Sleep is an essential part of our daily lives and our overall health. It plays a crucial role in everything from cognitive function and physical health to emotional regulation. Unfortunately, though, many of us struggle to get consistent, good sleep. Great rest can be hard to come by, but luckily, there are steps you can take to get there.
According to neuroscientist Dr. Rachel Barr, quality sleep is about more than just the number of hours you’re getting each night. It’s also essential to create an environment and routine that supports optimal brain function and overall health if you want to get the rest you deserve. In a recent TikTok, she shared three scientifically-backed tips for improving sleep: keeping the room cool, practicing stimulus control, and establishing a consistent sleep-wake schedule. Learn more about each of these great tips below.
@drrachelbarr Replying to @Mugs_and_Mixers 3 tios for better sleep #neuroscience #ciencia #neurociencia #ciencia #sleep original sound – DrRachelBarr
1. Keep Your Room Cool
It turns out that sleeping in a cool room is more than a personal preference; according to Dr. Barr, it can also make all the difference in the quality of your sleep. She says your bedroom should ideally remain between 16 to 19 degrees Celsius (around 60 to 66 degrees Fahrenheit). “The brain has some delicate chemistry and rhythms that it needs to go through, and it needs that cool temperature to do so,” she explains. If you feel the urge to bundle up with heavy blankets and cozy pajamas, that’s just fine—the body can regulate its temperature effectively if the room stays cool. This cool environment will help the brain transition smoothly into sleep, ensuring that all necessary processes, including the release of sleep hormones like melatonin, can function optimally. Perfect!
2. Only Sleep in Your Bed
It's tempting to carry out a lot of tasks in your bed, from working on your laptop to playing games on your phone. But Dr. Barr says it's crucial that you reserve your bed for sleep (and select few other activities). This method of using the bed exclusively for sleep is known as stimulus control, and it reinforces the connection between the bed and rest. "Only use your bed for sleep, with a bit of light reading acceptable," Dr. Barr suggests. "TVs, phones, arguments with your spouse—keep those things out of the bedroom or at least out of the bed." This helps condition the brain to associate the bed with rest and relaxation, preventing the negative impact of screen time and other stressors.
3. Establish a Consistent Sleep-Wake Schedule
Maintaining a consistent schedule by going to sleep and waking up at the same time each day is also paramount to your health, Dr. Barr says. "The brain is like a little retired person, and it really needs a predictable routine to thrive," she notes. A consistent schedule signals to the brain when it’s time to release melatonin to prepare for sleep or cortisol to wake us up. If you work irregular shifts, Dr. Barr recommends creating a "bedtime playbook" with different routines tailored to day and night shifts. This will help your body stay in some sort of rhythm, at least, allowing for familiar cues even if your schedules vary.
Sweet dreams!
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