Sleep: we all know we need it, yet many of us struggle to get it.
But why is sleep so important anyway?
Aside from avoiding lethargy in the morning, sleep is fundamental to our health. It is our brain and body’s opportunity to rest, repair, and reset so that we can do battle the following day.
Sleep deprivation is a cause of depression, heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease. These days, the ‘prescription’ against this is 7 to 9 hours of snoozing each night.
You may already be aware that it’s not just the quantity of sleep we get that matters, but also the quality. You may have heard of ‘deep’ sleep, or even its more scientific name: REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. Due to many factors, it is unfortunately the case that many of us are not getting an adequate amount of REM sleep.
So, how can we ensure that we are meeting our brain’s demand for high quality (read: deep) sleep each night?
Luckily, neuroscientists have discovered several ways we can improve our sleep quality.
1. Regularity
For many people, each night is a new adventure. On weekdays, you might hit the hay at a responsible hour. While on weekends, you are partying past your typical bedtime.
Unfortunately, this inconsistency in sleep time can wreak havoc on our sleep quality.
It turns out that our brains are very particular about when we go to sleep. But, it’s not as though there is one best time to get in bed.
Rather, our brain maintains a 24-hour clock and works best when we go to bed and wake up at the same time each day.
In fact, it is now known that regularity not only improves sleep quality, but quantity as well.
2. Temperature
It’s the middle of summer. You’re hot, sweaty, and plain uncomfortable. Tossing and turning, you curse your insomnia wondering what gives.
What gives is that our brain and body can be very particular about their setting when it comes to sleep. Though you may prefer an ambient temperature of 70+ degrees Fahrenheit, they do not.
Fear not! Sleep expert and neuroscientist Dr. Matthew Walker can help. He suggests that the brain and body need to drop their core temperature by 2-3 degrees to get to sleep. Not only that, but they need the temperature to remain steady to stay asleep.
Dr. Walker recommends we aim for a bedroom temperature of 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Whether we prefer it that way is irrelevant. Our physiology is picky, and this is the temperature it responds to best.
3. Darkness
The day is over, and it’s time for bed. You run through your wind-down routine, brush your teeth, and change into your pajamas. Finally, you plop into bed, tuck yourself under the covers…and reach for the remote. It’s TV time part two — you didn’t mount that 4K behemoth on your bedroom wall for nothing!
In 2021, light pollution is at an all-time high. You may not live in Times Square, but we have normalized an immense amount of screen time in our lives. Between computer screens, televisions, and now smartphones, our retinas are working overtime.
By this point, you may be starting to realize how absurd it is to watch TV while trying to fall asleep (keyword: trying). Although it may be cozy to drift away watching Netflix, the impact on our sleep is well documented.
Dr. Walker suggests we avoid all screen usage at least one hour before bed. Additionally, he recommends we begin dimming the lights in our homes at sundown. If your windows let in light from street lamps or headlights, try blackout curtains or an eyemask.
4. Alcohol
I already know what you’re thinking. Unfortunately, no — alcohol is not the sleep aid many believe it to be. In fact, it’s actually the complete opposite.
While drinking alcohol may lead to drowsiness, its effects on sleep quality are bad. Very bad.
Alcohol decreases the amount of REM sleep you get, reducing your brain’s restoration. Heavy alcohol consumption can also degrade your breathing, causing interruption to your sleep. So not only are you reducing the quality of your sleep, but also the quantity.
But this doesn’t mean we have to completely abstain from drinking alcohol. Instead, the recommendation is to give yourself time to sober up before getting to bed. In other words, don’t drink yourself to sleep.
5. Caffeine
On the opposite end of the spectrum is caffeine, popular stimulant used by many people on a daily basis.
Caffeine does offer us a cognitive performance increase during our wakeful hours. But it can also cause a decrease in sleep quality if we’re not careful.
Although the effects of caffeine peak shortly after consumption, the molecule lingers. If you drink a coffee at noon, there will still be a quarter of that caffeine in your brain at midnight.
This means that caffeine can still be affecting our neurochemistry while we sleep. The result? You guessed it: worse sleep quality.
To avoid this scenario, do your best to limit your caffeine consumption to the early morning. No later than 10am would be best. But if you’re only drinking coffee or tea for the taste, you can switch to decaffeinated blends.
Sleep Is Important
If you’ve made it this far, I hope you now see the importance of getting a good night’s sleep.
Not only must we ensure we get 7 – 9 hours each night, we must also set the stage for our brain to get quality, deep REM sleep.
The five tips in this post are only the tip of the iceberg. If you found this information helpful, consider doing your own deep dive into the topic.
Which of these 5 tips are you going to try implementing first?
Are you going to change any of your habits tonight?
Let me know in the comments below! I’d love to discuss how you can improve your sleep hygiene.
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