Sleep
None of this is expert advice. It's what people worked out for themselves, usually the hard way — what actually helped, and what they'd tell someone standing where you are. Take what fits and leave the rest.
If you only read a few
Expose yourself to natural sunlight right after waking to regulate your circadian rhythm.
Bright light at wake-up triggers the sleep cycle to start in 14-16 hours. It is the most effective tool for adjusting this rhythm, and no other light source compares.
- Do not use sunlamps or SAD lights.
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Avoid alcohol before bed.
Alcohol disrupts sleep quality and reduces REM sleep, even if it feels like it helps you fall asleep.
- One or two servings may be acceptable for some, but more than that degrades sleep quality.
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Journal all your thoughts or do a brain dump onto paper before bed.
Writing down thoughts helps stop dwelling on them when thinking too much prevents sleep.
- It doesn't always help.
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- Record intrusive thoughts or write about your day before sleep to release feelings and lower evening worry.3
Avoid screens for one to two hours before bed; opt for reading a book or journaling to settle your mind.
Reading helps you fall asleep quicker and more easily, while social media and news are harmful.
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Cease using digital devices 30 minutes to 1 hour before sleeping.
Screen light dries eyes and keeps the brain alert by mimicking daylight, which disrupts rest.
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Employ white noise, grey noise, fans, or rainfall audio to cover up disturbances and aid rest.
Work out during daylight hours to build fatigue, which aids in falling asleep at night.
Exercising tires you out; exercising too close to bed can fry your nervous system and make it hard to fall asleep.
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Employ white noise, grey noise, fans, or rainfall audio to cover up disturbances and aid rest.
Steady ambient sound prevents your ears from reacting sharply to each abrupt noise.
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Keep a red-beam torch or bulb with a red filter accessible for nighttime use, enabling you to keep both eyes open while maintaining dark adaptation.
Red light sits at the lower end of the visible spectrum and does not cause pupil dilation, helping to preserve night vision more than other hues.
- Red light can signify sex workers to some drivers, potentially attracting unwanted attention at night.
- One source claims red light does affect night vision, though most say it helps.
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Keep your wake-up time consistent across all days of the week.
Stable routines help regulate energy and choices; major shifts in timing can be harmful to your physiology.
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Do not use the snooze button on your alarm clock.
Snoozing trains the brain to associate the alarm sound with going back to sleep rather than waking up.
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Leave your phone outside the bedroom when you go to sleep.
This prevents scrolling through social media in bed upon waking.
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- Restrict bed use strictly to sleep and intimacy; avoid watching TV or using smartphones in bed.3
Use sleep cycle apps or calculators to wake up during light sleep phases or at the conclusion of a full cycle.
Waking during deep sleep can lead to grogginess.
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Read Matthew Walker's 'Why We Sleep' to shift how you view sleep.
It alters one's perspective and comprehension of how sleep works.
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Work out consistently, but steer clear of intense sessions within 2-4 hours before sleeping.
Training too late can energize the body, making it hard to relax and hindering muscle repair.
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Turn off all electronics and avoid screens one hour before bed.
One person reported becoming more alert, balanced, and themselves week by week after doing so.
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Stop using screens or reading before sleep to give your body time to relax.
Your body requires time to wind down.
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Use your bed only for sleeping (and sex or sickness) to condition your brain to associate the space with rest.
Spending time awake in bed makes your brain associate staying awake with staying in bed; restricting use tricks your body into bedtime and helps you fall asleep faster.
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- Reserve your bed exclusively for sleeping (and sex) to associate it with rest rather than other activities like reading or browsing.4
Fix your sleep problems first, as one person felt this would help with almost everything else.
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- Focus on sleep hygiene so you are rested enough to handle daily challenges.3
Reduce brightness during the final hour before sleep by switching off overhead fixtures and using softer lamps.
This promotes drowsiness and prepares you for rest.
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Go to sleep early.
It saves you from bad decisions and improves everything else.
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Ensure your sleeping area is dim, silent, and cool.
A comfortable setting with good airflow promotes restful sleep.
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Make your sleeping area as dark as possible using blackout curtains, eye masks, or door gap blockers.
Sensors in the skin detect light, which interferes with melatonin production.
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Bathe or shower warmly between 30 minutes and 2 hours before sleeping.
The subsequent drop in body temperature signals sleep readiness and promotes deeper rest.
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Focus on rising at the same hour daily to anchor your circadian rhythm and control natural sleep length.
Your body will naturally adjust to get approximately 8 hours of rest consistently.
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Close your eyes before turning off a light and keep them closed for several seconds after to speed up dark adaptation.
Closing eyes activates the brain's adjustment circuitry more than low ambient light alone; it shifts the waiting period so it doesn't feel like waiting; it allows bleached visual receptor cells to recover.
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Adopt a consistent bedtime and sleep on schedule to prepare for early rising and daily discipline.
A disciplined day is actually built from the previous night.
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- Rise at a consistent hour daily, including weekends and holidays, to acclimate to the routine.7
Shift your wake-up time forward by small increments each week until you reach your desired sleeping pattern.
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- Set a nighttime routine focused on relaxation and sleep hygiene.4
Invest in high-quality sleep equipment, such as a premium mattress, pillows, and wool comforters.
Poor mattresses can negate the helpful effects of other interventions; investing in quality gear can transform sleep.
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Keep a regular sleep schedule.
This proves more effective than any combination of supplements for securing restful slumber.
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Set your alarm for the same time every morning, including weekends and vacations.
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Remove your phone from the nightstand and leave it charging in another room, such as the living room or bathroom, to prevent nighttime interruptions.
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Set a consistent pre-sleep sequence of specific actions performed in the same order each night, beginning about thirty minutes before you intend to sleep.
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Practice progressive muscle relaxation by concentrating on consciously contracting and relaxing every muscle, starting at the top or bottom and working through the body.
Practice the 4-7-8 breathing technique: inhale for 4 counts, hold for 7, exhale for 8, repeating until asleep.
To relax your body and mind.
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- Practice Yoga Nidra or body scanning guided meditation to help you get sleepy and fall asleep.3
If you struggle with a racing mind, try listing three unrelated words for each letter of the alphabet to give your brain a focused task.
It changes mental gymnastics from a random race to a focused process.
- May not work for people with ADHD.
- Some find it makes their mind race more.
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Read dull books, academic texts, or material you have already studied until you drift off.
Boring or familiar content is less engaging than new, exciting stories.
- Reading a good book you don't know can have the opposite effect.
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Practice progressive muscle relaxation by concentrating on consciously contracting and relaxing every muscle, starting at the top or bottom and working through the body.
It is helpful for people who carry stress in their muscles.
- Some people find it difficult to know how to relax their muscles.
- One person lost interest after step 2.
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Avoid phone use for 30 minutes prior to sleep; pick up a book from a genre you enjoy instead.
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Compose imaginative narratives in your mind featuring yourself as the protagonist.
One user noted this technique helped them cope with poor sleep during their boarding school years.
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Loosen each muscle group, beginning at your feet and moving upward.
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Play a calm TV show or audiobook to distract your brain enough to let you fall asleep.
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Consciously relax every muscle in your body from head to toe while exhaling.
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Stretch extensively or do light stretches before bed to reduce tension and relax.
It reduces bodily tension and helps you relax.
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Shut your eyes, then open them just a crack. Maintain that minimal gap until they can no longer stay open.
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Record all thoughts from your mind and draft a task list for tomorrow before sleeping.
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Before making decisions or acting on worries, ask yourself if you are hungry, angry, lonely, or tired (HALT).
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