When I was growing up, I found it odd hearing the adults around me complain about how little sleep they were getting, like it was supposed to be some type of badge of honor. Then I became an adult myself and started doing the same thing – comparing how many hours of sleep I’d get in a night with friends, like I was too busy to get some shut eye. In my head, I thought that’s what successful people do, not get enough sleep and live off coffee for the entire day.
Not anymore. “People have to learn to value sleep,” James Maas, Ph.D., former chair of psychology at Cornell University and renowned sleep expert (he coined the term “power nap”), tells SELF. “The consequences of not getting enough sleep are extremely serious and deleterious. Sleep is the best predictor we have of longevity – better than exercise or nutrition – and sleep deprivation leads to a high risk of heart attack, strokes, type 2 diabetes, cancer and obesity, as well as depression, loss of motor skills and athleticism, irritability and anxiety.”
Damn.
And yet, most people are getting only six or so hours of sleep a night, and probably not the most restful, restorative kind, either. So if you’re one of the majority of people who have been struggling to stay awake during the day and trying their best to fall asleep at a reasonable hour at night, here are 10 rules to help you sleep better:
1. Get in 7.5 to 9 hours of sleep each night. That is the good-sleep sweet spot for optimal energy, health and longevity.
2. Set a bed time and don’t hit the snooze button. Much like when we were children, keeping to a consistent sleep schedule is key. Staying up late or hitting snooze eight times throws your body off its rhythm.
3. Lower the lights an hour before going to sleep. The bulbs in your house emit blue-spectrum light (like sunlight), which suppresses production of melatonin, a crucial hormone for conking out.
4. Keep your mobile phone as far away from you as possible when in bed. Your devices shoot blue light at you, too, and keep your brain from turning off with all the stimulation of mobile games, texting, emailing, and watching YouTube videos.
5. Drench yourself in natural light in the mornings. Sunlight signals your body that the day has begun. It cuts off the hormones that make you groggy and stimulate the ones that perk you up!
6. Try not to drink caffeine after 2 o’clock. Caffeine last about 8 hours in your system, so even an afternoon cuppa can disrupt your sleep. Switch to herbal teas instead.
7. Try not to sleep in on the weekends. This confuses your body as much as jet lag does, and will make it harder to fall asleep later.
8. Thou shall exercise regularly. People who get daily aerobic activity sleep better and more deeply.
9. If you’re going to drink, stick to enjoying a glass or two, no less than an hour before bed. It might make you pass out fast, but alcohol seriously hurts the quality of your sleep. Each drink takes about an hour to break down.
10. Keep your room dark, quiet and cool. Make the bedroom a sanctuary for sleep. Use a sleep mask and earplugs if you need them, and set the thermostat to a cool 21 degrees.