More than half of Americans under 50 believe they would feel better if they slept more. This is no surprise since about 40% of the population sleeps six hours or less a day.

Americans not only sleep less hours than they should, but also suffer from untreated sleep disorders and poor sleeping habits. This article outlines nine science-backed tips to help you make the most of your sleep. By improving your sleeping habits, you will be able to increase your daytime alertness, boost your mood and cognitive skills, and reduce the risk of depression and other diseases.

Avoid bright screens before going to bed

There is plenty of evidence showing that staring at bright screens before going to bed can disrupt your sleep. For instance, in a study published by Harvard Medical School researchers in 2014, people who read on an iPad before going to bed had a delayed sleep pattern and lower alertness the following morning compared to people who read a paper book.

Staring at bright screens delays melatonin production and affects your circadian rhythm. Melatonin is a hormone that promotes sleepiness, and disrupting its production makes it harder for you to fall asleep. Well-functioning melatonin production, on the other hand, will contribute to a good night’s sleep. Try to avoid electronic devices, e.g. computers, cell phones, and TVs, in the two hours before you fall asleep.

If that is not possible, there are a few alternatives you might try instead. Researchers have shown that blue light – common in most modern devices – is most detrimental to melatonin production. With this in mind, there are a few solutions for reducing the light’s impact. Applications like f.lux remove the blue color from your devices in the evenings, and have been shown to be effective in combating delayed sleep. For eReaders, another possibility is to read white text on black background.

The snooze button is your enemy – it will only make you feel more tired!

Our sleep is not all the same – we alternate between different stages of sleep, such as REM and NREM. When you wake up from deep sleep, you will feel groggy and it will be much harder than usual to get out of bed.

Snoozing will only make the situation worse. By falling asleep again, you will reset your sleep cycle and may go into a deep sleep state. The next time your alarm goes off you will feel even more tired – a vicious cycle. The best approach is to wake up immediately and avoid snoozing at all costs.

The negative effects of snoozing go beyond plain grogginess. Fragmented sleep has been shown to impair your executive functions (e.g. memory, reasoning, and reaction time) the next day. Snoozing leads to a lower sleep quality overall.

If you think you can not wake up without snoozing, consider using a different method or alarm. For example, you could put your alarm across the room so that it forces you to get up and turn it off. Alternatively, you could use one of many cell phone apps that aim to make you wake up the first time, such as Wake N Shake, which forces you to shake your phone in order to turn off the alarm.

If you are interested in learning more about the science behind snoozing, the following Youtube video covers the process in more detail:

Put your cell phone in airplane mode before sleeping

Cell phones emit electromagnetic fields (EMFs) that can disrupt your sleep pattern. Exposure to EMFs affect brain wave patterns and blood flow, and reduce the restorative effect of sleep.

A study performed on rodents also showed that EMFs reduce melatonin production, an essential element for healthy sleep (see above).

Therefore, avoid EMFs close to you while sleeping. Before going to bed, put your phone in airplane mode or turn it off – this will reduce the EMF it generates. Also note that other devices such as Wi-Fi routers and computers also produce substantial EMFs – avoid placing them close to your bed!

Do not forget to exercise regularly

Exercising is fundamental for a healthy lifestyle. Among other benefits, working out has been shown by researchers at Northwestern University to improve sleep, mood, and quality of life, especially for adults struggling with chronic insomnia.

Moderate exercise has also been shown to reduce sleep apnea (discussed below), especially for overweight or obese adults.

Researchers have found that the more vigorous the activity, the more likely you are to sleep that night (see graph below).

Many people believe that exercising right before going to bed is actually harmful. Some argue that working out promotes the release of epinephrine and increases the body temperature, two factors that both hinder sleepiness. However, a recent study shows that vigorous exercise less than an hour before sleeping had the same benefits as exercising earlier in the day. Therefore, exercise as often as you can – even if you must have a short but intense workout session just before going to bed.

Do you snore? You might have sleep apnea

Snoring might indicate that an individual is suffering from Obstructive Sleep Apnea, a serious condition that causes excessive daytime sleepiness and other symptoms. If untreated, sleep apnea can be fatal – individuals with this disorder are three times more likely to have an early death.

If your roommate, sibling, or partner complains about you snoring frequently, schedule an exam at a sleep clinic to check if you have the condition. Depending on the case, obstructive sleep apnea can be treated with weight loss or the use of medical devices, leading to a much better lifestyle.

If you think you have a sleep disorder, visit a doctor!

Sleep apnea is only one of many sleep disorders. If you believe you might have a problem, visit a doctor to make sure you do not have an untreated condition. For example, excessive daytime sleepiness, difficulty falling asleep, and intermittent waking are a few symptoms of common sleep disorders.

If left untreated, many conditions such as chronic insomnia and narcolepsy have detrimental effects – thankfully, they can be overcome with medical assistance.

Avoid alcohol, caffeine and nicotine before bed

Alcohol might help you fall asleep, but will also decrease your sleep efficiency throughout the night. It keeps you in light sleep state longer, which is less restorative, and contributes to intermittent waking later in the night. Alcohol can give you the impression you are sleeping more, especially if you normally have trouble falling asleep; however, you will feel less rested in the morning.

Caffeine (found not only in coffee, but also in tea, sodas, etc.) and nicotine are both stimulant drugs that promote wakefulness. Their effect can take up to 8 hours to subside, so avoid ingesting them in the evening. Even if you are able to fall asleep quickly – which might be a sign of sleep deprivation – caffeine can still affect you negatively, in ways which are less visible. For example, caffeine has been shown to reduce an individual’s ability to sustain deep sleep and increases the number of awakenings during the night.

Take a hot shower before going to bed

According to researchers at Northwestern University, temperature changes can influence your sleep pattern: studies have shown that an increase in body temperature followed by a decrease can induce sleepiness.

A warm shower before going to bed can help you achieve that effect, and will help you fall asleep faster. However, taking a shower that is too hot can lead to the opposite effect. Overheating and sweating might make you uncomfortable and hinder your sleepiness. Ideally, keep your showers between 5 and 15 minutes long, and at a temperature close to 104°F.

Practice mindfulness to reduce stress

We all know it is hard to fall asleep when we are stressed; sometimes stress can even cause insomnia.

However, you can fight stress-induced sleep problems by practicing mindfulness, e.g. meditating or taking a yoga class. Several studies have shown that these activities can significantly lower stress levels, improve your mood, and promote healthier sleep.

If you are feeling stressed and can not fall asleep, try meditating for a few minutes before going to bed. Not only will you feel more relaxed, but meditation has been shown to promote other benefits such as bolstering attention and memory, and mitigating anxiety and depression.

We encourage you to implement some of these tips. Improving your sleep quality will make you feel more rested during the day and contribute to your overall health and safety. Remember: grogginess is red alert!

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