How to Sleep Better: according to science

Written By Sea My View

sleep shapes our bodies and minds - just as the lunar cycle shapes the rhythm of the tides

The Four Essentials for Better Sleep

1. wake up around the same time

2. morning sunlight, ~1 hour before 10am

3. exercise regularly

4. sleep 7 or more hours every night

What is Restorative Sleep?

Restorative sleep is a personal (subjective) experience, rather than a universal standard.

According to expert sleep specialists - sleep is restorative if we wake up feeling better than we did before we slept - defined by:

  • feeling more awake and ready for the day

  • thinking more clearly

  • feeling happier, more emotionally content

  • having more energy

  • experiencing a greater sense of well-being

  • American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research Society recommend:

    adults regularly sleep 7 or more hours per night to promote optimal health

Stages of the Sleep Cycle

Restorative sleep is about more than just time - it depends on how the brain progresses through the sleep stages each night.

We need adequate time in each stage for the brain and body to carry out the essential functions that support our overall health.

Awake → N1 → N2 → N3 → N2 → REM → repeat

Stage N1 - initiation of sleep

  • 5% of total sleep

  • first & lightest stage, easy to wake during

  • breathing remains regular

Stage N2 - maintenance & consolidation

  • 45% of total sleep

  • longest stage, preparing for deep sleep

  • heart rate and body temperature decrease

  • brain processes newly learned information and skills into long-term knowledge

Stage N3 - physical restoration

  • 25% of total sleep

  • deepest stage, hard to wake during*

  • repair and regrowth of tissues

  • building of bones and muscles

  • strengthening of immune system

*30-60 mins of mental fogginess (sleep inertia), usually occurs if awakened in this stage

Stage N2 - transition

  • brief return to lighter sleep before REM

REM - dreaming & debated purpose

  • 25% of total sleep

  • no scientific consensus on function

  • associated with dreaming & nightmares

  • not considered a restful sleep stage

  • brain activity similar to being awake

  • temporary muscle paralysis

The Science Behind Restorative Sleep

Research highlights the importance of restorative sleep for both physical and mental health - a necessary support for our bodies and brains to recover and function effectively.

  • improves mental health - reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety

    improves metabolic health - supports healthy weight management and decreases risk of type 2 diabetes

    enhances attention - improves our ability to learn more efficiently, react faster, and respond better to changes

    supports memory - essential for processing new information and preparing the brain for future learning

    enhances executive performance - improves our ability to pursue goals, problem-solve, control impulses, make decisions, and pivot when things change

    strengthens emotional regulation - improves our ability to navigate emotions and better handle stress

    improves accuracy & productivity - reduces the frequency of mistakes and enhances coordination and balance

  • *regularly sleeping less than 7 hours per night

    poor mental health - increases rates of anxiety and depression

    emotional instability - impacts our ability to accurately process & respond to emotions, increases impulsivity & conflict with others

    risk of death - insufficient sleep increases risk of death by 6-15%

    cardiovascular diseases - increases risk of high blood pressure (~1.4x more likely), heart disease, stroke (~17% increased risk)

    metabolic syndrome - increases risk of obesity (~1.5x more likely) and type 2 diabetes - increases hunger levels, caloric intake, and insulin resistance

    impairs attention - makes it harder to think clearly & respond appropriately to situations

    impairs memory - makes it harder to learn and remember new information

    disrupts executive functioning - makes it harder to plan, pursue goals, change behavior, make decisions & problem-solve

How to Sleep Better:
what the science says

The body relies on two key internal systems to regulate sleep:
circadian rhythms & sleep pressure

Understanding what influences these systems, allows us to create evidence-based practices to effectively support them - helping us sleep better.

  • a 24-hour internal timing system - regulating* alertness and sleepiness in response to light

    *and other essential functions

  • sleep pressure increases* the longer we are awake - making it easier to fall asleep, then reduces as we sleep - helping us feel more alert the next day

    simplified process -
    *energy is used → ATP breaks down → adenosine increases → sleep pressure increases

    more detailed process -
    *energy is used → ATP breaks down → adenosine gradually accumulates in the brain → adenosine binds to and activates adenosine receptors → sleep pressure increases → supporting healthy sleep

5 Evidence-Based Practices for Better Sleep

1. Keep a Consistent Sleep Schedule

To create a consistent sleep schedule that supports circadian rhythms & homeostatic sleep drive - focus on the following elements:

consistent wake time* - waking up around the same time ensures predictable morning light exposure - supporting circadian rhythms

wakefulness - spending enough time awake allows adenosine to accumulate, increasing sleep pressure and making it easier to fall asleep

sufficient sleep opportunity - sleeping long enough allows sleep pressure time to dissipate, helping us feel more alert the next day

consistent bedtime - sleeping around the same time every night ensures predictable light exposure - supporting circadian rhythms

*prioritize consistent wake time before bedtime - more beneficial for stabilizing circadian rhythms

2. Set the Clock, Protect the Clock

When it comes to circadian rhythm support - light is the single most important and only definitive influence helping synchronize our internal rhythms to our external environment.

Prioritize Morning Sunlight

exposure to early morning light aligns circadian rhythms - improving sleep quality

  • experience morning light to synchronize circadian rhythms - aim for ~1 hour of sunlight before 10AM (most important)

  • spend time outdoors during daylight hours to help reinforce circadian rhythms - aim for ~30 minutes of sunlight after 3PM

Evening Light Management

exposure to artificial lighting at night delays circadian rhythms - worsening sleep quality

  • reduce indoor lighting

  • reduce screen time - limit 2 hrs before & restrict entirely 30 mins before bedtime

  • limit exposure to urban light pollution - vehicles, street & building lights, signs

3. Regularly Move Your Body

Regular exercise makes it easier to fall asleep & improves overall sleep quality, by increasing sleep pressure & improving mental health.

  • exercise accelerates energy use, increasing adenosine, increasing sleep pressure -
    making it easier to fall asleep

  • exercise lowers stress, anxiety & depression and improves overall mental health - improving sleep quality

4. Limit Long, Late in the Day Naps

Naps can reduce accumulated sleep pressure, potentially interfering with nighttime sleep.

However, if strategic, naps can boost positive mood and reduce self-reported sleepiness.

For best results, researchers recommend:
30-minute, mid-afternoon naps
plus ~10 mins to fall asleep

5. Consider Your Caffeine Intake

Caffeine blocks adenosine receptors, reducing sleep signals to the brain - prolonging wakefulness and negatively impacting sleep.

Generally, research suggests sleep disruptions are more likely to occur, the more caffeine we consume and the later we consume it.

Caffeine affects everyone differently though, and research on sleep disruptions are inconsistent.

Thus, recommendations on how much caffeine is acceptable and at what time in the day to stop, depend on our individual responses to it.

Navigating the Noise

exploring common claims lacking evidence

Popular Sleep Recommendation:

  • reasoning: supports our body’s natural, nightly internal temperature drop

    Peer-Reviewed Research:

    ✅ body temperature decreases as we prepare for deep sleep (Stage N2)

    ❌ we do not need to cool our rooms that low

    research supports sleep being most efficient and restful when nighttime ambient temperature ranges between: 20–25°C (68-77°F)

    not until temperatures increased to 30°C/86°F did sleep efficiency significantly drop

Popular Sleep Recommendation:

  • reasoning: intense exercise increases adrenaline and cortisol

    Peer-Reviewed Research:

    ✅ intense exercise does increase adrenaline and cortisol

    ❌ current evidence does not support late-night exercise disrupts sleep

    no negative impact was seen with:

    • vigorous exercise 2.5 hrs before bed

    • vigorous exercise 2 hrs before bed

    • moderate exercise 1 hr before bed

    • moderate exercise 30 mins before bed

The quality of our waking life is formed by a nightly return to the rhythms that sustain us -
allowing the body to restore what the day may have taken & returning us to our baseline.

  • How much sleep do I need?

    Sleep experts recommend healthy adults regularly sleep 7 or more hours per night to promote optimal health.

    Does melatonin help you sleep?

    Yes! Studies have shown melatonin is beneficial for improving sleep.

    • significantly reduces insomnia scores and length & frequency of awakenings

    • significantly improves total sleep time & efficiency and how long it takes to fall asleep

    Is napping good or bad?

    Naps can boost positive mood and reduce self-reported sleepiness.

    For best results -
    researchers recommend 30 minute, mid-afternoon naps
    (plus ~10 minutes to fall asleep)

    Why can’t I sleep?

    Possible reasons you can’t sleep:

    • stress, anxiety, racing thoughts

    • circadian rhythms disruptions caused by - poor sleep schedule, too much screen time before bed, etc.

    • insufficient sleep pressure caused by - consuming caffeine too late in the day, not getting enough physical activity, etc.

    • uncomfortable environment - bad mattress, poor pillow, noisy, bright, too hot or too cold, etc.

    • consuming alcohol or nicotine too close to bed

    • pain or physical discomfort

    • poor mental health - depression, anxiety, PTSD, etc.

    • sleep disorders - insomnia, sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome, etc.

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