5. Create a Cool Sleep Sanctuary
Have you ever noticed it’s harder to sleep in a stuffy, warm room? That’s because a drop in your core body temperature is a critical trigger for sleep. To facilitate this drop, your sleeping environment should be cool. The ideal temperature for sleep is generally considered to be between 60-67°F (15-19°C).
Making your room cooler doesn’t mean you have to be cold. You can still pile on the blankets to stay comfortable. The goal is to cool the air around you and the surfaces you touch, which helps your body release heat through the skin on your hands, feet, and face. Try dropping the thermostat by at least 3 degrees an hour or two before bed. You’ll likely find you fall asleep faster and stay asleep more soundly.
4. Reconsider That Nightcap
Many people use alcohol as a sleep aid, believing it helps them relax and drift off. While alcohol is a sedative and can indeed make you fall asleep faster, the sleep you get is severely fragmented and unnatural. Alcohol suppresses REM sleep, which is critical for emotional regulation and memory consolidation. As your body metabolizes the alcohol during the night, you often experience a “rebound effect,” causing you to wake up frequently in the second half of the night.
Similarly, while THC can help some people fall asleep, it also disrupts the natural architecture of sleep. The bottom line, which sleep scientists universally agree on, is that the sleep you get under the influence of alcohol or THC is not truly restorative. You’re better off finding other ways to wind down.
3. Use Simple Tools to Your Advantage
Sometimes, simple, low-tech tools can be incredibly effective. An eye mask is a perfect example. By ensuring total darkness, it prevents stray light from disrupting your sleep. However, be mindful that some people find they get too warm, as the mask covers the skin on the face that helps release heat. If you use one, make sure your room is cool enough to compensate.
Another powerful tool is elevating your feet by about 3 to 5 degrees. You can do this with a pillow under your ankles or by slightly raising the foot of your bed. This can enhance the depth of your sleep by improving the glymphatic system’s ability to wash out metabolic waste from your brain during the night. The one major caveat is for those with acid reflux; in that case, you should do the opposite and elevate the head of your bed.
2. Stay Consistent, Even on Weekends
This might be the hardest tip for many people to follow, but it’s one of the most important. Your body’s circadian rhythm thrives on consistency. When you wake up at 7 AM on weekdays and sleep until 11 AM on weekends, you’re giving yourself a case of “social jetlag.” You’re essentially forcing your body to adjust to a new time zone every weekend, and then forcing it back on Monday morning.
This inconsistency destabilizes your internal clock, making it harder to fall asleep on Sunday night and harder to wake up on Monday morning. If you have a late night, it’s okay to sleep in a little, but try to limit it to no more than an hour past your usual wake-up time. A much better strategy is to wake up at your regular time (or within an hour of it) and take a short nap in the afternoon.
1. Supplement Strategically for Specific Sleep Issues
Supplements can be a useful part of your sleep toolkit, but you need to be strategic. First, identify your specific problem.
If you wake up in the middle of the night:
- Myo-Inositol: If you fall asleep fine but find yourself wide awake at 3 AM, Myo-Inositol (typically 900mg) can help shorten the time it takes to fall back asleep.
- Avoid Theanine: Some people who experience very intense, vivid dreams that jolt them awake may find that Theanine (which we’ll discuss next) makes this problem worse. If this is you, Theanine is not the right supplement for you.
If you have trouble falling asleep:
- Magnesium Threonate or Bisglycinate: These forms of magnesium are excellent because they can cross the blood-brain barrier. They help calm the nervous system and induce a state of mild drowsiness, making the transition to sleep smoother and deeper. Doses typically range from 100-400mg.
- Apigenin: This compound, found in chamomile, is a fantastic anxiety-lowering agent. It helps quiet the racing thoughts, ruminations, and future-planning that often keep people awake. A typical dose is 50mg.
- Theanine: For those who don’t have issues with vivid dreams, Theanine (100-400mg) can be very effective at promoting relaxation and reducing the time it takes to fall asleep.
When trying these, approach it like a scientist. Don’t just throw everything at the wall. Try one supplement, like Magnesium, for a week and see how you feel. Then, the next week, try only Apigenin. This will help you understand which ingredient is most effective for your body.
Conclusion
Improving your sleep is one of the most profound and impactful investments you can make in your overall health and well-being. It’s not about finding one magic bullet, but about building a consistent routine of healthy habits. By taking control of your light exposure, timing your daily activities, optimizing your environment, and being strategic with tools and supplements, you can transform your sleep. Start with one or two of these tips tonight. Be patient and consistent, and you will unlock the incredible power of a truly restorative night’s sleep.
Source: Dr. Huberman