplace & on highways.
Making sleep a priority takes time & patience, just like any other health behavior change. To get started, identify & confront the challenges that are robbing you of your sleep.
Your daily routine
| Sleep buster | Sleep Helper |
| Drinking caffeine close to bedtime | Avoid caffeine starting 10 hours before bedtime. |
| Drinking alcohol | Limit the amount you drink (no more than one drink a day for women & men older than 65, & up to two drinks a day for men age 65 & younger). Stop drinking three hours before bedtime. |
| Eating a late-evening meal | Limit how much you eat in the evening, & avoid eating three hours before bedtime. |
| Late-day napping or exercising | Avoid napping six hours before bedtime. |
| Irregular sleep schedule | Set a regular bedtime & wake time, including on weekends. |
| Working, reading, or watching TV in bed | Keep the place where you sleep focused on sleep—avoid reading, watching TV, eating, & working in the bedroom. |
Your environment
| Sleep buster | Sleep Helper |
| Light exposure | Minimize screen time before bedtime. Try room-darkening shades. |
| Warm room or body temperature | Set the thermostat to a cooler temperature, layer bedding & clothing, & use breathable bedding. |
| Too much noise | Try earplugs or white noise such as a fan or sound machine. |
| Discomfort | Experiment with pillows & bedding to create a comfortable, relaxing experience. |
Personal well-being
| Sleep buster | Sleep Helper |
| Busy mind | Keep a journal next to your bed to jot down your thoughts or intentionally shift your focus to gratitude. |
| Worry or anxiety about sleep | If you’ve been in bed for what feels like it has been about 20 minutes, get up & do something relaxing until you feel sleepy. |
| Physical pain | Practice deep breathing, meditation, or prayer. |
| Limited movement during the day | Take intermittent walks throughout the day or schedule time for structured exercise. |
Experiments
- This week stick to a consistent sleep schedule. Go to bed & get up at the same time every day, even on weekends.
- Explore one way to make your sleep space more comfortable & relaxing, whether it’s keeping your bedroom cooler or darker or getting a more comfortable pillow.
- Identify one overall wellness practice to shift. Perhaps you will set three reminders each day to get up & walk for 10 to 15 minutes. Or you will take 10 minutes at the end of the day to do something relaxing, such as listening to soothing music or taking a warm bath.
Stay Fit 