If you sleep well, you can regenerate, clear out toxins, and prevent diseases. In contrast, poor sleep leads to constant fatigue, imbalanced hormone levels, and decreased performance. What can you do to boost the quality of your sleep? Here are our 12 tips proved by research.
When you sleep, your body cycles between two phases: REM (rapid eye movement) and NREM (non-rapid eye movement). Moreover, NREM has three stages with variations in muscle tone, eye movement, and brain waves (electrical impulses in your brain). Your body cycles all the phases four to six times per night, averaging around 90 minutes for each cycle (1).
- The first two stages of NREM are called light sleep.
- The third stage of NREM is called deep sleep. During this stage, your brain waves slow down (1). Deep sleep usually lasts 20–40 minutes, and should take 13–23% of the total sleeping time.
The incredible benefits of improving your sleep quality
Sleep has incredible health benefits: Thanks to sleep, your body can clear out toxins, renew cells, and support neurons (1), promote the immune system (2), and even reduce the risk of diseases. Getting a good night's sleep can decrease the risk of high blood pressure, heart diseases, diabetes, stroke, and obesity (3).
But that’s not all. Research has also confirmed that the quality of sleep has a direct impact on your lifespan (4). If you improve your sleep quality, you will also improve your longevity, and increase the number of healthy years in your life.
Don’t underestimate the importance of a good night’s sleep
On the other hand, poor sleep can have negative effects on your body weight, exercise performance, hormone levels, and brain function. This has become a problem mostly in the past several decades – the quality of sleep has significantly decreased because of the western lifestyle which is sedentary, stressful, deficient in nutrients, and lacking physical activity and nature exposure.
- One in every two adults in the US will suffer from a sleep disorder at one point in their life.
- Insufficient sleep has been associated with 7 out of the 15 leading causes of death in the US.
- In the US alone, sleepy drivers are involved in 100,000 accidents yearly.
- Almost every fourth older American sleeps less than 6 hours daily.
What can you do to sleep better at night? In this article, we bring you 12 scientifically proven tips.
1. Find out how much you should sleep
Before improving the quality of your sleeping, you should focus on how many hours of sleep you actually need. People at different ages need different amounts of sleep. The American National Sleep Foundation recommends:
- Teenagers (14–17 years): 8–10 hours
- Young adults (18–25 years): 7–9 hours
- Adults (26–64 years): 7–9 hours
- Older adults (65 years and older): 7–8 hours
So, what else can you do to get the best sleep of your life?
2. Go to bed 30 minutes earlier
Maybe you scroll social media in your bed. Maybe you like to talk to your partner after you lie down. Maybe you just need a lot of time to fall asleep. Anyway, sleep time and time spent in bed are never the same. Aim to go to bed 30 minutes before you actually want to fall asleep. If you plan to sleep for 8 hours, you should spend approximately 8.5 hours in bed.
3. Don’t drink before sleeping
If you want to increase your sleep quality, avoid drinking high amounts of fluids 2–3 hours before going to bed. Drinking too much could wake you up at night, and thus disturb your sleep.
4. Limit blue light
Apart from affecting your mood, the blue light coming from screens like TV or your phone could also disturb your circadian rhythm, and thus decrease the quality of your sleep. Try one of the following tips (or both):
- Don’t use electronic devices 30 minutes before bed.
- Use blue-light blockers to minimize your exposure.
5. Relax before going to bed
Performing a calming activity is one of the best ways to naturally improve sleep quality. Try meditation, gratitude practice, or journaling. You can also try the following breathing exercise, called square breathing:
- Breathe in through the nose for 4 seconds.
- Hold your breath for 4 seconds.
- Breathe out for 4 seconds.
- Hold your breath for 4 seconds (5).
Besides improving your sleep quality, meditation has a lot of additional benefits for mental and physical health – it boosts the immune system, fights aging, promotes heart health, enhances your mood, reduces stress, and sharpens your thinking.
- Tip: Do you want to improve different areas of your health? Sign up for a comprehensive longevity program at our clinic.
6. Spend time outside in the morning
Shortly after you wake up, you should expose yourself to outdoor light, as it helps you anchor your circadian rhythm in the morning. Take a short walk, stretch on the balcony, or simply open the windows. Even when it’s cloudy.
7. Reduce caffeine consumption
As caffeine blocks the adenosine receptors, it can interfere with your sleep quality. When should you have your last cup of coffee? Studies show that consuming caffeine even 6 hours before going to bed has significant effects on sleep disturbance (6). In general, we would recommend avoiding caffeine after 4 pm.
However, every person is different, and you should find out what works for you. Experiment with different times of the day and see what has the biggest subjective impact on the quality of your sleep. Or, ideally, get yourself tested in a specialized clinic.
8. Start a regular sleep schedule
Going to bed and getting up at the same time every day can help you get better sleep. Therefore, apart from the morning alarm, try setting an evening reminder to go to bed. However, the sustainability of this habit depends on your individual lifestyle and preferences. Having a regular sleep schedule might be hard especially on the weekends if you want to go out in the evening and then sleep in the following morning.
9. Take supplements
Sleep enhancing medications have negative side effects, such as excessive daytime sleepiness or poor tolerance (7). But luckily, there are supplements that improve sleep quality naturally: for example vitamin D or melatonin.
- Vitamin D from natural sources (like animal livers or butter) regulates the sleep-wake cycle and is involved in the production of melatonin (sleep hormone). The deficiency of vitamin D has been associated with poor sleep quality and sleep disorders.
- Melatonin not only increases the quality of sleep, but also shortens the time needed to fall asleep.
- Other supplements that could promote sleep are omega-3 fatty acids, valerian, chamomile, and kava (8).
10. Be careful about your naps
Napping can have many health benefits. However, if it’s irregular or long, it can have a negative impact on your night’s sleep. Your naps shouldn’t be more than 30 minutes long so don’t forget to always set an alarm (9). However, this is highly individual and should be based on personalized diagnostics.
11. Exercise regularly
Having an inactive lifestyle is one of the main reasons for poor sleep quality. Therefore, focus on regular physical activity. It improves all aspects of sleep and reduces the symptoms of insomnia (10). How much exercise should you do? Research suggests:
- 2.6– 4.5 hours of aerobic exercise per week
- 7,000–10,000 steps per day
- 60 minutes of resistance training per week
- weekly balance training, especially for older adults
- strategies to reduce time spent sitting (11)
However, it is different for everyone. Before designing your exercise plan, you should undergo personalized medical testing. Book a free consultation with a longevity specialist to learn more.
12. Check your overall health
Our bodies are complex, and there are hundreds of different factors which influence their function. Therefore, the low quality of your sleep might be caused by a hidden problem you don’t know about. That’s why we recommend undergoing a comprehensive health analysis which will reveal everything about your genetics, mitochondria, nutrient levels, and other important biomarkers. Book a free consultation at Healthy Longevity Clinic and learn more.
When you sleep, your body cycles between two phases: REM (rapid eye movement) and NREM (non-rapid eye movement). Moreover, NREM has three stages with variations in muscle tone, eye movement, and brain waves (electrical impulses in your brain). Your body cycles all the phases four to six times per night, averaging around 90 minutes for each cycle (1).
- The first two stages of NREM are called light sleep.
- The third stage of NREM is called deep sleep. During this stage, your brain waves slow down (1). Deep sleep usually lasts 20–40 minutes, and should take 13–23% of the total sleeping time.
The incredible benefits of improving your sleep quality
Sleep has incredible health benefits: Thanks to sleep, your body can clear out toxins, renew cells, and support neurons (1), promote the immune system (2), and even reduce the risk of diseases. Getting a good night's sleep can decrease the risk of high blood pressure, heart diseases, diabetes, stroke, and obesity (3).
But that’s not all. Research has also confirmed that the quality of sleep has a direct impact on your lifespan (4). If you improve your sleep quality, you will also improve your longevity, and increase the number of healthy years in your life.
Don’t underestimate the importance of a good night’s sleep
On the other hand, poor sleep can have negative effects on your body weight, exercise performance, hormone levels, and brain function. This has become a problem mostly in the past several decades – the quality of sleep has significantly decreased because of the western lifestyle which is sedentary, stressful, deficient in nutrients, and lacking physical activity and nature exposure.
- One in every two adults in the US will suffer from a sleep disorder at one point in their life.
- Insufficient sleep has been associated with 7 out of the 15 leading causes of death in the US.
- In the US alone, sleepy drivers are involved in 100,000 accidents yearly.
- Almost every fourth older American sleeps less than 6 hours daily.
What can you do to sleep better at night? In this article, we bring you 12 scientifically proven tips.
1. Find out how much you should sleep
Before improving the quality of your sleeping, you should focus on how many hours of sleep you actually need. People at different ages need different amounts of sleep. The American National Sleep Foundation recommends:
- Teenagers (14–17 years): 8–10 hours
- Young adults (18–25 years): 7–9 hours
- Adults (26–64 years): 7–9 hours
- Older adults (65 years and older): 7–8 hours
So, what else can you do to get the best sleep of your life?
2. Go to bed 30 minutes earlier
Maybe you scroll social media in your bed. Maybe you like to talk to your partner after you lie down. Maybe you just need a lot of time to fall asleep. Anyway, sleep time and time spent in bed are never the same. Aim to go to bed 30 minutes before you actually want to fall asleep. If you plan to sleep for 8 hours, you should spend approximately 8.5 hours in bed.
3. Don’t drink before sleeping
If you want to increase your sleep quality, avoid drinking high amounts of fluids 2–3 hours before going to bed. Drinking too much could wake you up at night, and thus disturb your sleep.
4. Limit blue light
Apart from affecting your mood, the blue light coming from screens like TV or your phone could also disturb your circadian rhythm, and thus decrease the quality of your sleep. Try one of the following tips (or both):
- Don’t use electronic devices 30 minutes before bed.
- Use blue-light blockers to minimize your exposure.
5. Relax before going to bed
Performing a calming activity is one of the best ways to naturally improve sleep quality. Try meditation, gratitude practice, or journaling. You can also try the following breathing exercise, called square breathing:
- Breathe in through the nose for 4 seconds.
- Hold your breath for 4 seconds.
- Breathe out for 4 seconds.
- Hold your breath for 4 seconds (5).
Besides improving your sleep quality, meditation has a lot of additional benefits for mental and physical health – it boosts the immune system, fights aging, promotes heart health, enhances your mood, reduces stress, and sharpens your thinking.
- Tip: Do you want to improve different areas of your health? Sign up for a comprehensive longevity program at our clinic.
6. Spend time outside in the morning
Shortly after you wake up, you should expose yourself to outdoor light, as it helps you anchor your circadian rhythm in the morning. Take a short walk, stretch on the balcony, or simply open the windows. Even when it’s cloudy.
7. Reduce caffeine consumption
As caffeine blocks the adenosine receptors, it can interfere with your sleep quality. When should you have your last cup of coffee? Studies show that consuming caffeine even 6 hours before going to bed has significant effects on sleep disturbance (6). In general, we would recommend avoiding caffeine after 4 pm.
However, every person is different, and you should find out what works for you. Experiment with different times of the day and see what has the biggest subjective impact on the quality of your sleep. Or, ideally, get yourself tested in a specialized clinic.
8. Start a regular sleep schedule
Going to bed and getting up at the same time every day can help you get better sleep. Therefore, apart from the morning alarm, try setting an evening reminder to go to bed. However, the sustainability of this habit depends on your individual lifestyle and preferences. Having a regular sleep schedule might be hard especially on the weekends if you want to go out in the evening and then sleep in the following morning.
9. Take supplements
Sleep enhancing medications have negative side effects, such as excessive daytime sleepiness or poor tolerance (7). But luckily, there are supplements that improve sleep quality naturally: for example vitamin D or melatonin.
- Vitamin D from natural sources (like animal livers or butter) regulates the sleep-wake cycle and is involved in the production of melatonin (sleep hormone). The deficiency of vitamin D has been associated with poor sleep quality and sleep disorders.
- Melatonin not only increases the quality of sleep, but also shortens the time needed to fall asleep.
- Other supplements that could promote sleep are omega-3 fatty acids, valerian, chamomile, and kava (8).
10. Be careful about your naps
Napping can have many health benefits. However, if it’s irregular or long, it can have a negative impact on your night’s sleep. Your naps shouldn’t be more than 30 minutes long so don’t forget to always set an alarm (9). However, this is highly individual and should be based on personalized diagnostics.
11. Exercise regularly
Having an inactive lifestyle is one of the main reasons for poor sleep quality. Therefore, focus on regular physical activity. It improves all aspects of sleep and reduces the symptoms of insomnia (10). How much exercise should you do? Research suggests:
- 2.6– 4.5 hours of aerobic exercise per week
- 7,000–10,000 steps per day
- 60 minutes of resistance training per week
- weekly balance training, especially for older adults
- strategies to reduce time spent sitting (11)
However, it is different for everyone. Before designing your exercise plan, you should undergo personalized medical testing. Book a free consultation with a longevity specialist to learn more.
12. Check your overall health
Our bodies are complex, and there are hundreds of different factors which influence their function. Therefore, the low quality of your sleep might be caused by a hidden problem you don’t know about. That’s why we recommend undergoing a comprehensive health analysis which will reveal everything about your genetics, mitochondria, nutrient levels, and other important biomarkers. Book a free consultation at Healthy Longevity Clinic and learn more.
1. Patel AK, Reddy V, Araujo JF. Physiology, sleep stages. StatPearls [Internet]: StatPearls Publishing; 2021.
2. Medic G, Wille M, Hemels ME. Short- and long-term health consequences of sleep disruption. Nature and science of sleep. 2017;9:151-61.
3. Lichtenstein GR. The Importance of Sleep. Gastroenterology & hepatology. 2015;11(12):790-.
4. Stenholm S, Head J, Kivimäki M, Magnusson Hanson LL, Pentti J, Rod NH, et al. Sleep Duration and Sleep Disturbances as Predictors of Healthy and Chronic Disease-Free Life Expectancy Between Ages 50 and 75: A Pooled Analysis of Three Cohorts. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2019;74(2):204-10.
5. Norelli SK, Long A, Krepps JM. Relaxation techniques. StatPearls [Internet]: StatPearls Publishing; 2020.
6. Drake C, Roehrs T, Shambroom J, Roth T. Caffeine Effects on Sleep Taken 0, 3, or 6 Hours before Going to Bed. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine; 2013.
7. Li T, Jiang S, Han M, Yang Z, Lv J, Deng C, et al. Exogenous melatonin as a treatment for secondary sleep disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology. 2019;52:22-8. Naim, E. Supplements to help your patients sleep better. Healthy Longevity Guide; 2022.
9. Dhand R, Sohal H. Good sleep, bad sleep! The role of daytime naps in healthy adults. Curr Opin Pulm Med. 2006 Nov;12(6):379-82.
10. Yang P, Ho K, Chen H, Chien M. Exercise training improves sleep quality in middle-aged and older adults with sleep problems: a systematic review. J Physiother. 2012;58(3):157-63. doi: 10.1016/S1836-9553(12)70106-6.
11. Kaloc J. How Much Exercise and What Type Is Needed to Live Longer? Healthy Longevity Guide; 2022.
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