You spend more time trying to sleep than actually sleeping. On some nights, you even catch yourself wondering what a recording of those wide-awake hours would look like. Maybe you’d play it on a movie night with your dog while reliving last week’s grocery run.
If your nights are anything like this, you’re in the same boat as roughly a third of Americans. And since we’re not actually producing that documentary of your bedtime struggles, let's do something more useful: walk through some awesome life hacks for sleeping comfortably.
The Basics
- Better sleep starts with great bedding that keeps you comfortable all night.
- Small nighttime routines, like dimming lights or taking a hot bath, can help you wind down.
- A tidy, calm room makes it easier for your brain to relax.
- Little things, such as setting up morning light cues, can help you feel refreshed when you wake up.
- Check in with your doctor before trying any sleep hacks, especially if you have a sleep disorder.
Top Life Hacks for Sleep Improvement
Watching TikToks or your favorite horror movies in bed isn't on this list.
1. Use Bedding Your Body Loves
A Sleep Foundation survey found that about 24% of people trying to improve their sleep patterns upgrade their sheets. If you’re having trouble sleeping, the problem could be that your bedding (sheets, pillowcases, duvet, duvet covers, and so on) isn't suitable for you.
To increase your chances of getting a good night's sleep, look for fabrics that match your body's needs. Bedclothes made from, say, polyester, trap plenty of heat and moisture. If you sweat in situations where other people would be just fine, you know not to use these. By comparison, breathable options such as percale and sateen will help you sleep soundly.
2. Shower or Bathe Before Bed
Besides supporting sleep hygiene, showering or bathing one to two hours before bedtime can make a big difference in how fast you fall asleep. A study in the Journal of Physiological Anthropology confirmed that short and long baths can lower body temperature by 32.5°F and 33.6°F, respectively. This temperature drop signals to your brain that it's time for sleep. Nearly half of adults take pre-bedtime showers, according to the Sleep Foundation.
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3. Meditate or Draw Deep Breaths to Power Down
Your brain doesn’t come with a power button. You need to gradually bring it down to “rest mode” through healthy sleep habits such as mindfulness meditation. This simple hack reduces stress levels, enabling you to fall asleep faster. Healthcare professionals in the University of Melbourne’s Department of Psychiatry confirmed as much in a meta-analysis of 45 studies, which they published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research.
If you're new to meditation, attempt this quick, six-step routine:
- Dim the lights and sit or lie down comfortably. This tells your brain it’s time to slow down.
- Set a timer for 3–5 minutes.
- Close your eyes and take slow, deep breaths through your nose. Inhale for four seconds and exhale for six.
- Focus on your breathing or a single anchor point like your windowsill.
- When your thoughts wander, gently bring them back.
- End the session by relaxing each part of your body for 10–15 seconds.
4. Practice Relaxation Techniques as Part of Your Sleep Routine
Like meditation, these techniques calm your nervous system and prepare your body for deeper, more restorative sleep. Try:
- Progressive Muscle Relaxation: Start at your toes, tense each muscle group for five seconds, and release for ten. Move upward. It drains physical tension fast.
- Body Scanning: Lie still and mentally “scan” your body from head to toe. Relax any tight spots you notice as you go.
5. Exercise Daily
Regular exercise helps your body’s internal clock understand when it’s time to be alert and when it’s time to wind down. As a meta-analysis in the Journal of Nature and Science of Sleep reports, doing moderate-intensity workouts in the evening supports high-quality sleep. Just don’t cram a high-intensity workout too close to bedtime, or you'll get 1.95% less REM sleep than you usually do. Why risk that when you're not having enough sleep as is?
6. Limit Your Intake of Caffeinated Beverages and Sleep-Disruptive Foods
Nothing is worth trading for insufficient sleep, including late afternoon coffee, spicy dinners, and alcohol. They can trigger acid reflux and nighttime awakenings, causing poor sleep. To have a better night's rest, save stimulating drinks and rich foods for earlier in the day and switch to something lighter in the hours before bed. Your sleep schedule will be more stable if your digestion isn’t working overtime all night.
7. Use a Weighted Blanket
If your body refuses to relax, even when your mind is ready, a weighted blanket might help. The steady pressure can reduce physical restlessness, creating the sense of a safer, calmer sleep environment.
In a randomized 120-patient trial, those who used weighted blankets enjoyed much better sleep than those who used light blankets. The researchers also shared that patients who later switched to weighted blankets experienced less sleep deprivation and daytime fatigue. This trial is published in the Journal of Sleep Medicine.
Citing this study, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine reported that weighted blankets can improve symptoms of chronic insomnia.
8. Test Acoustic or Sensory Sleep Aids
What you hear and feel affects how much sleep you get. White, pink, or brown noise can soften sudden sounds that would normally snap you out of REM sleep or lighter sleep stages. You can also wear a well-fitted bamboo eye mask or soft earplugs.
9. Attempt Bright Light Therapy
Bright light therapy is a timed exposure to very bright, white light used to nudge your body clock into a healthier rhythm. As you sit near the light box for about 20–30 minutes in the morning, the intense light tells your brain it’s time to wake up and be alert.
This adjusts your sleep timing by:
- Making your brain start the day’s biological countdown sooner. That countdown determines when your body will naturally feel sleepy later.
- Lowers melatonin earlier in the morning so it rises earlier at night. If melatonin drops at 7 am instead of 9 am, it’ll start rising earlier in the evening.
Over a few days of consistent morning exposure, you start to fall asleep earlier and wake earlier. In a randomized clinical trial on how bright light therapy could assist Parkinson's patients, professors at Harvard Medical School’s Department of Neurology found that it reduced excessive daytime sleepiness. If you deal with daytime grogginess too, you may notice the same effect the trial reported.
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Life Hacks for Homes that Are Calm and Sleep-Ready
If you want your home to feel more sleep-friendly, start with these hacks.
1. Wash Bedding Weekly to Improve Sleep Hygiene
Clean bedding has a positive effect on sleep quality. Washing your bedding every week keeps it free from dust, skin cells, and allergens that might cause itchiness, breathing difficulties, or general discomfort. With these out of the way, you'll have fewer sleep problems to tackle.
2. Reduce Visual Clutter
Your brain tracks more than you think. Piles of clothes and open shelves packed with items keep your mind on alert long after you’ve decided it’s bedtime. Do a quick reset. Clear your nightstand or stack the pillows on the sofa neatly. The room will feel calmer if only the essentials are within your line of sight.
3. Use Soft, Warm Lighting Instead of Bright Lights
Bright overhead lighting confuses your brain. It keeps melatonin low and delays sleep timing, especially if you're sensitive to blue light. Swap ceiling lights for warm-toned lamps that cast a soft, even glow. Amber or soft pink bulbs work best. When your eyes relax, the rest of your body follows suit.
4. Introduce Scent Cues
Spraying a specific fragrance in your bedroom environment is a healthy sleep habit. It teaches your brain to link that smell with sleep. Keep the scent light.
5. Improve Ventilation
Your home shouldn’t feel stale. Still air and low humidity can trigger restlessness or mild congestion. Crack a window or run a fan. When you breathe better, you sleep better.
6. Keep Away Items That Trigger Poor Sleep Habits
If you always feel tired when you wake up, it might be because you spent too much of your allotted bedtime in front of a screen. To protect your rest hours, store your portable electronic devices in a closed drawer at night. Don't put a TV in your bedroom.
7. Get Rugs and Curtains to Dampen Noise
Hard floors and bare walls bounce sound. If you're a light sleeper, even the faintest noises can wake you up. A soft rug or thick curtains absorbs sound just enough to soften those sharp disruptions, letting you stay asleep for longer.
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How to Wake Up Feeling Refreshed
1. Set up a Morning Light Cue in Your Sleep Environment
Your body uses light as its main “clock setter.”
When light slowly increases in the morning, your brain reads that as day is coming. In response, it:
- Lowers melatonin,
- Raises cortisol to wake you up gently,
- Warms your body temperature,
- And eases you out of the deeper sleep stages.
When you set a morning light cue before going to bed, it prepares you for a more gentle transition from sleep to alertness. Your light cue should start 20 to 30 minutes before your target wakeup time. To set it, configure a device in your room to brighten slowly over 20-30 minutes.
2. Prep a “Wake-up Station” on Your Nightstand
Before going to bed, arrange:
- A glass or bottle of water
- Maybe your medication or dietary supplements (if any)
- Lip balm or eye drops if your lips or eyes are usually dry in the morning
You'll feel better right away when you reach for these as soon as you wake up.
3. Give Your Brain Something Small to Look Forward To
At night, choose one nice thing that'll make your morning better. It could be:
- A specific breakfast
- A playlist or podcast episode
- A chapter of a book
- A quick chat with someone
Having a pre-chosen reward makes getting out of bed worth it.
4. Experiment with Your Wake-up Window
For a week or two, track how you feel 30 to 60 minutes after waking at different times, not just how many hours you slept. Some people feel way better waking at, say, 6:30 than 7:00 because of where they are in their sleep cycle. Once you know which wake time works best for you, stick to it on as many days as you can.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the 10-5-3-2-1 Rule for Sleep?
The 10-5-3-2-1 rule is structured around taking specific steps a number of hours before bed:
- Cutting caffeine: 10 hours
- Finishing big meals: 5 hours
- Wrapping up work: 3 hours
- Limiting screentime: 2 hours
- Keeping your bedroom dark and quiet: 1 hour
Each step targets a different barrier to improving sleep quality, so you’re not relying on one trick to develop a great sleep schedule.
What Is the Best Trick to Fall Asleep Quickly?
If you have trouble sleeping at night, don't force sleep. Pause. Complete a small physical activity like stepping away from the bed, stretching, or reading something in print. Also, avoid napping in the early afternoon, because it can dull your sleep drive at nighttime. Once it's close to bedtime, skip stimulating food, drinks, or digital content.
Which Sheets Can Help Me Fall Asleep Faster?
Breathable percale and sateen sheets can help you fall asleep faster. Crafted from long-staple cotton, they allow sweat to evaporate quickly and create a stable microclimate for your body. As this effect slows down your heart rate, you ease into a calm-but-not-sluggish state that sets you up for a good night's sleep.
Conclusion
Restorative sleep boosts physical and mental health, and it doesn't always require complicated strategies. A quick bedding change, daily exercise, or a sleep mask may be all you need.
However, if you routinely have sleepless nights because of sleep disorders like sleep apnea or other health conditions, talk to your doctor before trying any quick fixes.
References
- American Academy of Sleep Medicine. (2020). Study shows weighted blankets can decrease insomnia severity.
- American Academy of Sleep Medicine. (2024). Baths, books and sex: Survey explores Americans’ regular bedtime routines.
- Ekholm, B., Spulber, S., & Adler, M. (2020). A randomized controlled study of weighted chain blankets for insomnia in psychiatric disorders. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 16(9), 1567–1577.
- Pascoe, M. C., Thompson, D. R., Jenkins, Z. M., & Ski, C. F. (2017). Mindfulness mediates the physiological markers of stress: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 95, 156–178.
- Rochfort, H. B. (2023). The Year in Sleep: 37% of Us Slept Worse in 2023. Sleep Foundation.
- Videnovic, A., Klerman, E. B., Wang, W., Marconi, A., Kuhta, T., & Zee, P. C. (2017). Timed Light Therapy for Sleep and Daytime Sleepiness Associated With Parkinson Disease: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Neurology, 74(4), 411–418.
- Yue, T., Liu, X., Gao, Q., & Wang, Y. (2022). Different Intensities of Evening Exercise on Sleep in Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis. Nature and Science of Sleep, 14, 2157–2177.