The best hacks for a good night's sleep – scientifically proven
Do you have trouble sleeping at night? You are not alone. Whether you toss and turn or feel like you have barely slept in the morning, poor sleep affects your mood, your health and your quality of life. The solution is often easier than you think! With small changes in your daily routine and your evening routine, you can sleep more restfully. Here are the best science-based tips to help you start the day refreshed and full of energy.
Morning: Start the day right
Restful sleep starts in the morning. Your post-awakening routines influence your sleep-wake cycle and help you fall asleep more easily at night.
Enjoy morning sunlight
Natural light in the morning resets your body clock, regulates your circadian rhythm and boosts serotonin production, which lifts your mood. Spend 15–30 minutes outside or sitting by a window within the first 1–2 hours after waking up. Even on cloudy days, outdoor light is much more intense than artificial light. If sunlight isn't available, a light therapy lamp can help.
Move your body
Including movement in the morning or early afternoon increases what's known as sleep pressure. This helps you fall asleep faster in the evening. Whether it's a brisk walk, yoga or a short workout, anything counts!
Afternoon habits for restful sleep
The afternoon also has an influence on your night's rest. Here are two important points to keep in mind:
Caffeine after 2 p.m. is problematic
Caffeine can stay in your body for up to eight hours and affect your ability to fall asleep relaxed. It's better to drink herbal tea, decaffeinated coffee or just water.
No naps after 4 p.m.
A power nap of 20 minutes or less can provide a boost, but longer naps or napping too late in the day (after 4 p.m.) can disrupt your sleep-wake cycle.
The perfect evening routine: wind down
The hours before bed are crucial for a good night's sleep. These tips will help you prepare your body and mind for sleep:
Plan for light meals
Eating heavy or spicy food just before bed puts a strain on your digestion and can keep you awake. Eat no later than three hours before going to bed.
The dose makes the poison. A glass of alcohol with dinner may be tempting, but be careful: alcohol can significantly disrupt your sleep. It suppresses important REM sleep, fragments your sleep and causes you to wake up more frequently during the night. While your body breaks down alcohol, your liver is under a great deal of strain - which affects your nightly rest. Cocktails with a high alcohol or sugar content in particular significantly increase these effects. If you don't want to give up alcohol completely, stick to a single glass of a low-alcohol drink such as dry wine or beer. Be sure to drink at least three hours before going to bed so that your body has enough time to break down the alcohol. It is a common myth that a schnapps after a meal aids digestion. In fact, alcohol has the opposite effect: it relaxes the stomach muscles and slows down gastric emptying, which can impair digestion.
Why not simply swap your evening drink for a soothing herbal tea? Or simply add our tasty ASPRIVA SLEEP to your evening routine.
Take a hot shower or sauna
A warm bath, hot shower or a session in the sauna 1–2 hours before bed helps your body to relax. Paradoxically, the warmth ensures that your body cools down more quickly after the shower – a signal that makes falling asleep easier.
Nicotine, THC & Co.
Nicotine and THC can also significantly affect your sleep. Nicotine acts as a strong stimulant and energizes your body, which is exactly the opposite of what you need for a good night's sleep. It increases your heart rate, promotes wakefulness and can fragment your sleep, leaving you with less deep sleep and feeling more exhausted in the morning. While THC may make falling asleep feel easier, it significantly affects the quality of your sleep. In particular, REM sleep, which is essential for processing emotions and dreaming, is reduced by THC. Long-term use can also disrupt your natural sleep-wake cycle.
Dim the lights and turn off screens
Reduce the light in your home one hour before going to bed and avoid screens such as cell phones, tablets or televisions 1-2 hours before bedtime. The blue light from these devices inhibits the production of melatonin, your body's own sleep hormone.
Relaxation exercises and intimacy
Meditation, light yoga or breathing exercises calm your mind and help you prepare for sleep. Intimacy can also facilitate the transition to sleep by releasing feel-good hormones such as oxytocin and endorphins.
Sleep time: optimize your environment
When it's time to go to bed, your bedroom should be perfectly designed for restful sleep:
Keep it cool at 18-20°C
The ideal room temperature is 18–20°C. Adjust the temperature accordingly if you find it too hot or too cold.
Ensure darkness and quiet
Blackout curtains and earplugs help block out light and noise – two of the most common sleep disruptors.
Hide your clocks
Checking the time at night can trigger stress. Simply turn your alarm clock and other devices with clocks facing the wall or remove them from the bedroom altogether. Your sleep will thank you for it.
The golden rules for good sleep
You should always follow a few basic rules to ensure restful sleep in the long term:
- Stick to your schedule: Try to go to bed and get up at the same time every day, even on weekends. This regularity stabilizes your internal clock, which has a very positive effect on sleep quality.
- Plan for enough sleep, but don't overdo it: Adults need 7–9 hours of sleep per night. Sleeping less can cause long-term health problems. You may be surprised to learn that sleeping too much can be just as unhealthy as not getting enough sleep. Sleeping more than 9 hours on a regular basis has been linked to increased inflammation, metabolic dysfunction and poorer sleep quality. It also increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity and depression. Too much sleep can disrupt sleep architecture, especially the balance between REM and deep sleep, and affect your daily structure.
- Sleep at the right time: Adjust your sleep schedule to your circadian rhythm, which means ideally sleeping between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.
Nighttime snacks: Yes, but eat smart
If you get hungry before bed, you can have a small, sleep-friendly snack. Avoid sugary foods that can spike your blood sugar, and choose a banana or a handful of almonds instead, which can help encourage melatonin production.
If you still can't sleep despite taking all these measures, you may have a sleep disorder such as insomnia or sleep apnea. Medications, nicotine or substances such as THC can also disrupt sleep. A visit to the doctor will help to clarify the causes and find individual solutions.
You don't need to make any major changes to sleep better. Even small adjustments such as daily sunlight, relaxing evening rituals or the perfect sleeping environment can make a big difference. Try out the tips and give your body time to adjust to them. The reward is restful nights and energetic days. Sleep well!