How To Sleep Better

Poor sleep affects millions of people worldwide. It causes fatigue, poor concentration, mood problems, and increases health risks. In this article, we cover ways to improve your sleep quality, from light exposure and your bedroom environment to timing your exercise session.

Struggling to fall asleep, waking frequently during the night, or feeling exhausted despite spending eight hours in bed? Wired but Tired! You're not alone — and the solution often lies in simple, effective evidence-based changes to your daily habits and sleep environment. No $5000 mattress, fancy tech, or overpriced supplements required.

How much sleep do you actually need?

Most adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night. Teenagers need more (8 to 10 hours), while older adults often do well with 7 to 8 hours. It’s not all about how long you sleep for (your “sleep duration”) — other things matter just as much. But consistently getting less than 7 hours increases your risk for obesity, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and mental health problems.

Signs you're not sleeping well

Poor sleep isn't just about quantity—quality matters enormously. Warning signs include:

• Regularly taking more than 30 minutes to fall asleep
• Waking up multiple times during the night
• Tossing and turning a lot at night
• Lying awake for long periods during the night
• Waking up too early and being unable to fall back asleep
• Feeling unrefreshed despite adequate time in bed
• Sleepiness, fatigue, or difficulty concentrating during the day
• Relying on caffeine to stay alert during the day
• Mood changes, irritability, or feeling more stressed

Why sleep matters

Quality sleep is essential for physical health, brain function, and social and emotional well-being. While you're sleeping, your body repairs your tissues, consolidates memories, regulates hormones, and clears metabolic waste from the brain. 

Sleeping poorly for a long period of time increases inflammation, weakens your immune system, impairs cognitive function, and raises the risk of serious health conditions. It can also be a signal that something isn’t quite right in your life, or in your body.

Common causes of sleep problems

Sleep issues stem from various sources: stress and anxiety, irregular sleep schedules, poor sleep environment (too bright, noisy, warm), excessive screen time before bed, caffeine or alcohol consumption, lack of physical activity, certain medications, and underlying health conditions.

If sleep issues persist despite trying evidence-based strategies, talk to a healthcare professional. You may well have an underlying sleep disorder (e.g., sleep apnea, insomnia, restless leg syndrome, or narcolepsy), which needs specialist help. 

Warning signs requiring medical evaluation include loud snoring with breathing pauses, gasping or choking during sleep, severe daytime sleepiness, or sleep problems that last more than a month.

Ways to get better sleep

1. Light exposure

Light is probably the most powerful regulator of your sleep-wake cycle. Bright light exposure in the morning and avoiding bright or blue light in the evening helps shift 'circadian timing' and improves sleep, especially in people with delayed sleep patterns¹.

Morning bright light. Get 30 to 60 minutes of bright light exposure within 2 hours of waking, ideally outdoors. Morning light advances your 'circadian clock', making it easier to fall asleep at night and wake up refreshed. Even when it’s cloudy, outdoor light is still brighter than indoor lighting. No fancy light clocks required, just get outdoors, first thing in the morning.

Evening lights. Dim lights 2 to 3 hours before bed. Blue light from screens suppresses melatonin production more than other wavelengths, delaying sleep onset and reducing sleep quality². 

Use blue light filters on devices after sunset, or better yet, avoid screens entirely in the hour before bed. Red and amber light wavelengths (660-870 nm) have minimal impact on melatonin. If you really need light at night, you can consider using red-wavelength light bulbs.

Complete darkness for sleep. Your bedroom should be dark enough that you can't see your hand in front of your face. Use blackout curtains or an eye mask to block all light sources, including street lights and vampire lights on your electronic device indicators.

2. Mind-body exercise

Mind-body practices like yoga and tai chi improve sleep in a few ways; they reduce stress, promote relaxation, and help regulate your nervous system activity. Yoga improves sleep quality, and other mind-body activities are also shown to improve sleep quality, reduce insomnia and reduce tiredness throughout the day^3,4. Here's what to do.

• Practice gentle yoga or tai chi 2 to 4 times weekly
• Evening sessions work well, but avoid vigorous practice right before bed
• Incorporate breathing exercises (see relaxation section below)
• Even just 20 minutes provides benefits

These mind-body practices are shown to reduce cortisol levels and activate the parasympathetic nervous system (your "rest and digest" system), creating physiological conditions that are needed for good sleep.

3. Time your exercise

Regular physical activity noticeably improves sleep, but the timing of the exercise matters (how close to bedtime it is). Both aerobic and resistance training improve sleep quality and reduce insomnia in adults. Research also shows that exercise enhances slow-wave (deep) sleep quality even when your total sleep time doesn't change⁵. How to exercise for sleep:

1. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity weekly
2. Morning or afternoon exercise tends to promote better sleep than late evening workouts
3. Avoid vigorous exercise 2 to 3 hours before bed, as it increases body temperature and arousal. 
4. Light stretching, gentle yoga or tai chi in the evening is fine and may actually help
5. Even just a 10-minute daily walk provides sleep benefits

Exercise reduces anxiety, regulates circadian rhythms, increases “adenosine” (a sleep-promoting brain chemical), and helps regulate your body temperature, which all support better sleep. The improvement in slow-wave sleep quality is particularly valuable, as this is the most physically restorative sleep stage.

4. Improve your sleep environment