Sleep is important for just about everything, including mood, immune health, heart health, cognitive function, and many more. Not getting enough sleep has been linked to higher rates of obesity, diabetes, dementia, and cancer, among other diseases. But what can you do if a good night’s sleep feels more like a fever dream? While perhaps not a complete fix for everyone, making healthy diet and lifestyle changes can have a huge impact when it comes to improving sleep quality.

Here are six proven ways to help you sleep better at night.

 1. Avoid caffeine later in the day

Caffeine is a stimulant meant to help you stay alert and awake. If you’re having trouble sleeping, one of the best things to do is look at your caffeine habit. One study found that late caffeine consumption reduced total sleep by 45 minutes, increased the time it took to fall asleep, and decreased overall sleep efficiency by 7%. The study authors recommended that coffee should be consumed around nine hours before bed to prevent it from impacting sleep. It’s also recommended that caffeine supplements or pre-workout drinks shouldn’t be taken within 13 hours of bedtime.

If you still want a boost in energy but are concerned about the caffeine and side effects of coffee, matcha may be a better option. Matcha contains caffeine, about 45-90 mg, but it also contains an amino acid that can help to modulate the adverse effects of caffeine, giving you a steady energy and relaxed alert feeling without the jangling often associated with coffee. This can make matcha a better natural option for improving sleep quality without sacrificing your morning caffeine.

2. Get morning light

If you want to sleep better at night, your habits first thing in the morning can be important. Exposure to sunlight in the morning can help regulate your circadian rhythm—your body's internal clock—allowing your body to know when it’s time to wake up and when it’s time to go to sleep.

Cortisol, often called the stress hormone, plays an important role in our sleep-wake cycle. Cortisol levels begin to rise in the second half of the night and peak about 30-60 minutes after waking. Throughout the day, cortisol declines, with its lowest levels just before bedtime- this allows melatonin to take over, helping us fall asleep. Exposure to morning light within an hour of waking up increases cortisol levels and decreases melatonin levels, giving you a boost in energy and alertness for the rest of the day. Regular morning light can help keep your circadian rhythm in check and balance both daytime energy and nighttime restfulness. Allowing you to get deeper, more restful sleep. 

But what can you do if you live in an area without much light or if it's wintertime? Artificial light you’d get from inside won’t cut it, but using a light box may be helpful. While not quite the same, artificial light boxes intended to act like sunlight may be helpful for those who don’t have access to sunlight first thing in the morning.

3. Create a relaxing bedtime routine

Good sleep hygiene can go a long way when it comes to sleep quality. Habits like dimming the lights about an hour before bed, being mindful of your media consumption, taking a relaxing bath or shower, doing some breathing exercises, or a few minutes of a mindful meditation might be helpful additions to your routine. Creating a wind-down routine that you follow consistently can help to relax your mind and signal to your body that it’s time for sleep.  

4. Have a balanced, healthy dinner

What you eat affects your mood, hormones, brain health, heart health, and just about everything else. So, it’s no surprise that it also affects sleep! Having a heavy, rich meal too close to bedtime can cause indigestion and interfere with sleep. A meal rich in vegetables, lean protein, plenty of fiber, and healthy fats can help regulate blood sugar levels and provide necessary nutrients essential for sleep like tryptophan.

Eating a healthy meal a few hours before bed can help regulate blood sugar levels, which have a significant role in sleep quality, affecting both your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep. Eating simple carbohydrates before bed (cakes, cookies, sugary snacks) can cause a blood sugar spike (making it harder to fall asleep) and then a blood sugar crash in the middle of the night, triggering cortisol and adrenaline, potentially waking you up.

For a better night's rest, eat a protein-rich, fiber-rich dinner with plenty of healthy fats a few hours before bed. Avoid refined carbohydrates and sugary foods close to bedtime. If you wake up hungry, try eating a snack with some protein and fat—think string cheese and almond butter or cottage cheese and avocado. 

5. Get movement in throughout the day

If you want to sleep better, prioritizing exercise can be key, just not right before bed. Exercise can increase the production of adenosine, a hormone that promotes sleepiness. Regular exercise also supports deeper, more restorative sleep by increasing the time spent in slow-wave sleep, the most rejuvenating stage of sleep. Movement also helps to regulate melatonin, improve mood, and reduce stress and anxiety. Additionally, regular exercise is linked to improved insulin sensitivity and better blood sugar control, and it promotes the release of serotonin and endorphins, lowering sleep disturbances. Whether it's walking, strength training, yoga, or any other movement that brings you joy, incorporating regular movement into your life has been shown to significantly improve sleep.

6. Manage stress

Poor sleep and stress are closely linked. Not getting enough sleep can increase stress, and increased stress can cause poor sleep, creating an unwanted cycle. When you’re stressed, cortisol and adrenaline are released, hormones that prepare the body for action. While we need these hormones at certain times throughout the day, at night, they make it difficult to wind down and fall asleep. High cortisol also suppresses the release of melatonin. Stress can also lead to ruminating or ‘monkey mind, ’ making it harder to relax and enter the deep, restorative stages of sleep necessary for proper recovery.

To break this cycle, practices like mindfulness, deep breathing, exercise, and having a relaxing bedtime routine can help regulate the nervous system and lower cortisol levels. Research shows that using relaxation techniques before bed can improve sleep quality and may be one of the best ways to reduce stress.

Bottom Line: Look to your habits for better sleep

Prioritizing sleep is essential for overall health. Sleep impacts everything from mood to immune function and heart and brain health. Poor sleep is linked to serious health risks, but lifestyle adjustments—such as limiting caffeine, getting morning sunlight, creating a relaxing bedtime routine, eating a balanced dinner, exercising regularly, and managing stress—can significantly improve sleep quality. Small changes can make big differences, like switching to matcha for a gentler caffeine boost and having a healthy and satisfying meal before bed. Try testing out a few of these habits to see if they can help you get deeper, more restful sleep!

Disclaimer: These statements in this blog post have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The information provided here is for educational purposes only and should not be considered as medical advice. It's essential to consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any dietary or lifestyle changes.

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