The end of summer is a stressful time for many of us, and if you’re suddenly waking up in the middle of the night, staring at the ceiling, you’re not alone. Many of us on the Tom’s Guide Sleep Team are in the same boat, waking up at 3 a.m. thanks to impending back-to-school routines and stresses, and other big life changes.

Neurologist and sleep medicine specialist Dr. Pedram Navab knows just what it’s like to live with broken sleep at night—a near-fatal car accident, caused by his own extreme fatigue, inspired him to dedicate his career to solving chronic sleep deprivation and insomnia.

According to Dr. Navab, author of the forthcoming new book The Alchemy of Sleep, calming stress before bed is the best way to stop waking up through the night. And you don’t need any fancy sleep tech to do it either. Here Dr. Navab reveals the simple yet effective 3-step routine he uses to calm racing thoughts, fall asleep fast, and sleep through until morning.

3-step routine for better sleep

1. Set a consistent wake time

“The most important advice that I give to my patients all the time is to keep a consistent schedule," explains Dr. Navab. "Basically, try to wake up at the same time each morning. Try to go to sleep at the same time each night."

Routine is the foundation of good sleep. It's even been linked to longer lifespans; a study by Vitality found going to sleep within a set one hour time frame five nights a week was a key indicator of mortality.

"Sleep likes that routine," says Dr. Navab. "That's why we do so well with a sunrise and sunset time. Because our body runs on the circadian rhythm in tune with the natural rhythm of the sun rising and sun setting."

He notes that a set wake up time allows you to "start that rhythm again." So no oversleeping, even when you're dog-tired. By getting up early, you leave plenty of time for sleepy-chemical adenosine to build up. As a result, you're more likely to drop off quickly the next night.

"Keeping that consistent schedule as much as you can is probably the biggest factor in helping you sleep better,” explains Dr. Navab.

2. Write down 3 things from your day before bed

Find yourself waking up at 3 a.m. in a cold sweat over your to-do list? Or unable to go to bed until you've finished that one last task? Dr. Navab has a fix.

"I tell [my patients], write down one thing that went well today, one thing that could have gone better," he advises.

There's a reason why your thoughts start to race when you climb into bed. Without the hustle of day-to-day life to keep you busy, your brain is free to recall all the anxieties normally kept bubbling under the surface.

"At night, when you're lying alone, it's you and your brain, and you just start thinking," he explains. "So that's why I like the idea of writing one thing that went well, one thing that went badly, things that you could have done differently, to set that day apart. And the next day is the new day."

He describes it as the "tabula rasa" — a blank slate.

3. Get sunlight first thing

Your alarm's gone off and even though you're tired, you know if you want to keep up your new routine, you need to get out of bed.

Dr. Navab's final tip is just what's needed to feel fresher on groggy mornings: a little dose of sunshine.

"Try to get out there and get some sun when you wake up in the morning, at least half an hour," he says. "Even on cloudier days, because you're still getting a little bit of light."

He notes that sunshine in the morning helps "reset your circadian rhythms". This is because light signals to your body clock that it's time to get up, clearing away the fatigue of sleep inertia.

Keeping healthy circadian function helps with sleep "in general", according to Dr. Navab. It's almost like winding up a watch; it keeps your internal body clock ticking along in time.

What is 'adjustment insomnia' — and why might it be behind your poor sleep?

The end of summer often brings with it a change in routine, particularly for parents and children. You have a new schedule to get used to, new routines to learn, and new pressures rearing their head.

As a result, the relaxed sleep you enjoyed all summer is now taking a downturn.

Upheaval can have a negative impact on your sleep, a phenomenon Dr. Navab describes as "adjustment insomnia." (Often known as short-term insomnia or acute insomnia.)

According to the American Medical Association, roughly one-third of Americans will experience acute insomnia in their lifetime. It can be triggered by a range of factors, with stress a frequent cause.

Following Dr. Navab's tips can help you get your sleep back to its best. And set you up with the healthy routine you need to weather the next sleep storm (...it'll be the holidays before you know it.)

When to speak to a doctor about your sleep?

If you've been experiencing long-term sleep deprivation (three months or longer), your sleep has taken a sudden downturn with no obvious cause, or you suspect you're experiencing sleep apnea, we recommend speaking to a healthcare professional.

If you're anything like me, you need complete darkness and silence to sleep, blocking light and noise with eye masks and ear plugs. I couldn't think of anything worse than falling asleep in front of a TV emitting sounds and bright moving pictures.

So, imagine my surprise when I checked the results of our recent Tom's Guide poll that asked the question: "Do you fall asleep in front of the TV?". 59% of over 700 respondents admitted to dozing off with the TV on, with a third sharing that they do it most nights.

I asked two psychologists to explain the reasons behind this common TV habit. And I also called on a board-certified medical doctor to share how sleeping with the TV on can affect your sleep quality — and the simple methods to try instead if you need background noise to fall asleep (or sleep through the night).

Falling in front of the TV: Why do so many of us do it?

Before I delve into the psychology behind sleeping with the TV on, I decided to get some first-person perspectives from those who habitually fall asleep in front of the TV.

So, is it a habit that occurs by accident when they're trying to watch a TV show, or is bedtime TV an intentional sleep aid?

Turns out, it's both.

"I have actually made this habit that I need to hear something to get sleepy," says travel blogger Jatin Chhabra, who says it took him hours to fall asleep after recently switching to an earlier bedtime.

"So, for 2 hours, I watch TV, or sometimes just hear it," he explains. "Some content is helpful, but interesting and funny stuff never makes me sleepy."

Similarly, publicist Alice Wu likes to use "long" and "monotone" TV to drift off, a habit that began when she used to have a baseball game playing in the background to fall asleep.

"These days, having the TV tuned into a nature show is a way for me to calm down and relax at the end of the day," Wu says. "I enjoy the descriptive commentary in nature shows, and eventually I turn the volume down and kind of just drift off to sleep."

On the other hand, we have Sleep Editor Nicola Appleton, who tells me that her nocturnal TV habit isn't actually intentional.

"Falling asleep in front of the TV was always something of a guilty pleasure for me, particularly on the weekend when I’d ‘treat’ myself to a later night," she explains. "I’d settle down to re-watch one of my favorite shows or films, but I’d end up practically sleeping through the whole thing."

1. Stops overthinking and quiets racing thoughts

"I don't necessarily need to have the TV on to fall asleep, but I do find that if I'm feeling particularly wired, it helps me for some reason," Wu tells me. "I haven't been able to pinpoint why, it just does."

If you intentionally have the TV playing in the background to fall asleep, you may likely relate to that experience.

In fact, according to Dr. Shelby Harris, board-certified clinical psychologist with Better Sleep, watching TV to fall asleep when you're feeling "wired" isn't at all unusual.

"The steady background noise can quiet racing thoughts and ease the transition from wakefulness to sleep," says Dr Harris.

Dr Nicola Cann, a sleep psychologist, says that TV can serve as a distraction from anticipatory anxiety or overthinking about something you've already done.

"TV can also serve as a useful distraction for those of us who are prone to rumination before bed," Dr. Cann says. "It gives us something else to focus on so that we don’t start replaying that awkward conversation with our boss, or worrying about the busy day we’re going to have tomorrow."

2. Some shows are relaxing or just plain boring

If you find that you can power through a brand new show, but end up drifting off when your rewatching a new one, then it's likely that you only fall asleep in front of the TV when the content is soothing or uninteresting.

"Watching TV can help us wind down by reducing cognitive arousal," says Dr. Cann. "Shows that are familiar or predictable are especially good for this because they can be relaxing without being too engaging."

"Familiar shows offer a sense of comfort, predictability, and companionship at the end of the day — a soft landing after hours of demands and decisions," Dr. Harris adds.

3. TV becomes a sleep cue over time

Dr. Cann says that sleeping with the TV on, while calming, can also turn into an unhelpful sleep cue if it happens frequently enough over time.

"If we repeatedly watch TV when we’re becoming sleepy our brains learn to associate the sofa and TV time with sleepiness," the psychologist explains. "Then it can be harder to fall asleep without the TV."

4. You're not going to bed when you're sleepy

However, needing to have the TV on to fall asleep differs from accidently falling asleep while watching TV. If you find yourself in the latter camp, the answer to why you're falling asleep in front of the TV may be simple: you're tired.

"Of course, people falling asleep in front of the TV might simply be sleepy," says Dr Cann. "If you’re regularly falling asleep in front of the TV then it’s worth asking yourself: are you getting enough sleep, and are you going to bed when your body is ready for sleep?"

Falling asleep in front of the TV: Why should we stop?

So, why is falling asleep in front of the TV so bad anyway? I asked Danielle Wall, MD, a board-certified internal medicine physician and Sit 'n Sleep's resident medical reviewer.

Here she explains how TV may be ruining your sleep despite helping you to fall asleep.

1. Lowers sleep quality

Let's face it: TV's are noisy, light boxes designed to stimulate the senses, and that spells trouble for our sleep.

"Falling asleep with the TV on can make it harder to create the dark, quiet environment that generally supports consistent sleep," says Dr. Wall.

"Light from the screen, changes in volume, and shifts in programming can continue providing stimulation after you begin drifting off and may contribute to disrupted or lower-quality sleep," the medical doctor adds.

Indeed, a 2021 study found that sleeping in a room with even a trace amount of light can lead to nighttime awakenings, while research has shown that nocturnal noise fragments sleep.

2. Causes daytime fatigue and poor health

If the light and noise from the TV ends up waking you up at 3 a.m., that means you'll be waking up with a lot less energy.

"When sleep is shortened or interrupted, people may notice the effects the next day through lower energy, difficulty concentrating, irritability, or changes in mood," says Dr Wall.

Research also shows that lower quality sleep can affect health in general, with one study finding that getting less than seven hours of sleep can reduce our life expectancy even more than poor diet or lack of exercise.

"If poor-quality sleep becomes a regular pattern, it can also affect overall well-being over time," the M.D. explains.

3. Makes it harder to fall asleep in bed

Dr. Cann also explains that sleeping in front of the TV can affect something called sleep pressure (or sleep drive), which is the biological urge to go to sleep.

"While we’re awake, sleep pressure gradually builds, increasing feelings of sleepiness," the psychologist explains. "If we’ve built it up throughout the day, we’re more likely to fall asleep easily and stay asleep when we go to bed."

According to Dr Cann, falling asleep in front of the TV can eat into that sleep drive that you’ve been building, potentially making it harder to fall asleep when you eventually go to bed.

"The longer or later that accidental sleep is, the more likely it is to interfere with your subsequent sleep," she warns.

Falling asleep in front of the TV: How to stop

It's all well and good to point out the consequences of sleeping with the TV on, but a habit can be hard to beat when it's (a) accidental or (b) needed.

1. Disable autoplay, set a timer, and switch off the TV

If you're someone who drops off while watching the tube, it's best to start setting yourself limits rather than cutting out nighttime TV altogether..

"If someone is used to sleeping with the TV on, they do not necessarily have to change the habit overnight," says Dr Wall. "A sleep timer is a good first step so the television turns off shortly after they fall asleep."

Dr. Harris advises using a sleep timer so the TV shuts off after 20 to 30 minutes.

"Keep the screen dim, and avoid particularly stimulating content such as news, crime shows, or anything emotionally intense," the board-certified psychologist advises.

If you're gripped by a new show and have a weakness for binge watching, Dr Cann recommends having "stopping points" to minimize the risk.

"Don’t start a movie when you know it’ll end too late for you," the psychologist suggests. "Disable autoplay features so you’re not tempted by 'one more episode.”

Once you've reached a stopping point, according to Dr Wall, the best thing to do is "turn off the TV" and "keep the lights dim".

"Avoid picking up your phone or doing another activity that wakes you back up," says the doctor. "The goal is to take advantage of that natural sleepiness rather than resetting your brain into wake mode."

2. Find a new way to relax

Creating a relaxing nighttime routine is important if you want to improve your sleep — but what if your wind-down routine consists of a late-night binge-watch?

"For some people, having the TV on becomes part of their usual wind-down routine," says Dr Wall. "Over time, the brain can begin to associate that background sound and familiar content with relaxation and sleep."

To break this association, Dr Wall suggests building healthier sleep cues.

"Creating a consistent wind-down routine with dimmer lighting, reading, or another relaxing activity can also help teach the brain to associate different cues with sleep," she suggests.

3. Switch to audio only

Sometimes, the sound of the TV can be sleep inducing, rather than the TV screen itself.

"If the sound itself is comforting, try replacing the TV with white noise, calming audio, or another option that does not include a bright, changing screen," suggest Dr Wall.

Dr Harris agrees: "Try a familiar podcast, audiobook, sleep story, calming music, white or brown noise, or another audio-only option with a timer."

She suggests that, over time, you can gradually shorten the amount of time the audio plays as your brain becomes more comfortable falling asleep without it.

"The goal is to preserve the sense of familiarity and background sound while minimizing light and unexpected stimulation," Dr Harris explains.

I tried out the audio method — here's what happened

I decided to follow the three sleep doctors' advice and try out a sleep podcast to fall asleep. Using the Jabees PEACE Duo Pillow , I chose the Sleep With Me series.

The Sleep With Me podcast has the tagline, "Bedtime stories to help grown ups fall asleep in the deep, dark night.

It features bedtime stories for adults that are designed to be so rambling and monotone that they take your mind off racing thoughts and bore you to sleep.

The mental health podcast features a library of insipid stories, so I selected one at random: The Orlando Convention Center. If you would like to know what the story is about, then look it up yourself because I have no clue.

Once I put it on, and my pillow speaker muffled the narrator's voice, it slowly turned into (metaphorical) white noise to me.

According to my Oura Ring 5, I fell asleep in under 10 minutes (9, to be exact) mention. The voice was so single-toned and tedious that I didn't take much notice to what the story was about. Basically, it was so boring that I fell asleep.

However, I forgot to heed Dr Harris's advice that I use a timer. Spotify autoplayed fortwo and a half episodes until I suddenly woke up at 2 a.m., with the podcast still droning on.

I don't usually wake up at 2 a.m., so I am going to have to blame the podcast (for waking me up) and myself (for not setting a timer).

However, if you need sound in the background to fall asleep, then I definitely think this sleep podcast is a great alternative to a TV screen. Just remember to set a timer first so you don't wake up to the sounds of someone talking about a craft fair.

3 top-rated products to stop you from using TV for sleep

We've all been there. You arrive at work feeling tired and bleary-eyed after a night plagued by insomnia, only to be greeted by your bright-eyed co-worker who's running on a full sleep. Pouring yourself an extra-strong black coffee, you ask yourself, "What's the difference between me and them?"

Turns out, there can be a number of key differences between an insomniac and someone who gets at least seven hours of sleep a night. "People who consistently sleep well don't necessarily have perfect routines, but they often share certain behaviours," says Sam Sadighi, a certified sleep practitioner at Get Laid Beds.

Although everyone's experience is different, Sadighi says that people with insomnia also "often share some common patterns" that can disrupt sleep.

Here Saighi and Mike Wakeman, a pharmacist and sleep researcher at Evera Nutrition, reveal the key habits that separate the sleep deprived from those getting plenty of rest. Here are the five habits of insomniacs vs the top three habits for better sleep...

Key takeaways

• Insomniacs often worry about not getting enough sleep and clock watch, which can exacerbate their sleep issues.
• Irregular betimes and wake-up times are also common among insomniacs.
• People who consistently get 7 hours+ sleep a night often get enough daylight and establish a consistent sleep schedule and relaxing nighttime routine.
• However, good sleep habits aren't always enough to treat chronic insomnia. Anyone experiencing persistent sleep problems should speak to a doctor.

5 key differences: What insomniacs do

1. They try to force sleep

If you've ever found yourself, in the middle of the night, clock watching or calculating how much time you have left before you need to get up, then you're likely just making the problem worse.

"Automatic negative thoughts such as ‘I’ll never function tomorrow if I don’t fall asleep in the next 5 minutes…’ start to creep in," says Sadighi. "This is just going to stress you out and push sleep further away."

2. They have irregular sleep patterns

One of the most common sleep habits associated with insomnia is going to bed and waking up at different times every day.

"Going to bed at 10 p.m. one night and 1 a.m. the next makes it difficult for the body's internal clock to establish a consistent rhythm," says Wakeman.

"Trying to grab sleep whenever they can (understandably), means that they disrupt their circadian rhythm, which has been shown to actually make it all harder," agrees Sadighi.

3. They skip the wind-down routine

Nighttime routines should help you to relax and prepare you for bed, but not all activities that help you relax should be part of yours.

"Many people work, scroll through social media or watch television until the moment they try to sleep," says Wakeman.

In fact, every hour of screen time in bed (be it doomscrolling, answering work email, or binge-watching a new show) has been shown increase the risk of insomnia by 59%.

4. They rely on alcohol and caffeine

According, to Sadighi, many insomniacs rely on unhealthy habits to help them fall asleep or manage their daytime fatigue, but they actually exacerbate their sleep issues. She says the two main sleep crutches people use are alcohol and caffeine.

"Alcohol helps them fall asleep fast, but actually messes with their sleep cycles, and caffeine helps power them through the day, but they often have so much it then impacts the next night, causing a vicious cycle," the sleep consultant explains.

5. They stay indoors and sit too much

A 2024 study found that natural daylight, particularly in the morning, can improve sleep efficiency, while regular physical activity is consistently associated with better sleep quality.

"Spending little time outdoors and leading a sedentary lifestyle can make it harder to establish healthy sleep patterns" says Wakeman.

5 key differences: 3 things people who get 7+ hours sleep do

1. They get outside

Catching some rays may seem totally irrelevant to your sleep, but the amount of sunlight we get – and when we get it – can help us sleep.

"Daylight in the mornings has been shown to signify to our brains that it’s time to be awake, and dim lighting in the evening tells it that it’s time to start winding down ready for sleep," explains Sadighi.

Research shows that our 24-hour body clock hinges on light to know that it's daytime, as light triggers the production of energy-boosting hormone cortisol, and cues your body to produce sleep-promoting hormone melatonin later in the day.

2. They have a consistent sleep and wake time

The gold-standard sleep habit is setting yourself a bedtime and sticking to it. "And this includes weekends and days off," asserts Sadighi.

"People who sleep well often wake at similar times each day, helping reinforce their natural body clock," says Wakeman.

In fact, having fixed wake-up times and consistent bedtimes is a core part of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I), with studies showing that consistent bedtimes and wake-up times can help prevent adverse heath outcomes.

3. They have a wind-down routine

We've already established that working late and doomscrolling is the ultimate don't at bedtime if you want to fall asleep fast.

However, freeing yourself from emails and social media in the posts allows you to create a cosy and relaxing atmosphere that prepares your mind and body for sleep.

"Good sleepers often develop a regular bedtime routine," Wakeman suggests. "This might include dimming lights, putting away electronic devices, reading, gentle stretching or taking a warm bath."

"Whether it's breathing exercises or another relaxing activity, they allow both mind and body to transition towards sleep," explains Sadighi.

What is insomnia?

Sadighi defines insomnia as a sleep disorder that causes difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up too early (or sometimes a combo of all three).

"Acute insomnia usually lasts for a few days or weeks and is usually triggered by something stressful or other life events," the founder of Easy Sleep Solutions says.

She goes on to say that acute insomnia often improves once the stress has reduced, but chronic insomnia can be trickier to treat.

"Chronic insomnia is where someone has difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep or waking too early for at least three nights a week for at least three months."

Why do we need 7+ hours of sleep?

Plenty of research now proves that getting at least seven hours of sleep a night is paramount for optimal health. In fact, a study reported that getting less than seven hours of sleep a night sleep decreases life expectancy more than a poor diet or lack of exercise.

Another study, which served as a springboard for the 7:1 sleep rule, found that getting at least seven hours of sleep (combined with consistently falling asleep within an hour window) five nights a week increases life expectancy.

“Typically most adults need around seven to nine hours of sleep each night for their body and brain to function at their best," says Wakeman.

"Research shows that during sleep, the brain consolidates memories, muscles recover, hormones are regulated and the immune system carries out important repair processes."

Can good sleep habits always cure insomnia?

While good sleep habits can improve sleep disorders, adopting these patterns won't cure all insomnia cases.

"Good sleep hygiene helpful for supporting healthy sleep, but on their own they are rarely enough to resolve chronic insomnia," warns Sadighi.

The sleep practitioner and psychologist says that the most effective first-line treatment for chronic insomnia is CBT-I, as it addresses the behaviours and thought patterns that maintain insomnia.

Different approaches are also need if insomnia co-occurs with conditions such mental health issues, sleep apnea, or and restless leg syndrome.

"In these cases, both the insomnia and any underlying factors may need to be assessed and treated in tandem," she says.

"If someone has struggled with insomnia for a while despite practising good sleep habits, it's worth seeking assessment from a sleep specialist rather than continuing to rely solely on general sleep tips," she adds.

Products to help you fall asleep fast

I don't get enough sleep, and wearing an Oura Ring 5 to bed every night has perfectly captured that fact. Since getting my hands on the gold-standard sleep tracker, I've woken up pretty much every day to metrics highlighted in scolding red, urging me to get more than my typical 6 hours of sleep a night.

The Oura Ring is the best sleep tracker on the market, and one of its unique metrics is its Sleep Debt counter, which tells you how many hour and minutes of sleep you've missed.

"Sleep debt is the difference between the amount of sleep your body needs and the amount you actually get over time," says Dr. Shelby Harris, a licensed Clinical Psychologist and Behavioral Sleep Medicine Specialist at BetterSleep. "If you consistently need around eight hours but only sleep six, you're accumulating roughly two hours of sleep debt each night."

She's right. According to the Oura Ring, the amount of sleep debt I owe is sky high. But is there a way I can repay it? To find out, I asked Dr. Harris to create me a sleep schedule to go from six hours of sleep a night to seven.

Here's what happened to my sleep debt after following this plan for a week...

Key takeaways: Paying your sleep debt at a glance

• Sleep debt is the difference between the amount of sleep your body needs and the amount you actually get over time.
• To repay sleep debt, you have need to stick to a consistent sleep schedule that encourages earlier nights.
• Wake up at the same time: Keep your alarm set for the exact same time every day (even on weekends) to maintain your internal clock and avoid "social jet lag."
• Gradually go to bed earlier: Reduce sleep debt by going to bed 15–30 minutes earlier every two nights rather than trying to force a drastic, sudden change.
• Factor in sleep latency: Head to bed 10–20 minutes before your target sleep time to account for the time it takes you to fall asleep once you're in bed.
• Trust long-term progress: You may not see any progress initially, but sticking to the sleep schedule despite setbacks could lead to decreasing sleep debt by over an hour in just one week.

My sleep before trying Dr Harris's sleep schedule

• Bedtime: 12:25AM
• Fell asleep: 12:36AM
• Total sleep time: 5 hours 41 minutes
• Sleep debt: 8 hours and 50 minutes (accumulated over six weeks)

Before I dive into Dr. Harris’s sleep schedule, let's look at the sleep habits that drove me to seek out specialist advice in the first place.

The night before I started the sleep plan, my Oura Ring recorded a bedtime of 12.25am and a total of 5 hours and 41 minutes of sleep (resulting in an insufficient amount of REM sleep), while my average monthly sleep duration was 6 hours exactly.

Sleeping 6 hours a night on average is cause for concern, especially since ground breaking research indicates that you need to consistently sleep for at least 7 hours a night for optimal health.

This insufficient amount of sleep every night has resulted in a high amount of sleep debt, culminating in a grand total of 8 hours and 50 minutes on the morning before following the schedule — and that's excluding the decades of sleep debt I've accumulated in the years before owning an Oura Ring. I've clocked up 8 hours and 50 minutes of sleep debt in the six weeks I've been wearing the Oura Ring.

So, suffice to say, I definitely needed to change my sleep habits.

Dr. Harris's 7-night sleep schedule

Looking at my sleep debt, I worried that it would be impossible for me to start following a strict sleep plan after years of bad sleep habits. However, Dr. Harris assured me that it's actually better to follow a schedule that takes it slow, rather than a tough regimen that immediately forces you to fall asleep much earlier than the bedtime you're used to.

"The healthiest approach is to gradually increase your nightly sleep by 15-30 minutes, maintain a consistent wake time, and prioritize regular sleep over marathon catch-up nights," explains the behavioural sleep medicine specialist.

"Sleeping until noon on weekends can actually make it harder to fall asleep Sunday night and perpetuate the cycle," she adds.

But why is consistency key to repaying sleep debt? "Our bodies thrive on consistency, so sleeping several extra hours on the weekend can shift your internal body clock and make it harder to fall asleep at your usual bedtime Sunday night," Dr. Harris explains.

According to the sleep doctor, paying back sleep debt in increments (rather than all at once by sleeping in on weekends, something I'm guilty of doing) can help you avoid a cycle of 'social jet lag' that leaves you feeling tired again at the start of the week.

So, what does a debt-repaying schedule look like? Here's Dr. Harris' example of when to fall asleep and wake up if you usually go to sleep at midnight and wake up at 6am:

As you can see, Dr. Harris primarily focuses on wake-up time consistency and a gradually falling asleep earlier and earlier each night. So, the two pillars of a debt-repaying sleep schedule are the following:

• Go to bed 15-30 minutes earlier every two nights
• Wake up at the same time every day (including weekends)

However, it can be difficult to calculate a bedtime that can help you fall asleep by a certain time, as everyone has a different sleep onset latency (the time it takes to fall asleep).

According to research, the typical sleep latency for a healthy adult is about 10 to 20 minutes, so going to bed at least 10 minutes before your intended drift-off time should help. My Oura Ring tells me that I typically takes me around 9-10 minutes to fall asleep, so I decided to go to bed around 15 minutes earlier than my intended sleep time when following the schedule.

So, here's a night-by-night summary of how I got on following Dr. Harris's 7-night schedule (plus how my sleep debt changed throughout the week).

Following Dr Harris's 1-week schedule — see what happened to my sleep debt

So, my aim was to follow Dr. Harris's schedule to the letter, aiming to go to bed 15-30 minutes earlier every two nights. I also set my alarm for 6:45am every night, so I could keep a consistent wake-up pattern and morning schedule.

Night 1: Sleep debt grows

• Bedtime: 12:15AM
• Fell asleep: 12:29AM
• Total sleep time: 5 hours 47 minutes
• Sleep debt: 9 hours and 10 minutes

I know, I know. How could I have ended up with 20 minutes more sleep debt than when I started the sleep schedule? I admit I had the same question myself, until it occurred to me that I was still getting under the recommended sleep duration (even if it's slightly more than the previous night).

I also admit that I needed to be in bed much sooner than my 12:15 a.m. bedtime. According to the 15-30 minute increments rule, as my baseline bedtime was 12:15 a.m., I should have been in bed at around 11.55 p.m. to 12:10 p.m.

"Hopefully, I can fall within that bedtime range tomorrow night," I said to myself after looking at the abysmal metrics.

Night 2: Sleep debt stays the same

• Bedtime: 23:54PM
• Fell asleep: 12:05AM
• Total sleep time: 6 hours 13 minutes
• Sleep debt: 9 hours and 10 minutes

So, I managed to get myself into bed 31 minutes earlier than the baseline bedtime (and 21 minutes earlier than the first night).However, the sleep debt counter still remained at 9 hours and 10 minutes.

That said, my sleep duration did increase from 5 hours and 41 minutes to 6 hours and 13 minutes, which I consider a small victory — I made it over 6 hours.

Night 3: Sleep debt won't budge

• Bedtime: 23:51PM
• Fell asleep: 12:07AM
• Total sleep time: 6 hours and 30 minutes
• Sleep debt: 9 hours and 10 minutes

Technically, I should have hit the hay 15-30 minutes earlier than the second night (the time leap should happen every other night, according to Dr Harris's schedule) but the second night experienced such as jump from the first night that I felt as though I did it pre-emptively.

Again, the sleep debt counter didn't budge, and I have to confess that this was the night when I started to worry that I wouldn't be able to meet the 7-hour goal by the end of the week... completely overlooking the fact that my sleep duration was continuing to rise.

Night 4: Sleep debt falls again

• Bedtime: 23:46PM
• Fell asleep: 12:00AM
• Total sleep time: 6 hours and 16 minutes
• Sleep debt: 9 hours

So, by the fourth night, I did see an improvement in sleep debt, even if it wasn't quite back to its 8 hours and 50 minutes start. I found this a little odd, as my sleep duration was actually 14 minutes shorter than the previous night.

I went to bed 5 minutes earlier than the third night, which wasn't ideal as I should have been getting into bed at around 11.30 p.m. by this point. "But at least I'm going to bed earlier," I reassured myself.

Night 5: Sleep debt goes back to the start

• Bedtime: 23:58PM
• Fell asleep: 12:09AM
• Total sleep time: 6 hours and 17 minutes
• Sleep debt: 8 hours and 50 minutes

And I'm back to going to bed later.

Yes, by Night 5, I went to bed 12 minutes later than the previous night, ending my streak of going to bed earlier every night since the beginning of the schedule.

I should point out two things, however: A) It was a Sunday night, and the Sunday scaries did take hold of me; and B) my sleep debt returned to it's baseline.

Night 6: Sleep debt falls by 20 minutes

• Bedtime: 23:38AM
• Fell asleep: 23:47AM
• Total sleep time: 6 hours 36 minutes
• Sleep debt: 8 hours and 30 minutes

Falling asleep 20 minutes earlier than Night 5, I could already see an improvement in total sleep duration and I was slowly chipping away at my sleep debt. I wanted to fall asleep a little earlier (blame it on my Air pods case going missing), but I managed to repay 20 minutes in a single night and slept 6 hours and 36 minutes (the longest sleep duration I'd experienced since starting the schedule).

Still, I knew that if I wanted to reach the 7 hour mark, I'd need to go to bed 15-30 minutes earlier on the last night — which, as proven above, is easier said than done.

Night 7: I'm sleeping 7 hours and paid back 90 minutes of sleep debt

• Bedtime: 23:18PM
• Fell asleep: 23:24AM
• Total sleep time: 7 hours and 3 minutes
• Sleep debt: 7 hours and 20 minutes

On the seventh and final night, I knew that I needed to get ready for bed as soon as I could. I made sure that everything I needed to go to sleep: eye mask, ear plugs, and no missing items that I needed to frantically search for.

I managed to be in bed by 23:18PM, a 20-minute improvement on the last bedtime and woke up around 2 minutes before my alarm.

Once I rubbed my eyes and reached for my phone, I immediately checked my Oura app. What greeted me was a sleep score of 86, accompanied by the word "OPTIMAL" written in calming blue and a little crown icon.

Sleep duration: 7 hours and 3 minutes. Sleep debt: 7 hours and 20 minutes.

So, I did it. I reached my sleep goal. And while my sleep debt is still in the "High" zone, it still decreased by 90 minutes in one week and 50 minutes on one night.

Bottom line

So, what did I learn from following the Dr. Harris's sleep schedule? To take things gradually and consistently, and most importantly, persevere with it.

There were times, especially when my sleep debt count increased or stagnated, when I wanted to give up and start anew another week. However, I remembered how much the sleep expert stressed that taking things slowly is key, and that sleep debt can't be solved in one night.

So, my advice to anyone wanting to fix their sleep debt is to just keep setting your alarm for the same time each day, keep aiming to go to bed 15-30 minutes earlier every other night (even if you miss the mark by several minutes), and to not get discouraged if you experience a blip.

Top-rated products to help you stick to your sleep goals

Collectively, we’re stressed. Our nervous systems are fried and our sleep is suffering. Enter: expensive gadgets that promise to help us unwind so we can finally get a decent night’s rest. Non-invasive vagus nerve stimulators (nVNS) are the latest viral sensations within the wellness industry.

As a mildly stressed and extremely frazzled working parent, the idea that I could de-stress and sleep better just by turning on a gadget sounds appealing. But do nVNS work, and are they worth the hundreds of dollars that they can cost?

To find out, I tried a $299 vagus nerve stimulator and pitted it against doctor-recommended vagus nerve stimulation practices you can do at home for free. Both methods helped me mellow out before bed and hit a sleep score of 96 on my Apple watch, but one has become my go-to stress buster.

Key takeaways: At a glance

• Wearable vagus nerve stimulators offer an effortless, high-tech way to switch your body from 'fight-or-flight' into a relaxed state, but doctors point out that free physiological techniques can trigger the exact same biological response.
• To test how effective both options are, I put them to the test to see if they can help me lower stress for better sleep.
• Consumer vagus nerve stimulators can be effective at reducing stress but come with a high price tag.
• Techniques like deep breathing and cold-water facial exposure immediately stimulate the vagus nerve and lower your heart rate naturally with zero cost or equipment.
• The Verdict: If you struggle with stress and want a passive, hands-off solution to unwind, the $299 investment may be worth it. However, for most people struggling to sleep, $0 breathwork practices deliver comparable stress-relief results without spending a cent.

What is your vagus nerve and why do you need to stimulate it?

The term 'vagus nerve stimulator' has entered the wellness chat, with healthcare entrepreneurs and influencers alike lauding the benefits of the practice. But what is your vagus nerve, and why do we need to stimulate it?

"The vagus nerve is the longest cranial nerve, running from the brainstem to the major organs, with branches to the heart, lungs, and digestive organs," explains Dr. Adam Mednick, a board-certified neurologist.

"It’s the main highway of the parasympathetic nervous system, often called the 'rest and digest' system, helping regulate heart rate, breathing, digestion, immune responses, and mood."

This nerve plays a central role in the gut-brain connection and in how the body manages stress and inflammation, says Dr. Mednick.

"The vagus nerve is stimulated whenever the body needs to calm down after a stressful experience, acting as a brake on the fight-or-flight response, lowering heart rate, reducing inflammation, and promoting relaxation," continues the neurologist.

What are vagus nerve stimulators?

There are two types of vagus nerve stimulators. First, there are invasive vagus nerve stimulators, a device implanted under your skin. This type of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is usually used to treat epilepsy, depression and stroke recovery.

Then there are non-invasive vagus nerve stimulators (nVNS), commercial devices that act externally. These are typically used to manage stress and headaches.

These devices target the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for lowering your heartrate and aiding digestion. But they can cost hundreds of dollars — do we need them?

"For the average healthy person, the answer is no: consumer vagus nerve stimulators are unnecessary," says Dr. Mednick, who specializes in stroke, emergency neurology, and critical care neurology.

"FDA-approved uses of vagus nerve stimulation are for specific medical conditions, such as drug-resistant epilepsy and treatment-resistant depression, not general wellness."

A $299 vagus nerve stimulator vs free alternatives: How I tested

Commercial vagus nerve stimulators are marketed towards those who struggle with ongoing stress and poor sleep, who are looking for a medication-free, low-lift solution.

So, basically, me.

However, healthcare professionals are divided over whether they're beneficial for anyone beyond those who medically require them. Especially when there are methods of stimulating your vagus nerve at home, for free.

To explore how well a commercial vagus nerve stimulator compares to doctor-recommended alternative solutions, I put them both to the test.

To do this, I tested a Sensate vagus nerve stimulator — a $299 device that promises to relieve stress in 10 minutes — against free practices, such as humming and cold water therapy.

I tried both methods at the same time each day; as soon as I finished work and again as part of my nighttime routine.

Via my Apple Watch and a third party app, Welltory, I was able to record my stress levels before the vagus nerve stimulation and after. I then combined this with my overnight sleep score to see which method (if any) helped me unwind enough to unlock a decent night's rest.

How a $299 vagus nerve stimulator helped lower my stress levels for better sleep

For this experiment, I tried out the Sensate vagus nerve stimulator, a pebble shaped device you place on top of your sternum for 10 to 30 minutes. It stimulates your vagus nerve through vibration pulses while you listen to a soothing soundscape.

Sensate recommends using the device during any period of stress, but for daily use it suggests immediately after finishing work and before bed as effective ways to reset and wind down.

With that in mind, I logged off from work and made a note of my stress levels via the Welltory app before using the device (65% - medium).

I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting much. My colleague Eve has tested several vagus nerve stimulators and struggled to recommend them to anyone beyond devout wellness aficionados. But then, Eve is someone with a highly regulated nervous system who gets reliably good sleep every night.

The vibrating sensation took me pleasantly by surprise. I opted for a ten minute session and streamed the accompanying soundscape through my Ozlo sleepbuds 2. I sat on my bed and closed my eyes and focused on the vibrations. I might have been imagining it, but I could feel them in my stomach and even in my feet.

Once the ten minutes was over, I felt grounded and relaxed and thoroughly switched off from work. I made a note of my stress levels (17% - low).

I used the Sensate again before bed. This time, lying on my back with my sleep mask on and my sleepbuds in, I felt deeply relaxed. So much so that once the 10 minute session was over, I only had just enough energy to take the Senate off my chest before I fell fast asleep.

I woke up to a sleep score of 96 (excellent), which — as someone prone to 3 a.m. wake ups — is practically unheard of.

How free doctor-recommended vagus nerve stimulation practices helped lower stress for better sleep

In order to stimulate the vagus nerve for stress relief, Dr. Merick, the author of Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus: From Diagnosis to Treatment, recommends the following practices:

• Slow, deep breathing: Especially with extended exhales. Breathing at roughly six breaths per minute activates vagal pathways via the diaphragm, lowering heart rate and blood pressure, and reducing anxiety.
• Meditation and yoga: Controlled breathing increases parasympathetic tone, reducing stress.
• Exercise: Regular physical activity is one of the most reliable ways to improve vagal tone.
• Cold exposure: Brief cold water exposure (such as splashing cold water on the face or taking cold showers) can trigger a vagal response.
• Singing and humming: These activities engage the muscles of the throat innervated by the vagus nerve.

In order to recreate the same relaxing conditions as the vagus nerve stimulator, I logged my stress levels via the Welltory app (14% very low — which is unusual for me). I then decided to splash my face with cold water once I finished work to trigger an initial vagal response.

Next, I sat on my bed for ten minutes — the same length of time as I used the Sensate stimulator for — and practiced some deep breathing, focusing on long, extended exhales to open vagal pathways and lower blood pressure. To make it a fair fight, I also listened to a soundscape on my Ozlo sleepbuds.

This felt relaxing, but in a gentler way to the Sensate vagus nerve stimulator. It felt as though I had managed to leave the working day behind me, which isn't always easy if you've worked from home.

But if I'm honest, I felt drained, rather than relaxed. This was reflected in my stress score (5% — which is apparently 'too low'). I think I've been fighting stress for such a long time that I just felt utterly depleted.

That night, I tried to recreate the same conditions as the Sensate stimulator. I got ready for bed, put on my sleep mask, listened to a soundscape and practiced some humming (much to the confusion of my husband).

I can see why experts recommend humming to stimulate the vagus nerve — I could feel the sound reverberating through my chest. I fell asleep before the ten minutes were over and woke up to another 96 sleep score.

Do you need to spend hundreds of dollars on a vagus new stimulator, or can you get the same results for free? The verdict

Do you need to spend hundreds of dollars on a specialist vagus nerve stimulator in order to combat stress for better sleep? No. But if, like me, underlying stress is something you currently live with, they're certainly a nice-to-have piece of sleep tech.

I like and appreciate how you can simply put the Sensate around your neck, turn it on and relax — no thinking required. But you can absolutely access similar results by following doctor-recommended practices, such as cold water therapy, deep breathing and exercise.

The biggest takeaway for me from this experiment is that you have to make time to combat stress. Feeling stress and doing absolutely nothing about it won't work (trust me). Much like trying to sleep better, you need to make it a priority — but you don't have to spend $299 to do so.

Stress-busting tech we've tried and tested for better sleep

Astronauts on the International Space Station experience sleep inertia (grogginess upon waking) because they work in shifts, are rolling a chronic sleep debt, and see 16 sunrises and sunsets every 24 hours, among many other factors.

I experience sleep inertia because my pre-schooler doesn’t believe in sleeping through the night. And that build-up of broken sleep makes me feel punch-drunk some mornings.

I tried easing the grogginess with caffeine, but it didn’t work. And after speaking with Dr. Erin Flynn-Evans, Director of the Fatigue Countermeasures Laboratory at NASA Ames Research Center, I now know why…

“Caffeine takes time to take effect, so it’s not the best tool to use if you have to wake up and act quickly,” Dr. Flynn-Evans explains, whereas light activates retinal pathways immediately.

Well, my job doesn’t require me to perform complex tasks straight after waking. But my son is full bore from the moment he opens his eyes — sitting on the couch to watch him play while I'm still struggling to wake up fully is not an option.

Let there be (blue) light

While caffeine isn’t a fast-acting off-switch for post-sleep grogginess, the right type of blue light within 30 minutes of waking is.

Yes light therapy glasses and lamps can help to reduce sleep inertia, but devices cost money. For a $0 solution, Dr. Flynn-Evans says to step outside your front door: “Going outside when the sun is out will expose you to blue light from the sun naturally.”

Even though it looks yellow from Earth, the sun contains blue light (and many other colours). “There are specialized photoreceptors in our eyes that are very sensitive to blue-wavelength light that are different from the rods and cones that we use for vision,” explains Dr. Flynn-Evans.

“They are most sensitive to blue-enriched light, because the light that we receive from the sun has a strong blue component. When these photoreceptors detect light, they send a signal to our internal clock (circadian rhythm) to indicate that it’s daytime.

“This initiates a cascade of other effects throughout the body that promote alertness. For example, our bodies immediately stop producing melatonin when the photoreceptors detect light.”

Little wonder that blue light is being studied as a powerful off-switch for melatonin production (a master sleep hormone), and a powerful on-switch for wakefulness signals.

Key takeaways: At a glance

• The biological switch: Natural morning light triggers specialized photoreceptors in your eyes. These instantly signal your brain to stop producing melatonin.
• The $0 NASA solution: While blue light therapy devices are helpful for night-shift workers and in the darker months of the year, natural light outside contains all the blue-cyan light you need to help ease sleep inertia.
• Blue light isn’t a 24/7 enemy: Reduce your exposure at least one hour before bed, then embrace it soon after waking to reduce grogginess.
• The weekend trap: Sleeping in creates ‘social jetlag’, which throws off your circadian rhythm and makes your sleep inertia worse on Monday.

6 a.m. cement brain

At the start of this year, my son started going through a rough patch with sleep and my father-in-law was receiving end-of-life care in hospital. I was stressed day and night, and my sleep took a hit.

It didn’t matter how many hours of sleep I got, either – because it was so broken, I felt deeply groggy each morning.

“Sleep inertia is the groggy feeling when somebody wakes up from a deeper part of sleep, and the body is still transitioning from sleep to wake, so they don’t feel fully alert yet,” explains Dr. Lindsay Browning, Chartered Psychologist, Neuroscientist and the founder of Trouble Sleeping.

It was winter when my grogginess drifted in. Sun-dappled mornings were replaced by deep black 6 a.m. skies, and I had lent my trusty Lumie Vitamin L light to a friend battling Seasonal Affective Disorder.

So I became reliant on a daily vat of caffeine to ‘power up’.

Call it divine timing (or forgetting that I had requested the product for testing), but a few weeks later I was sent a pair of 470nm blue-turquoise light-emitting glasses. My morning grogginess was beginning to ease up when wearing them, but they weren't an instant 'on' switch to take me from punch-drunk to instantly alert at 7 a.m..

“The circadian rhythm is a forward feeding cycle, so if you generally wake up at the same time each morning, your internal clock will anticipate when it’s time to wake up and begin to turn off sleep signals and turn on wake signals at your typical wake time," explains Dr. Flynn-Evans.

“You’re also likely to be exposed to light at about the same time in the morning if you get up around the same time, so any light you are exposed to may simply be interpreted by the body as the expected daily light signal.”

So if I always wake up at 7 a.m., my internal body clock already anticipates light at 7 a.m., so that burst of artificial blue light isn't a ‘shock’ system boost and won’t be as potent against sleep inertia as it would be at, say, 2 a.m. when I'm normally asleep.

The right light at the right time

“Bright light exposure soon after waking is one of the best ways of helping you feel more awake more quickly,” explains Dr. Browning.

Ok, but is there a difference between the blue light that helps wake us up versus the ‘melatonin-disrupting’ blue light we’re told to avoid before bed?

“Nope! It’s the same,” says Dr. Flynn-Evans. “The difference is that light in the evening shifts the drive to sleep and wake later. Light in the morning shifts the drive to sleep and wake earlier.

“As a result, most people need to minimize light in the evening in order to fall asleep, and maximize light in the morning to wake up.”

“Additionally, physically getting up out of bed and moving can also help you wake up and feel more refreshed,” adds Dr. Browning. “Staying in bed, repeatedly pressing snooze, is unlikely to help you quickly wake up.”

This is a trap many of us fall into on weekends; a time when we feel we deserve a lie-in, or have the chance to catch up on sleep.

Truth is, this ‘social jetlag’ confuses our circadian rhythm and perpetuates our sleep issues. A consistent sleep schedule, especially your wake-time, is arguably the MVP of good sleep hygiene.

“Sleeping in later at weekends can shift your sleep-wake schedule later, making a Monday morning alarm feel more like waking up during your ‘biological night’,” Dr. Lindsay explains.

“This effect may be more pronounced in naturally later chronotypes (owls) compared to earlier chronotypes (larks)."

Less is more: How long to use blue light for

It’s important to remember that Dr. Flynn-Evans’s work at NASA is focused around how to help astronauts reduce sleep inertia fast when working in space.

Using enriched blue-light helps them go from groggy to alert when they wake up for a shift in a place where they have few circadian cues, yet many physical stressors.

Back on Earth, shift workers who sleep in the day and work through the night might also benefit from blue light exposure.

So how long should a person be exposed to this light before their brain switches from ‘sleepy and groggy’ to ‘awake and energized’?

“We don’t know exactly, because it depends on the time of day and the stage of sleep that a person has awoken from,” Dr. Flynn-Evans explains, before revealing more about her team’s lab protocol: “Our studies typically use a minimum of 20 minutes of bright light exposure.”

For most of us, getting outside soon after waking is still the gold standard approach for easing sleep inertia. Dr. Browning: “At the end of the day, natural daylight is easy, free and one of the most effective practical options for most people.” 

Why some people experience sleep inertia more than others

“If you wake up from a deeper part of sleep, particularly slow-wave sleep, you are more likely to experience sleep inertia.” Dr. Lindsay explains.

“If you wake up from a much lighter part of sleep, typically at the beginning or end of a sleep cycle, you are less likely to experience as much sleep inertia.

“Also, if you set your alarm for a different wake-up time from your usual one, either earlier or later, you might find yourself waking from a deeper part of sleep and therefore experience more sleep inertia.”

Dr. Lindsay's point rang true when I had to wake up around 3 a.m. for a family flight to Spain—not even the excitement of a holiday could override that crushing sleep inertia we all felt.

“Our sleep cycles tend to have more deep, slow-wave sleep in the first half of the night, and sleep tends to get lighter and less deep with each subsequent sleep cycle towards the morning,” Dr. Browning reveals.

“Therefore, if you wake up when your body clock thinks you should still be in the middle of your night’s sleep, you are more likely to wake up from a deeper part of sleep and experience sleep inertia.”

I used my light therapy glass to power through at the airport, giving me enough energy and concentration to lug my sleepy son in a hip carrier whilst also dragging a 20kg suitcase up a steep hill.

Other ways to reduce sleep inertia

In the lighter months where mornings are awash with daylight early doors, sleeping with your curtains partially open is a great way to harness natural light cues.

“Even through closed eyelids, you can sense the sunlight increasing, which has been suggested to help pull you from a deeper part of sleep into a lighter part of sleep.” Dr. Browning then recommends opening your curtains fully as soon as you’re up. “This helps to shift sleep inertia more quickly.”

A good sunrise alarm clock is an excellent solution here.

Her other top tip is to keep a consistent wake time, even on weekends. “This helps your body get used to that time as ‘wake-up time’, and it helps your body shift to that time being a more natural waking point between sleep cycles rather than from a deeper part of sleep.

“So, in summary," continues Dr. Browning, "getting some natural daylight shortly before waking and as soon as you wake up, and having a consistent wake-up time, may both help to reduce the likelihood of sleep inertia.”

When to see a doctor

“People who consistently wake up exhausted often have an undiagnosed sleep disorder," explains Dr. Flynn-Evans, "so the first thing I would recommend is talking with your doctor about a referral to a sleep clinic.

“For those who do not have sleep disorders, it’s important to maintain a regular bed and wake time, with regular bright morning light exposure.

“Night owls tend to struggle with waking up in the morning, which makes it more important for night owls to turn down the lights before bed and maximize morning light exposure to adapt to their work or social schedule." Dr. Flynn-Evans says. "It’s also important to have an appropriate cool, dark, and quiet sleep environment.”

Dr. Browning adds: “If you find that you experience severe sleep inertia most mornings, or it doesn't shift after waking and the sleepiness and grogginess persists long into the day, then this might be a sign that you aren't getting enough sleep, you might have circadian misalignment, or you might possibly have another sleep disorder such as sleep apnoea.”

If you only occasionally experience sleep inertia, it’s nothing to worry about: “Making sure that you get enough sleep is more important than worrying about avoiding sleep inertia, because even if you wake up with sleep inertia, it will usually wear off fairly quickly.”

Sleep tech to help banish morning grogginess

Picture the scene: your to-do list is spiralling and you can't switch off. But you're so severely sleep deprived that you fall asleep as soon as your head hits the pillow... only to then wake up at 3 a.m. on the dot.

This used to be my nightly reality, a nightmarish space where stress, anxiety and middle insomnia punctuated my sleep. As arguably the world's two best and well-known sleep doctors, Dr. Michael Breus and renowned Ted Talk superstar Dr. Matthew Walker, have now explained to me, stress-related cortisol is the main culprit.

Below, I'll explore what cortisol is (spoiler: it's not the enemy of sleep you might think it is), plus I'll share doctor-prescribed tips for lowering stress levels for better sleep.

Key takeaways: At a glance

• We produce cortisol as a stress response to enhance our physical and cognitive abilities. However, cortisol also plays a crucial role in regulating our sleep-wake cycles.
• Cortisol levels rise naturally around 3 a.m. but stress can cause cortisol levels to rise too high or too fast, causing us to wake up in the middle of the night.
• Tips for relieving stress levels, and therefore boosting your chances of sleeping through the night, include spending time in nature and writing a to-do list for the following day.

• Read more: I kept waking up exhausted until a NASA scientist shared her $0 lab-tested tip for beating morning grogginess — here’s how it works

What is cortisol and what role does it play in sleep?

Cortisol is a hormone commonly associated with stress. Our bodies produce cortisol as a response to stress in order to sharpen our physical and cognitive abilities. However, a response to stress isn’t its only function.

"One of the biggest myths I hear is that cortisol is the enemy of sleep," says Dr. Michael Breus, a double boarded Clinical Psychologist and a Clinical Sleep Specialist.

"It isn't. Cortisol is actually one of the hormones that helps you sleep and wake up at the right times — it should be low while you're sleeping and naturally climb before your alarm goes off."

"Cortisol is best understood not only as a 'stress hormone' but also as a timing hormone," adds Dr. Matthew Walker, sleep scientist and author of the best-selling book Why We Sleep.

"It follows a strong circadian rhythm: levels fall to their lowest point around the time we fall asleep, begin climbing in the second half of the night, and then surge sharply in the 30 to 45 minutes after we wake — what's called the 'cortisol awakening response'," explains Dr. Walker, a Professor of Neuroscience in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences at the University of Texas Dallas.

So the natural rise in cortisol in the early hours of the morning helps us feel alert upon waking. "That rise is not a malfunction," explains Dr. Walker. "It's part of how the body mobilises energy and prepares the brain for the day ahead."

Is cortisol waking me up at 3 a.m.?

If, like me, you're no stranger to 3 a.m. wake-ups, it's not a coincidence. As Dr. Walker explains above, cortisol levels begin to naturally rise around 3 a.m. as part of your Cortisol Awakening Response (CAR).

However, the steady rise in cortisol correlates with the drop off of sleep pressure – our hunger for sleep. As Dr. Walker explains, sleep pressure (or homeostatic sleep drive) has a "chemical signature: adenosine."

Adenosine, a byproduct of physical and mental activity, begins building the moment you wake and begins to drop when you fall asleep.

This means that when cortisol levels begin to rise around 3 a.m., we're more like to wake then than we would at, say, 11 p.m.

A higher than normal baseline level of cortisol, due to chronic stress or anxiety, could mean that when levels rise naturally at 3 a.m., it's enough to wake you up completely.

By then, "the mountain" of adenosine you had accumulated during the day has largely been discharged by sleep.

"You are, in a real sense, running low on the very substance that makes sleep happen," explains Dr. Walker.

"Rising cortisol then tilts an already precarious situation further toward wakefulness. That's why the small hours feel so uniquely, maddeningly alert, and why 'just go back to sleep' is such useless advice at 3 a.m."

Tired but wired

"If you're waking feeling alert, anxious, or with a racing mind, stress-related cortisol may be contributing," says Dr. Shelby Harris, a licensed Clinical Psychologist and Behavioral Sleep Medicine Specialist at BetterSleep.

However, all of the experts I spoke to agree that cortisol isn't necessarily the only enemy here. As a woman in her 40s, Dr. Harris points out that hormonal fluctuation could also be to blame for my 3 a.m. wake-ups.

"For women in their 40s and beyond, early-morning awakenings are extremely common during perimenopause and menopause, when fluctuating estrogen and progesterone can make sleep lighter and increase nighttime awakenings," says the author of The Woman's Guide to Overcoming Insomnia.

Meanwhile, Dr. Breus, a Diplomate of the American Board of Sleep Medicine, reiterates that rising cortisol levels in the early hours of the morning helps your brain and body prepare for wakefulness.

"The problem occurs when that rise happens too early, too quickly, or in combination with a hyper-alert nervous system, causing your brain to transition from sleep to wakefulness before you're ready," says Dr. Breus, who is also a Fellow of The American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

"That's why recurring 3 a.m. awakenings can be linked to chronic stress, insomnia, sleep apnea, menopause, depression, alcohol, or circadian disruption," continues the sleep specialist. "The key isn't trying to 'lower cortisol' — it's identifying what's causing your stress system and biological clock to become misaligned in the first place."

5 ways to lower stress to combat 3 a.m. wake ups

Cortisol plays a crucial role in regulating our sleep-wake cycle, helping us to sleep deeper earlier in the evening and wake up feeling alert.

While cortisol isn't the enemy to our sleep, stress is — so here's some expert advice on how to lower your stress-related cortisol levels for better overnight sleep.

1. Spend time in nature — but don't feel obliged to walk

We've all been told that exercise, especially in the morning and outdoors, can help promote better sleep. And while that is true, Dr. Walker cites a study that indicates that simply spending time in nature can lower cortisol levels.

However 'spending time in nature' is not exercise by another name, urges Dr. Walker. The sleep scientist flags an additional study that indicates that spending a minimum of twenty minutes either sitting or standing in nature can improve cognitive performance.

"Get into a forest, and don't feel obliged to walk," urges Dr. Walker.

When I tried sleeping like the Amish, getting into nature (and away from screens) was a big part of it. As a result, I was less stressed and slept better.

2. Write a boringly specific to-do list for tomorrow

A spiralling to-do list and stress go hand in hand, but writing it down at bedtime could actually help you fall asleep faster.

"Write tomorrow's to-do list at bedtime — and make it boringly specific," says Dr. Walker, who acknowledges that this flies in the face of usual advice.

"In a polysomnography study, participants who spent five minutes writing a to-do list for the coming days fell asleep significantly faster than those who journaled about tasks they had already completed — and the more specific the list, the faster they fell asleep".

3. Take a warm bath

"Take a warm bath — but one to two hours before bed, not right before it," urges Dr. Walker. "Nearly everyone gets the timing wrong, and the timing is the active ingredient"

A 2019 study found that water at 40–42.5°C, for as little as 10 minutes, scheduled one to two hours before bedtime, significantly shortened the time taken to fall asleep and improved sleep efficiency, which is the time it takes you to fall asleep, says Dr. Walker.

Bathing two to three hours before bed gives allows your core body temperature to drop, which is necessary in order to fall asleep.

"Do it five minutes before bed and you get the warming without the cooling, which is the opposite of what you want," says Dr. Walker.

4. Stop working late at night

A small month-long study of IT employees found that checking emails outside of work hours was associated with worse sleep quality, regardless of how long ago they had finished work.

Findings from same study also indicated that those who worked late were more likely to experience a higher cortisol awakening response (CAR), indicating higher stress.

The takeaway? Finish work and don't come back to it. "An evening routine cannot out-run a nervous system that never actually clocked off," says Dr. Walker.

"Three glances at your inbox after dinner may undo more than a lavender bath repairs."

5. Stick to a consistent sleep schedule

In order to optimize your sleep-wake cycle it's important to stick to a regular sleep schedule, such as the 7:1 sleep rule. That's where you go to sleep within the same one hour window every night and accumulate at least seven hours of sleep.

"If you're trying to lower nighttime cortisol, don't waste your money chasing the latest supplement," concludes Dr. Breus, Chief Sleep Officer at Orion.

"The biggest wins come from rebuilding your body's natural rhythm: keep a consistent sleep schedule, exercise regularly, manage stress, and create a bedroom that's cool."

In recent years, magnesium has become a bedtime must-have, promising to help you stop waking up at 3 a.m. by preparing your body for deep, peaceful sleep. I've been taking magnesium in the evenings for a while, but lately I've been wondering if I should take melatonin instead.

Both are popular sleep supplements, but is magnesium or melatonin better for reducing 3 a.m. wake-ups? "Neither magnesium nor melatonin is a guaranteed solution, but both can be helpful in certain situations," says Dr Shelby Harris, a board-certified clinical psychologist and behavioural sleep medicine specialist.

Here I ask Dr Harris and Vanessa Rissetto, a Registered Dietician on the Vitamin Shoppe’s Wellness Council, if either melatonin or magnesium can help you sleep through the night and stop you from waking up at 3 a.m., and what the pros and cons of each are. Here's what they said...

Key takeaways: Magnesium vs melatonin at a glance

• While neither magnesium nor melatonin are guaranteed to prevent middle-of-the-night wake-ups, both are effective at helping you to sleep better.
• Magnesium can be used to reduce nighttime awakenings if your broken sleep is caused by stress, tension, or a magnesium deficiency.
• Melatonin is more effective to fall asleep faster, rather than helping you to stay asleep.
• Always speak to your doctor before taking melatonin, as it isn't suitable for everybody.
• When taking melatonin, use the lowest effective dose possible, and discuss dosage times with your sleep specialist first.

What is magnesium for sleep?

According to Rissetto, magnesium is an essential mineral involved in hundred of reactions throughout the body. One such function is promoting calmness as it supports normal muscle relaxation and healthy stress response.

"I often tell people to think of magnesium as creating the right conditions for good sleep rather than forcing you to fall asleep," shares Rissetto.

However, the registered dietician also warns that magnesium "isn’t a magic sleep supplement".

"If someone is deficient, correcting that deficiency can absolutely improve sleep quality, reduce muscle cramping, and ease restless feelings at night," she explains. "But if your magnesium status is already adequate, the effects are usually more subtle."

Dr Harris agrees, explaining that, while magnesium isn't a sleep medication, evidence shows it may help people who are deficient or experiencing stress-related insomnia "by promoting relaxation and supporting healthy sleep quality".

"Certain forms, such as magnesium glycinate, tend to be better tolerated and are commonly used for sleep," the board-certified doctor adds.

What is melatonin for sleep?

Rissetto says that one of the biggest misconceptions about melatonin is that it's nothing more than a "nightly vitamin" or a supplement.

"It's actually a hormone your brain naturally produces in response to darkness, " she clarifies.

The dietician explains that the hormone is an integral part of our body's natural sleep schedule, which is know as our circadian rhythm, sending the body and "internal signal that it's time to wind down".

"As evening approaches, melatonin levels rise, helping prepare your body for sleep, and then they decrease again in the morning," she explains.

However, both Rissetto and Dr. Harris point out that melatonin should not be seen as a sleeping pill.

"As a supplement, it works by signalling that it's time to sleep rather than acting as a sedative," Dr. Harris tells me.

Dr. Harris says that it's most effective when being used for people who are experiencing issues with their circadian rhythm, such as travellers with jet lag and shift workers.

"Though the data behind its use specifically for insomnia isn’t very strong," she warns.

Magnesium vs melatonin: Which is better for deep sleep?

Before we compare the effects that magnesium and melatonin have on disrupted sleep, both Rissetto and Dr. Harris stress the importance of identifying the underlying cause of these nighttime awakenings.

"I’d be asking bigger questions," says Rissetto. "Is the person drinking alcohol? Is menopause playing a role? Do they have sleep apnea? Is blood sugar fluctuating? Are they under chronic stress?"

"Neither magnesium nor melatonin is particularly good at preventing middle-of-the-night awakenings if there’s an underlying cause," she adds.

Magnesium: Pros and cons

For Rissetto and Dr. Harris, magnesium seems to be the clear winner when treating nighttime awakenings caused by stress, nighttime anxiety, muscle tension or magnesium deficiency.

"Magnesium may promote relaxation and improve overall sleep quality, particularly in people who are deficient," says Dr. Harris.

"Magnesium may help some people feel more relaxed, especially if low magnesium levels, muscle tension, or stress are contributing to fragmented sleep," Rissetti tells me.

"Still, the evidence for reducing nighttime awakenings is mixed," the dietician adds, referring to research that indicates further investigations are needs to clarify the relationship between magnesium and sleep.

However, magnesium is still the experts' pick when choosing between the two supplements. "For someone who’s stressed, tense, or not meeting their magnesium needs through diet, magnesium may offer more benefit," Rissetto concludes.

Melatonin: Pros and cons

While melatonin has proved to be a popular aid for helping people fall asleep fast, both Rissetto and Dr. Harris agree that it's not the best option if you want to sleep through the night without waking up at 3 a.m.

"Melatonin primarily helps people fall asleep by supporting the body's natural sleep-wake cycle," says Dr. Harris.

"For someone with jet lag or a disrupted sleep schedule, melatonin may be the better fit as it's generally more helpful for helping you fall asleep than it is for helping you stay asleep," says Rissetto.

"I generally think of melatonin as a tool, not a long-term solution. If someone is using it every night for months because they can’t sleep, that’s a sign we should be asking why they’re not sleeping in the first place," she adds.

Is taking melatonin bad for you?

A November 2025 study found that people using melatonin supplements long-term had around a 90% higher chance of heart failure over five years — causing searches for "is melatonin bad for you?" to balloon the same month.

So, is it best to avoid melatonin supplements altogether, even if they do help you to fall asleep?

"In the U.S., it’s sold as a supplement, so dosing isn’t regulated as tightly as prescription medications, and studies have found that some products contain much more — or much less — melatonin than what’s listed on the label," warns Rissetto.

If you want to try a melatonin supplements for sleep, Risetto says to choose a high quality, reputable brand and remember that more isn't always better.

"Many products contain 5, 10, or even 20 milligrams, when research suggests much smaller doses, often around 0.3 to 1 milligram, may be sufficient for many people," she advises.

Dr. Harris agrees with smaller dosing, saying that melatonin is safest when used at the "lowest effective dose".

"Try 1-3mg max an hour before bed," says Dr Harris. "If you need more than 5mg of melatonin to sleep at night, it likely isn’t the appropriate treatment for you as 5-10 mg is quite a moderate to large dose."

"Working with a sleep specialist can be useful here to figure out specific timing," says thethe board-certified doctor.

As a sleep editor I get the opportunity to test a huge range of sleep tech and products, all geared towards helping us in our collective quest for a decent night’s sleep. I have everything I need for a good night’s rest, and yet I still struggle with middle insomnia.

Middle insomnia is characterised by falling asleep with ease, only to then wake in the middle of the night. For me, I go through periods of waking up at 3 a.m., unable to fall back to sleep. While unpicking the root cause of my nighttime awakenings is an ongoing process, I’ve learnt that there are habits that make the issue worse.

Below, three leading sleep doctors weigh in on the nighttime routine mistakes I’m making, like falling asleep in front of the TV. Plus, they share the three simple switches I can make in order to better manage my middle insomnia.

• Read more: Stress was waking me up at 3 a.m. — until two of the world's best sleep doctors shared 5 fast fixes to lower my cortisol at night

Why do I keep waking up at 3 a.m.?

• Sleeping in on the weekends: Breaks your natural circadian rhythm and causes 'social jet lag.'
• Falling asleep in front of the TV: Falling asleep in front of the TV diminishes your sleep pressure, making it harder to both fall and stay asleep.
• Getting inadequate exercise: Incorporating less movement into my day when I'm tired perpetuates the cycle of poor sleep.

3 simple doctor-approved daily routine switches to help you sleep through the night

I strongly suspect that the underlying cause of my 3 a.m. wake ups is due to elevated baseline levels of cortisol, the 'stress' hormone.

While there's no quick fix to dealing with stress and anxiety, there are several nighttime routine mistakes that I wasn't aware were contributing to my middle insomnia.

Below, sleep doctors weigh in on why certain common daily habits wreak havoc on my rest, plus the simple switches I can try instead for better sleep.

1. The 3 a.m. culprit: Sleeping in on the weekend

As a parent, sleeping in on the weekend isn’t something that I get to do all too often. But if the opportunity arises to sleep in past my usual wake time, I tend to grab it with both hands — especially following a broken night’s sleep.

But, according to experts, this is one of the biggest sleep routine mistakes I could be making.

“Even after a poor night's sleep, maintaining a consistent wake time can help restore healthy sleep patterns more effectively than sleeping in,” says Dr. Joshua Roland, medical director at Dreem Health.

Dr. Matthew Walker, a leading sleep scientist, agrees. "Irregular wake times, particularly across weekends, can create social jet lag: a mismatch between biological time and clock time, even without travel."

The swap: Sticking to a consistent sleep schedule

Following a consistent sleep schedule, like the 7:1 sleep rule where you go to bed within the same one hour window and achieve a minimum of seven hours of sleep, ensures you have enough time to build adequate sleep pressure throughout the day.

Sleep pressure is your biological urge to sleep. It’s also referred to as your homeostatic sleep drive. It starts building from the moment you wake up, reaches its peak as you nod off, before levels begin to drop again.

When you sleep in later than usual, you aren’t giving your body enough time to build enough sleep pressure to both fall and stay asleep all night.
The best way to fall into a consistent sleep schedule is by anchoring your wake up time — even on the weekend.

“A fixed wake time determines the length of the waking day, stabilizes the accumulation of sleep pressure, and provides a repeatable circadian cue when paired with morning light,” explains Dr. Walker, neuroscientist and professor of neuroscience and bioengineering at the University of Texas at Dallas.

“A consistent wake time is arguably one of the most important anchors of the body's circadian rhythm because it helps set the timing of hormone release, body temperature cycles, alertness, and subsequent sleep pressure,“ agrees Dr. Roland, a Board-Certified Sleep Medicine Physician.

2. The 3 a.m. culprit: Falling asleep in front of the TV

Falling asleep in front of the TV is my guilty pleasure, particularly on the weekend. I'm not alone, an estimated 61% of us fall asleep in front of the TV every night. However, doctors warn that it could be contributing to my middle insomnia.

“A [mistake] is the brief evening doze, often during television or reading," Dr. Walker has previously explained. "Even twenty minutes of sleep in the evening can partially discharge sleep pressure and make it harder to initiate sleep later."

Falling asleep in front of the TV or napping during the day is a common mistake that Dr. Roland also encounters.

“Many people compensate for sleepiness by resting on the couch or napping throughout the day, which can relieve sleep pressure and make nighttime sleep more fragmented,” explains the sleep doctor.

What's more, when we push past our natural sleep window, it can trigger the production of wakeful chemicals, such as orepinephrine, dopamine, orexin and, my biggest foe, cortisol.

"When we push past our natural bedtime, we create a tug-of-war inside the body. Sleep pressure has been building all day; natural melatonin is rising, and every signal is telling you it's time to rest," Dr. Roland has previously explained.

That can result in a tired and wired feeling, which is when you're physically exhausted but feel too mentally stimulated to fall asleep.

The swap: Pay attention to sleep cues and go to bed when I’m tired

Instead of napping through a film or falling asleep when reading, Dr. Walker stresses the importance of staying in tune to our natural sleep window.

“Adequate sleep pressure is usually signalled by increasing eyelid heaviness, yawning, reduced alertness, impaired sustained attention, and the repeated loss of focus while reading or watching something,” explains Dr. Walker, who notes that artificial lighting, screen time and stimulation late into the night can impair your natural sleep cues.

“These [sleep] signals are often missed because evening light exposure, screens, and mental stimulation can override or obscure the biological drive for sleep," explains the author. "Think of the system like an instrument panel: the body is displaying reduced alertness, but environmental stimulation can distort the reading."

3. The 3 a.m. culprit: Getting less exercise on the days I feel tired

Forget the under eye bags — a quick glance at my fitness tracker stats will tell you if I’ve had a good night’s sleep or not.

On the days when I’m existing in a fog of sleep deprivation, my step count is pitifully low. But when I’ve had a good night’s sleep I tend to move more.

Why does this matter? “Moving less during the day can make it harder to get a good night's sleep,” explains Dr. Shelby Harris, a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in behavioral sleep medicine.

“But it’s really a cycle because when people don't get enough sleep, they're also often more fatigued the next day, which can lead to spending more time sitting and being less physically active.”

The swap: Incorporating movement into my day to build adequate sleep pressure

Instead of leading into exhaustion and barely getting out of my chair, Dr. Harris recommends incorporating movement into my day — even after a terrible night's sleep.

“Regular physical activity helps build the body's natural drive for sleep, supports a healthy sleep-wake cycle, and can reduce stress and improve mood,” says Dr. Harris, author of The Women's Guide to Overcoming Insomnia.

However, that doesn’t mean you need to push yourself too hard. “If you're exhausted after a bad night's sleep, don't put pressure on yourself to do an intense workout," says Dr. Harris. "Even getting up to stretch every hour, taking a short walk during lunch, or walking while you're on a phone call can make a difference.”

How to fall back to sleep when you're awake at 3 a.m.

• Don't check the clock: If you're anything like me, rolling over and checking the time can stress you out further. It can also lead to the temptation of scrolling on your phone, making it even harder to go back to sleep.
• Practice the 15 minute sleep rule: When I do wake up at 3 a.m., the advice from experts is clear — get up and leave the room and do something relaxing. This prevents creating a negative association with your bed and bedroom.
• Try the cognitive shuffling method: This is a visualisation technique or random objects and helps empty my mind of racing thoughts. To practice it, think of a word and spell out as many objects as you can beginning with each letter.

Just when I think I’ve got my sleep problems under control and I'm finally getting the rest I need, my 3 a.m. wake ups make an unwelcome return. During these periods of middle insomnia (the most common cause of insomnia) I wake with a jolt and my heart pounding in my chest.

Key takeaways: At a glance

• Doctors pinpoint three potential causes of my 3 a.m. wake ups, which include a lack of adequate sleep pressure, elevated cortisol levels and blood sugar fluctuations
• Daily habits such as napping and sleeping in on the weekend are unexpected causes of middle insomnia
• Tips for sleeping through my 3 a.m. wake ups include eating my evening meals earlier and sticking to a consistent sleep schedule
• Doctors also recommend spending more time in nature to manage anxiety and lower cortisol levels

Staring at the clock and willing myself to fall back to sleep just isn’t cutting it, so I spoke to leading sleep doctors to help pinpoint the cause behind my 3 a.m. wake ups — and how, crucially, I can better manage them for improved rest.

Together, they’ve helped identify the three main culprits behind my middle of the night awakenings, along with simple routine strategies I can use to try and sleep through once and for all.

• Read more: Stress was waking me up at 3 a.m. — until two of the world's best sleep doctors shared 5 fast fixes to lower my cortisol at night

Doctors pinpoint the top 3 causes of my 3 a.m. wake ups

Whether it's a health condition such as sleep apnea, a late-afternoon caffeine habit that you can't quite kick or environmental factors (like noisy neighbors or a sweltering heatwave), many of us go through periods of waking up at 3 a.m.

My middle insomnia has ramped up over the past five years or so and I'm determined to find a solution. But in order to do so, I need to find the root cause. Here, doctors outline the likely culprits behind my 3 a.m. wake ups.

1. Lack of adequate sleep pressure

Sleep pressure can also be referred to as your sleep hunger or homeostatic sleep drive. Essentially, it's how tired you feel in the run up to bedtime. Driven by neurotransmitter called adenosine, sleep pressure begins building from the moment you open your eyes, dropping once you go to sleep.

As cortisol levels naturally begin to rise around 3 a.m., insufficient sleep pressure means you're more susceptible to being woken up by the alerting impact of cortisol. So, if your homeostatic sleep drive is on the lower side before you go to bed, you're more likely to experience fragmented sleep.

Sedentary lifestyles, excess caffeine and late afternoon naps are all examples of factors that can negatively affect your sleep pressure.

After a disrupted night's sleep, I know I'm guilty of reaching for more coffee to help me get through the day. On those low-energy days, I'm also less inclined to exercise and I'm more inclined to snatch time for a nap — and that's a big no-no.

"Think of a late-afternoon nap like snacking just before dinner: it takes the edge off your appetite," explains Dr. Matthew Walker, a professor of neuroscience and bioengineering at the University of Texas at Dallas.

"In the same way, a late nap can blunt your sleep hunger, leaving you with less biological force driving you down into sleep at night," explains the leading sleep expert.

2. Elevated cortisol levels

Cortisol has a bad reputation as being the 'stress' hormone, but it also plays a pivotal role in our sleep-wake cycles. Cortisol levels begin to naturally rise in the early hours of the morning, before peaking upon waking. That's called your Cortisol Awakening Response (CAR). It's part of what helps us feel alert when we start the day.

However, if your baseline level of cortisol is higher — often caused by stress or anxiety — that slight increase of cortisol at 3 a.m. can be enough to wake you up. That's why, for some of us with middle insomnia, those awakenings are accompanied by a racing heart and feelings of anxiety.

"The Cortisol Awakening Response is when your cortisol begins to rise early in the morning, a few hours before you get out of bed, which transitions your body from sleep to wake by raising blood sugar, blood pressure, and mental readiness," Dr. William Lu, a sleep medicine physician, has previously explained to me.

"However, if this increase happens too early it can wake you at 3 or 4 a.m. This usually happens when you are on high alert from stress, anxiety, or blood sugar instability," says Dr. Lu, medical director at Dreem Health.

3. Blood sugar fluctuations

As a busy working parent, there are times during the week that I don't get the opportunity to sit down and eat my evening meal until around 8-9 p.m. While going to bed soon after eating doesn't exactly feel comfortable and often means I have difficulty actually falling asleep, I didn't know that late, heavy meals could also be contributing to my middle insomnia.

“One of the most common reasons for waking around 3 a.m. is a drop in blood sugar during the night,” Conny Wade at Wade Wellness, a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner (FDN-P) and practicing Nurse Practitioner, previously explained to us.

“If you eat dinner too late or the meal is unbalanced, your body may release stress hormones to bring blood sugar back up, and that can wake you suddenly,” Wade explains.

Again, the culprit here is rising cortisol levels, which our bodies produce as a reaction to low sugar and insulin levels — which can wake you up.

The sleep doctor-recommended routine switches to help manage middle insomnia

Unfortunately, there's no one silver bullet solution to overcoming 3 a.m. wake ups. However, I have learnt that there are a series of small actions you can take every day for sleep better at night.

I've noticed that each small habit outlined below supports the others, which helps to improve my overall sleep hygiene and reduce middle of the night awakenings.

1. Stick to a consistent sleep schedule for improved sleep pressure

Sleeping in later than usual can feel like an enticing prospect following a rough night of broken sleep. However, an erratic sleep schedule can lead to insufficient sleep pressure — which is a common culprit of middle insomnia.

Instead, sticking to a regular sleep schedule — like the 7:1 sleep rule — allows an adequate amount of time for adenosine to build, which makes you less susceptible to nighttime awakenings.

"A consistent wake time is one of the strongest behavioral anchors for the circadian system," explains Dr. Walker, who notes that while a consistent bed time is also important, sleep onset can't be forced and is therefore difficult to control.

"Waking at a stable time, followed by morning light exposure, provides the brain with a reliable daily timing cue that helps synchronize the 24-hour rhythm," says the best-selling author of Why We Sleep.

2. Forest bathing to help soothe my stressed nervous system

Forest bathing might sound like the act of rolling around on the muddy forest floor but is actually an ancient Japanese mindfulness practice that involves immersing yourself in nature.

I've written before about how making the time for a twenty minute mindfulness walk through my local woods helped calm my frazzled nervous system. However, once I saw an improvement in my stress levels and sleep, forest bathing slipped down my list of priorities.

Now that my 3 a.m. wake ups have returned, making time for activities that actively lower my baseline level of cortisol and increase my sleep pressure (adenosine is a natural by product of exercise) is something I need to prioritize.

"Science shows that spending mindful time in nature significantly lowers cortisol (our stress hormone) and blood pressure," says Gary Evans, director and co-founder of The Forest Bathing Institute in the UK.

If possible, spending time outdoors within the first 60 minutes of waking has the added benefit of natural daylight exposure, which helps build sleep pressure and anchor the circadian rhythm.

"Morning light helps stabilize the circadian signal, while daytime physical activity can strengthen the depth and continuity of subsequent sleep," explains Dr. Walker.

3. Eating evening meals earlier to regulate my blood sugar levels

Instead of carb-heavy comfort meals close to bedtime, a nutritionally balanced meal around three hours before my chosen bedtime allows my body enough time to digest dinner before hopping into bed.

Your circadian rhythm is your body's internal clock, helping you to feel tired and alert at the right time. And as well as orchestrating your sleep-wake cycle, your circadian rhythm regulates your metabolism.

“The human body thrives on routine,” Emma Zengh, a certified nutritionist, previously explained to us. “Which means that eating dinner at the same time every night helps keep the hormones in the body in check.”

So, as well as allowing enough time to digest my food (and prevent a spike in cortisol due to low blood sugar levels), eating mealtimes at roughly the same time every day is another way to cement my circadian rhythm.

Quick tips to falling back to sleep when you wake at 3 a.m.

Waking up at 3 a.m. can feel debilitating. However, I have learnt how to better manage them in the moment in order to fall back asleep faster. These are some of the strategies I find useful...

• Practice the 15 minute sleep rule: Staying in bed when you can't sleep leads to a negative association with your bed. The advice from experts is clear — if after 15 minutes you're still awake, get up and leave the room and do something relaxing. Then, when you feel tired, go back to bed.
• Don't immediately check the clock: Rolling over and checking the time can cause further feelings of anxiety. It can also lead to the temptation of scrolling on your phone, making it even harder to go back to sleep.
• Try cognitive shuffling to stop rumination: If you're waking with anxiety, it can be hard to turn off the chatter in your brain in order to fall back to sleep. To help, I try cognitive shuffling, a relaxation technique. To do it, pick a random letter then think of different words beginning with that letter.

While there are plenty of cooling sleep products that promise to help you fall asleep during heatwaves, the key to a cooler night's sleep could actually be on your plate. Certain foods are excellent at managing body heat — but others can trigger night sweats and overheating.

However, it can be hard to know which bedtime snacks can offer a hydration boost and which ones can lead to a stuffy, sleepless night. Even the size and timing of your evening meal can make or break your sleep.

That's why I've called on Helen Tieu, registered dietician and founder of Diet Redefined, to share the best and worst foods to sleep through heatwaves. Read on to find out which light snacks can keep you refreshed all night, plus what time you should stop eating to avoid sleeping hot.

Key takeaways: At a glance

• Manage temperature by opting for water-rich foods and light, hydrating snacks such as yogurt, fruit, and protein smoothies.
• Steer clear of heavy, fried or high-fat foods close to bedtime, as they force your metabolism to work harder and generate intense internal body heat during a heatwave.
• Hydrate throughout the day and stop eating two to three hours before bed to prevent heavy digestion from raising your core body temperature.

The 2 best foods for sleeping well during heatwaves

1. Food rich in fiber and protein

The first bedtime snack that Tieu recommends is one that can top up fluid levels while ensuring your glucose levels remain consistent through the night, with studies showing a link between stable nocturnal glucose and better sleep quality.

"I would focus on lighter, cooler, hydrating snack that still include protein and fibre to help keep blood sugar stable throughout the night," the dietician recommends.

She highlights the following snacks as good options for keeping cool throughout the night:

• Greek yogurt with berries
• Protein fruit smoothie
• Fruit with cottage cheese
• Fruit with hard boiled eggs
• Salad with protein

For example, yogurt is an excellent choice as it's been shown to contain electrolytes, which assist hydration by managing fluid balance, and plenty of protein.

2. Water-rich foods

Water-rich foods, such as watermelons and celery, consist of 70% to 96% water, and Tieu says these hydration boosters can help your body manage its temperature overnight.

"Water-rich foods can help, including cucumbers, oranges, berries, tomatoes, zucchini, leafy greens, and soups served chilled," the diet expert advises.

The 3 worst foods for sleeping during heatwaves

1. Spicy and hot foods

If you're someone who likes there to be a real kick to your meals, you may want to think twice before reaching for the ultra-hot spices.

"Very spicy foods can trigger sweating or acid reflux for some people when consumed close to bedtime," warns Tieu.

The temperature of your food can also raise the temperature of your body, so make sure your meal has cooled down a little before you take a bite.

"Meals served in hot temperatures can make it harder to sleep as digestion itself produces heat, especially if the room is already warm," Tieu tells me.

2. Fried and fatty food

A lot of research has emphasized how fried, fatty food can contribute to poor sleep quality, but did you know that they can also cause hot sleeping and night sweats?

And it's all to do with a phenomenon that research calls thermogenesis, the metabolic heat generated as your body works to digest and process heavy fat.

"High-fat meals and fried foods can contribute to feeling overheated or less comfortable in bed," Tieu warns.

3. Heavy meals

Tieu warns that eating a large or heavy carbohydrate meal like spaghetti can lead to blood sugar spikes, which in turn cause night sweats.

"Not to mention heavy meals can lead to acid reflux, indigestion, or discomfort from going to bed on a full stomach," she tells me.

A dietician's top 3 rules for sleeping during a heatwave

1. Reduce fluid intake 3 hours before bed

Tieu points out the importance of drinking water throughout the day during hot weather, as it keeps you cool and hydrated. However, most of your fluid intake should be reserved for the daytime.

"It is ideal to hydrate more earlier in the day rather than drinking lots of water at night time or right before bed," the health expert advises.

While Tieu says you don't need to stop drinking in the evening completely, but it's best to avoid "chugging large amounts of fluid right before sleeping".

"I’d recommend reducing fluid intake 2 hours before bed if nighttime bathroom trips are an issue," she says.

2. Finish your dinner before 2-3 hours before bed

As mentioned above, digestion itself can raise body temperature, so Tieu advises following the 10-3-2-1-0 sleep rule and finishing your last meal of the day two to three hours before bedtime.

"This gives enough time for the body to digest before lying down, which can help to prevent reflux, discomfort, and feeling warm in bed," she explains.

However, while you should leave a few hours between dinner and bed, Tieu assures that it's fine to have a light bedtime snack.

"Just keep it simple with balanced whole foods, such as yogurt with berries, whole grain toast with peanut butter, cottage cheese with fruit, a protein shake, veggies and dip, or a small protein smoothie," she says.

3. Avoid alcohol

Alcohol can reduce REM sleep, but it can also exacerbate sleep issues during heatwaves, with studies finding that alcohol triggers sweating by widening blood vessels and increasing blood flow to the skin, which tricks your brain into feeling warm.

"It may initially lead to feeling more sleepy, but it can worsen sleep quality, worsen hydration and lead to worse temperature regulation overnight," warns Tieu.

More from Tom's Guide

• Experts reveal the bedroom window heatwave mistake making your sleep worse — and the 4-step cooling fix
• 4 sleep experts share how they fall asleep fast and skip waking up at 3 a.m. in hot weather — 4 steps to take tonight
• From the 'caveman method' to the 'frozen salt water fan trick' — 7 expert-approved ways to cool your bedroom and sleep well in a heatwave

If you're having trouble sleeping, there's no better resource than the experts. Board-certified sleep specialists can offer personalized and effective science-backed sleep guidance based on your unique health and lifestyle factors — if you can access a professional, that is.

However, many people are turning their backs on medical professionals for the convenience of AI. Research shows that 15% of the UK consult AI chatbots instead of a doctor, while a survey found that 49% of insured Americans have asked AI tools for medical advice. But can can a chatbot ever truly fix your insomnia?

To find out, I asked three of the most popular AI-generative assistants — Gemini, ChatGPT, and Copilot — the same request for sleep health advice. I then called on Mattress Firm's Dr Jade Wu, a board-certified sleep specialist, to evaluate and rate each response. Here's what she had to say and why AI's response might seem good at first but can't delve beneath the covers to provide long-lasting help.

My experience with Gemini, Copilot, and ChatGPT

To see whether AI chatbots can actually give sound sleep advice, I asked Gemini, Copilot, and ChatGPT the exact same question, prefaced with the prompt; "Act as a board-certified sleep doctor," to ensure each assistant knew I wanted it to replicate expert-level advice. Here's the full prompt:

"Act as a board-certified sleep doctor. I average 6 hours of sleep a night and have an erratic bedtime and wake-up schedule. In 3 actionable steps, advise me on how I can fall asleep fast, sleep through the night and increase my average sleep duration to 7 hours a night."

Each one delivered guidance in an instant and that split-second response set off alarm bells. But then I read the responses...

I frustratingly couldn't find any flaws. To me, each answer offered sound recommendations, with tips that seemed to come straight out of a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) textbook (and, on reflection, quite probably did.)

"If you're awake in bed for roughly 20–30 minutes, get up and do something quiet in dim light until you feel sleepy again," said ChatGPT, bringing up the gold-standard sleep rule.

"Get 10–15 minutes of outdoor light within the first hour of waking — this accelerates melatonin shutoff and makes it easier to fall asleep at night," advised Copilot, displaying knowledge about our circadian rhythm and the morning sunlight rule (...that I already follow.)

"Waking up at the same time every day builds 'sleep drive' (the biological hunger for sleep) throughout the day," Gemini told me, promoting the sleep consistency that experts have always championed.

Still, some cracks started to show. For a start, I was being given advice I already followed, rather than being questioned on my routine.

Gemini was also the only AI that came with a flat-out disclaimer to remind me that it's not a doctor. (However, Copilot did mention that if experiencing persistent insomnia, loud snoring, or breathing pauses at night, it’s important to speak with a healthcare professional — but this caveat wasn't as prominent as Gemini.)

"This is for informational purposes only", warned Gemini at the beginning of its answer. "For medical advice or diagnosis, consult a professional."

And when I showed all three responses to Dr Wu, she highlighted all the ways that disclaimer rang true.

A board-certified sleep doctor rates sleep advice from 3 AI assistants

Is ChatGPT sleep advice trustworthy?

When evaluating ChatGPT's advice, the first thing Dr Wu noticed was its lack of a disclaimer.

"Instead, it just launched right into advice with 'I' sentences spoken from the perspective of a medical professional," the board-certified doctor pointed out. "I don't love that."

While Dr Wu did say that ChatGPT's sleep guidance was "mostly evidence-based and sound", she tells me that the problem lies in its generalizing.

"It did not ask any follow up questions to try to figure out what exactly the sleep problem is, making its advice generic and not necessarily relevant — it may even backfire," she warned.

Dr Wu's ChatGPT rating: 2 out of 5

Is Copilot and Gemini's sleep advice trustworthy?

First of all, Dr Wu is pleased that both Copilot and Gemini did come with the caveat that it's always best to speak to a healthcare professional, but both still suffered from one-size-fits-all responses.

"They're better than ChatGPT's rating because at least there are disclaimers, but it's not 5 because, again, it did not do any assessment to see what the sleep problem actually is and what other contextual factors might be at play," she says.

Follow up questions the sleep expert herself would ask include "Are there any other symptoms, like signs of sleep apnea?" and " What have they already tried, and how well did it work?" She would also delve into daytime habits (such as whether the person naps) and work schedules, and why my question is fixated on getting 7 hours of sleep if I feel rested.

"Depending on the person's age, lifestyle, genetics, and many other factors, 6 hours might be enough, or perhaps even 7 is not enough," Dr Wu says.

"And we're just scratching the surface...I haven't even gotten to co-morbid health conditions, social factors and family history," she adds.

Dr Wu's Copilot and ChatGPT rating: 3 out of 5

Did any of the AI assistants provide good sleep advice?

While all AI assistants presented oversimplified advice without taking into account personal factors such as age, genetics, and lifestyle, Dr Wu didn't have any major concerns about the advice itself at a surface level.

"I like that all the models started with anchoring the wake up time and stabilizing sleep-wake schedule," she tells me. "The morning light exposure and evening wind-down period are also very good."

"All of them provide 'okay' advice in the sense that none of it is egregiously wrong, and there are some reasonably universal tips that would be good for almost everyone, such as stabilizing wake timing if possible," she continues.

That said, she admits that she can't look past the lack of questioning. Depending on what the sleep problem is, the advice could be "very different, or even opposite," she says.

"None of them even begin to try to understand what the real sleep problem might be," the sleep specialist says. "And all of them take the person's prompt question at face value, without pushing back at all or questioning the assumptions in the question itself. "

Dr Wu's 3 tips on how to ask AI for health advice

1. Be specific with your questions

According to Dr Wu, most flaws in the AI assistant's advice are a result of a vague or uninformed question you've asked. That might mean you're missing the real issue with your sleep or getting advice you already follow (see Copilot telling me to go outside in the morning.)

But without sleep advisor training, it's hard to identify these gaps in your knowledge.

"The main thing to remember is that you don't know what you don't know," she explains. "And that's not your fault! If you're not a Board-certified sleep clinician, why would you understand sleep neuroscience or clinical treatment at a deep level?"

2. Don't let faulty assumptions guide your questioning

There are lots of assumptions around what 'healthy sleep' looks like. But Dr. Wu points out that sometimes these assumptions are wrong, and she uses my 'fall asleep fast' prompt to illustrate this.

"Falling asleep fast is not necessarily a good thing," she explains. "In fact, it may indicate being sleep deprived, having sleep apnea, or having another problem."

So before you start grilling ChatGPT, remember that a healthy sleep onset latency is 15 to 30 minutes and falling asleep as soon as your head hits the pillow is likely a sign of sleep deprivation. Be clear, keep to the facts and share relevant details to get better advice.

3. Make the AI model push back or ask questions

As mentioned above, Dr Wu says that follow-up questions are a sign of a good sleep advisor.

"If the model doesn't push back on your assumptions or doesn't ask a lot of good follow up questions to figure out your holistic sleep situation, then you're not going to get good advice," she warns. "You may even get advice that backfires or delays you from getting real sleep diagnostics done."

While the AI chatbot can give you an overview of general sleep hygiene tips, without drilling into your exact circumstances, it's never going to get to the root of your sleep problems. For that, it's worth the effort of finding a specialist.

Let's face it, trying to sleep during heatwaves can be excruciating. You're frustrated, sweaty, and wide awake at 3 a.m. trying to calculate how many hours of sleep you could still salvage before you need to get up.

As a sleep writer who lives in a building without air con, I've tried practically every TikTok sleep hack that promises a cooler night's sleep, only to be left largely disappointed. But how do sleep experts mange to fall asleep during heatwaves? And what cooling sleep hacks do they use that actually work?

To find out, I've got in touch with four leading sleep experts who've shared the five hacks that help them swerve insomnia and night sweats during heatwaves. Plus, they reveal the three things you should avoid at all costs...

• Read more: I pointed a thermal cam at a luxury cooling pillow to see if it actually helps you stay cool in a heatwave

Key takeaways

• Ensure windows are closed and blackout curtains are shut during the day to trap cool night air in your bedroom
• Cooling hacks include switching to lightweight, breathable bedding, and taking a lukewarm shower to trigger your body's natural cooling process
• Avoid heavy or spicy meals and vigorous exercise close to bedtime, as both significantly raise your core body temperature.
• If sharing a bed with a partner generates too much heat, try sleeping separately temporarily or adopting the Scandinavian sleep method of using two individual duvets.
• If you are struggling to sleep after 20 minutes, get out of bed to rest in a cooler room and only return when you are genuinely tired.

5 things sleep experts do to fall asleep during heatwaves

1. The 'Caveman Method' for bedroom windows

This may be an obvious one, but the first thing you should do is try to cool down your room as much as possible. However, what isn't as obvious is how to keep your bedroom (especially when you have no air conditioning).

"Many people open their windows when it’s hot outside, but if the outside air is warmer than inside, you’re actually letting this heat in to the room," says Dr. Lindsay Browning, a neuroscientist and clinical psychologist at TroubleSleeping.

To avoid hot air streaming into your home, it's best to go full-on caveman method, and turn your room into a cool cave.

"I recommend keeping your blinds, curtains and windows closed during the day to stop the sun heating the room, then later in the evening once the outside air has cooled down you can open the windows to let the cooler evening air in," advises Browning.

2. The lukewarm shower trick

Dr. Saema Tahir, a quadruple board certified sleep and pulmonary specialist, swears by a warm shower 90 minutes before bed.

"It pulls blood to the skin surface and accelerates heat loss, triggering the core temperature drop that sleep requires," she explains.

“Not cold — lukewarm," agrees Sammy Margo, a sleep physiotherapist at Dreams.

"While it might seem obvious to take a cold shower to cool down before bed, stepping out of a lukewarm shower triggers your body’s natural cooling process and promoting relaxation, which in turn may make it easier to fall asleep comfortably,” elaborates Margo.

If you want to try this hack, aim for a water temperature between 104 °F and 108 °F (40°C and 42.5°C), which has been shown to be optimal for sleep.

3. The lightweight bedding switch

If you're using the same thick duvet or comforter that kept you warm in winter, then it'll likely make you sleep even hotter during summer.

"It still baffles me that people are still using the same duvet throughout the seasons," says researcher Hannah Shore, Head of Sleep at MattressOnline. "We need to be swapping out those thick duvets for a much thinner, lower tog duvet."

Even if you feel you're bedding is still lightweight, even the material may be trapping heat.

"Synthetic bedding, like polyester, traps humidity against the skin, preventing sweat from evaporating," says Dr. Tahir. "Loose-weave linen or cotton makes a significant difference, especially on humid nights."

"Natural fibres like cotton or linen are fantastic because they allow air to circulate and wick away moisture from your body, which may help you to keep fresh and cool throughout the night," agrees Margo.

"My favourite choice is lightweight, percale weave cotton sheets with a thread count between 200-400 as they provide optimal comfort,“ she adds.

4. The wet towel fan hack

No, we're not talking the Egyptian sleep method (which involves sleeping under cool, damp towels). We're talking about two fixes where you can use a wet towel to evaporate heat for a cooler bedroom.

The first one is a fan hack recommend by Dr. Tahir. "I point the fan across a wet towel rather than circulating hot air; it's basic evaporative cooling that can drop perceived temperature by a few degrees," says the board-certified physician.

The second tip is brought to you by sleep expert Shore, who often keeps a cold, damp towel on her nightstand in case of 3 a.m. wake ups.

"When I wake throughout the night, I can then apply this to my wrists and the back of my neck to help cool me down further," explains Shore. "Pick points on the body where the blood is closer to the surface, like your wrists, as this helps to cool your body internally as well as externally."

5. They get a (temporary) sleep divorce

This hack might be a little controversial, but it may be worth a shot if you share a bed with your partner, as Margo points out that “sharing a bed can double the body heat, making it harder to stay cool during warmer nights."

"If possible, you may wish to temporarily sleep in separate beds from your partner during a heatwave," advises Dr Browning.

If a sleep divorce seems too extreme, then you can try another sleep hack that gives you your own space while still sharing a bed.

"One simple but effective solution is the Scandinavian sleep method, using two separate duvets, which allows each person to regulate their own temperature and reduce overheating," says Margo.

3 heatwave mistakes sleep experts avoid

1. They avoid eating too late

Meal ingestion has been shown to increase body temperature, which is why you shout eat dinner earlier during heatwaves.

"Try to avoid doing things in the evening that can raise your core temperature, so leave a couple of hours between eating large meals," warns Shore.

"I also avoid heavy or spicy meals late in the evening, as these can make you feel warmer and more uncomfortable at bedtime," says Dr. Browning.

2. They avoid evening workouts

A 2025 study found that vigorous exercise within a four-hour window before bedtime can disrupt sleep. That's because the maintenance of a healthy sleep function is characterized by a decline in core body temperature.

Exercise, says Dr Browning, increases core body temperature and makes you feel even hotter during heatwave.

"Even though I am naturally an evening person and enjoy exercise in the late afternoon and evening, during a heatwave I specifically avoid vigorous exercise too close to bedtime," says Dr. Browning.

3. Clock watching

Still cant sleep in the heat? Just remember the one thing you should avoid: worrying.

"Most heatwaves are relatively short-lived," assures Dr Browning. "People are remarkably resilient at coping with short periods of poor sleep, and one bad night, or even a few disrupted nights during a heatwave, is unlikely to cause any lasting harm."

Shore says that clock-watching and counting the hours will produce "wake-promoting hormones, leading to further struggles", so the best thing to do is distract yourself.

"If you are struggling to sleep, don’t be afraid to get up, cool down elsewhere, do something to take your mind off things, such as reading or listening to a podcast, then head back to bed when you're tired," advises Shore.

"If you've been lying awake 20 minutes, get up, move somewhere cooler, and return only when sleepy,"agrees Dr. Tahir. "That's stimulus control therapy, the core of CBT for insomnia."

It's impressive how quickly my brain can pick up a thread of anxious thoughts when I find myself awake at 3 a.m. Known as middle insomnia, these late night wake-ups are plagued by a busy mind, making it hard to fall back to sleep and leaving me exhausted the next day.

I needed a technique that could put the brakes on anxieties so I could actually fall back to sleep at 3 a.m. That's when I was introduced to cognitive shuffling by Dr. Carlos Nunez Chief Medical Officer at Resmed.

This technique 'shuffles' your thoughts like a deck of cards, distracting your brain without overstimulating it. Instead of deadlines and debts, I'm thinking about ducks, dandelions, doorbells... Next thing you know, I'm snoozing. Here's how it works.

• Read more: I had no idea reading in bed could be causing my 3 a.m. wake-ups — an insomnia expert explains the simple switch for sleeping through

Key takeaways: At a glance

• Stress and anxiety causes cortisol levels to rise, keeping you alert. This makes it harder to fall asleep and leaves you prone to late night wake-ups.
• Cognitive shuffling randomizes your thoughts, as you focus on finding words beginning with a certain letter. This keeps your brain occupied, so it can't focus on anxieties.
• Using cognitive shuffling helps me fall back to sleep quickly. And on the nights it doesn't work, I get out of bed and relax until sleep pressure builds up enough that I'm ready to sleep.

What is cognitive shuffling?

I turn to cognitive shuffling on those nights when my thoughts are running around so fast sleep can't get a look in. Cognitive shuffling puts a stop to anxieties by simply directing your brain to random places. And I mean random.

I was introduced to the method by Dr. Carlos Nunez when discussing how stress is ruining sleep, who in turn was passed on the tip by a sleep doctor.

"I use it religiously," he explains, "because it works for me... even on the nights that I have the most trouble falling asleep."

Here's how to do it...

1. Start by picking a random word — nothing that might trigger stressful or anxious thoughts.
2. Focus on the first letter of your chosen word and think of other words that begin with that letter.
3. When you've run out of options, move on to the next letter in your starting word.
4. Repeat until you've reached the end of your word, and then start again with another randomly selected word.
5. Keep going until the repetitive patterns send you back to sleep.

So let's say your start word is teacup. You might go T is for telephone, top hat, turmeric... E is for elephant, elbow, eagle... and so on.

Dr. Nunez has another tip for those trying cognitive shuffling: focus on a specific room or place when choosing your words. He uses his workshop but it could be anywhere you're familiar with that won't result in stress (so you probably don't want to pick the office.)

"As I do this, I'm so focused on finding the third or fourth letter, I'm asleep," he says. "You would think I'm getting stressed trying to find the letters, but it pulls your mind so far away from your daily stress."

Dr. William Lu, medical director at Dreem Health, explained to us that cognitive shuffling works because it occupies the brain just enough to prevent rumination, without causing extra stimulation; "essentially distracting your mind from stress while keeping your body relaxed."

"It seems to work every time," Dr. Nunez adds, "so I owe that sleep doctor a debt of gratitude."

Why does anxiety wake you up at 3 a.m.?

"When we experience stress — whether from a looming deadline, a difficult relationship, or financial worries — the body activates its fight-or-flight response," said Dr. Anita Raja, a sleep expert in partnership with Herbalife, to explain why stress keeps you awake.

Part of that response is flooding the body with the hormones cortisol and adrenaline. Which is terrible news for your sleep.

"These survival hormones are extraordinarily good at keeping us awake and alert," she said.

And they don't just stop you from falling asleep. This flood of cortisol might be the reason you find yourself waking up at 3 a.m. and unable to drift off again.

"Cortisol levels — which should naturally drop at night — remain elevated [when you're stressed], suppressing the production of melatonin and preventing you from reaching the deeper, restorative stages of sleep," Dr. Raja noted.

That means when your circadian rhythm causes your cortisol levels to naturally rise again at 3 a.m. (in preparation for the morning), you're already primed to wake up. And thanks to that increased alertness, you might find your mind immediately starts racing, making it harder to fall back to sleep.

More ways to fall asleep fast when you wake up at 3 a.m.

Dr. Nunez notes that cognitive shuffling might not be for everyone but it's important to find another method that can ease stress and help you sleep.

"Whatever you can do that hour before bed," he says. "Put down the screen. Don't perseverate on the stress. Calm your mind."

4-7-8 breathing technique

Described as the "perfect, portable stress antidote" by Dr. Andrew Weil, who popularized the trick, the 4-7-8 technique is a meditative breathing method that encourages repetitive breath control.

To use the 4-7-8 method, breathe in through your nose for a count of four, hold for seven, and exhale through your mouth for eight.

Repeat this 3-4 times, keeping the focus on your breath.

While cognitive shuffling is easy to learn, the 4-7-8 technique requires practice to see the biggest benefits. We recommend using it twice a day, to become familiar with the routine. And with time, it can calm your body and mind quickly during unwelcome 3 a.m. wake-ups.

The military sleep method

Created for military personnel trying to sleep in high stress situations, the military sleep method can help you drift off quickly even during anxious late night wake ups.

It's the go-to method of our Sleep Editor (and Certified Sleep Science Coach) Claire Davies, who describes it as "a great way to reduce any stress or anxiety you might be feeling in bed."

To use it, picture yourself lying in a canoe on a still lake under a clear sky, or in a hammock in a pitch black room. Methodically drop tension from your muscles, working from the head down. Imagine a warm sensation spreading through your body, wiping away all thoughts.

As with the 4-7-8 method, the military sleep technique requires practice. But once you've mastered it, it can help you fall asleep in minutes.

The 15 minute rule

The 15 minute sleep technique is best employed when you've tried other calming methods but still find yourself lying awake. If after 15 minutes of lying in bed you feel no closer to sleep, get up and move to another room.

Getting out of bed helps prevent negative connections from forming. You want to see the bed as a place of sleep but the longer you spend lying awake, the more your brain associates it with stress.

When you leave the room, make sure to maintain a calm state. Keep the lights dim and pick up a relaxing hobby, like reading or stretching.

Once enough sleep pressure has built enough that you begin to feel tired again, return to bed and reengage with your preferred calming technique.

9 sleep products we're testing and loving

For me, decent sleep is hard to come by. I wake most mornings feeling like I haven’t slept enough and vow to make a change. And yet, more often than not, I clock around five hours of broken sleep a night. Juggling work, life and parenthood means my to-do list never ends and sleep-disrupting nighttime anxiety is the result.

However, with multiple studies pointing towards the poor health outcomes associated with people who sleep less than six hours a night, I’m making a concerted effort to sort out my sleep. I’ve started with the 7:1 sleep rule, where the aim is to get seven hours of sleep per night and go to bed within the same one hour window.

At first, I found it difficult to stick to until a doctor suggested a simple routine switch: stop obsessing over bedtime and anchor my wake time instead. Once I made this shift, I went from sleeping five hours a night to seven — and now I feel like I’ve finally cracked the code to sleeping better and for longer. Here's what happened...

• Read more: I kept waking up at 3 a.m. until doctors explained that falling asleep in front of the TV was destroying my sleep pressure

Key takeaways: At a glance

• The 7:1 sleep rule recommends regularly getting at least seven hours of sleep a night, and going to bed within the same one-hour window at least five nights a week.
• At first I found the 7:1 sleep rule hard to stick to, until sleep doctors told me to focus on my wake time – and not both my bedtime and wake time.
• Once my wake time was anchored and I had a consistent schedule, my sleep duration has increased from five hours a night to seven.

What is the 7:1 sleep rule?

The 7:1 sleep rule is a snappy term to describe the practice of achieving a minimum of seven hours of sleep and going to bed within the same one hour window (half an hour on each side), at least five times a week.

It is a concept developed by researchers from Vitality and The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) who, after analyzing 47 million nights of sleep data as part of a groundbreaking study, found that those who followed this sleep hygiene rule could live up to four years longer.

How I used the 7:1 sleep rule to go from 5 hours sleep a night to 7 hours

Once I had decided to make my sleep a priority, I turned my attention to the 7:1 sleep rule. However, I initially found it difficult to stick to it as I rarely felt tired at the same time every night.

And that’s because of a sleep routine mistake I didn’t even know I was making — waking up at a different time each morning.

While the 7:1 sleep rule focuses on falling asleep within the same one hour window, little mention is made of how important it is to anchor your wake-up time.

According to experts, a regular wake time is the best place to start when attempting to add consistency to your sleep schedule.

“A consistent wake time is arguably one of the most important anchors of the body's circadian rhythm because it helps set the timing of hormone release, body temperature cycles, alertness, and subsequent sleep pressure,” Dr. Joshua Roland, a Board-Certified Sleep Medicine Physician and medical director at Dreem Health, tells me.

So, instead of focusing solely on the time I fall to sleep — which can be influenced by all sorts of external factors, like the temperature, whether I’m feeling particularly anxious or whether I have plans that might mean I stay up later — I switched my attention to regulating my wake time. And that’s when I began to see an uptick in my sleep duration.

By stipulating a wake time and (mostly, I’m not perfect) sticking to it, I feel tired around the same time each night. Which meant I started to fall asleep faster and clock up more time asleep.

From someone who got in the region of five to six hours per night, I’m now getting seven. And I'm not the only one who's seen the benefits; one of my team finally hit the 90s with her sleep score after using the 7:1 rule. According to Dr. Roland, that’s entirely expected.

“While a regular bedtime is beneficial, wake time tends to have a stronger influence on stabilizing your internal body clock, and is easier to control than when we fall asleep,” says the sleep expert.

“Even after a poor night's sleep, maintaining a consistent wake time can help restore healthy sleep patterns more effectively than sleeping in.”

3 other routine changes I made to get more sleep

As well as following the 7:1 sleep rule in my quest for better sleep, I’ve also been paying close attention to my sleep pressure. Sleep pressure, also referred to as homeostatic sleep drive or sleep hunger, is a term that essentially describes your urge for sleep.

It begins to build from the moment you open your eyes and starts to drop when you go to sleep. The higher your sleep pressure, the easier it is for you to fall asleep. So, with that in mind, here’s what I’m doing to make sure I have enough sleep pressure in the tank to fall asleep within that golden one-hour window.

1. Getting plenty of exercise

First, a quick bit of science. Your sleep pressure is largely fuelled by a neurotransmitter called adenosine. And adenosine is a byproduct of, among other things, physical movement.

That means that even though sleep pressure naturally builds over the course of the day until you feel tired at night, moving your body helps push it even higher.

So, getting plenty of exercise — whether it’s walking, running or just taking the stairs in the office — helps contribute to your homeostatic sleep drive, helping you to later feel tired at the right time.

As someone with a desk job and therefore fairly sedentary for a large part of the day, I know that incorporating movement into my daily schedule is helping me to get more rest.

2. Natural daylight, especially in the morning

Most of us are lucky that, during the spring and summer months, it’s light when we wake up. — and that sends a strong signal to our circadian rhythms that it’s time to be awake.

Exposure to natural light, particularly within the first 30-60 minutes, helps suppress the ‘sleep’ hormone melatonin and boost the production of get-up-and-go hormones, like cortisol and serotonin.

So, instead of spending twenty minutes scrolling on my phone, I open the curtains wide and allow light into my room. If I have time, I’ll drink my first cup of tea in the garden.

Much like lowering the lights and avoiding screens in the evening helps prepare us for sleep, natural daylight helps us feel alert and ready to take on the day. And that helps build sleep pressure so we can feel tired at night, and stick to our one-hour sleep window.

3. No more lie-ins

Dr. Roland cites sleeping in on the weekend as one of the worst habits you can form when attempting to stick to a consistent sleep schedule. For me, the opportunity for a long and leisurely lie-in are few and far between.

However, after a rough night’s sleep on the weekend, I would often rely on staying in bed longer to try to make up for lost sleep — and, according to the experts, that’s a big no-no for sticking to a consistent sleep schedule like the 7:1 sleep rule.

While waking up early on the weekend initially felt like a wrench, they’re starting to feel easier and I’m now starting the day with much more energy.

How sticking to the 7:1 rule helped me get more sleep: My verdict

By making a few small tweaks to my daily routine, like waking up at roughly the same time every day and making the time for exercise, I’ve managed to increase my overall sleep duration considerably.

And, as someone who previously often slept for less than six hours a night, that feels like a significant achievement.

My sleep routine is by no means perfect. And I’m still making plenty of mistakes along the way (like the recent night that I spent scrolling on my phone instead of sleeping).

However, one of the most important things I'm realizing is that consistently great sleep doesn't happen overnight. And I'm reminded that sticking with it and trying again the following night is another step towards better sleep and overall health.

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My dad has always struggled to sleep. From work stress to a snoring wife, there's always something disrupting his rest, so by lunch he's exhausted and struggling to keep his eyes open. And it's not just my dad – a 2025 survey found that 72% of adults struggle with daytime sleepiness.

However, lately I've noticed my dad has a spring in his step, particularly in the afternoons. I asked him what changed and he let me in on a simple sleep solution that gives him energy throughout the day without causing 3 a.m. wake ups. Every afternoon at 2 p.m. he sets a timer for 20 minutes, takes a quick nap, and then as soon as the alarm goes off he's up and ready to go.

It's a solution that comes approved by various sleep experts. I spoke to Dr. Shelby Harris of BetterSleep, to learn how naps can help people with insomnia and sleep deprivation to maintain energy throughout the day, plus she shares her expert tips on how to nap properly without ruining your sleep at night.

• Read more: I kept waking up at 3 a.m. until doctors explained that falling asleep in front of the TV was destroying my sleep pressure

Key takeaways

• 72% of adults experience daytime sleepiness and exhaustion that gets in the way of their everyday activities
• A nap can help you reclaim energy and feel more awake in the afternoon but they can also destroy your sleep quality the following night
• To nap properly, set an alarm for 20 minutes, get up once your nap is over and finish napping by mid-afternoon
• If you feel like you need to nap everyday or you think your naps are impacting your overall sleep quality, speak to a healthcare professional about other ways to improve your sleep quality

How napping alleviates insomnia symptoms

My dad's tried everything to improve his sleep — from meditation to pre-bed yoga — and while a regular schedule has helped him sleep longer, he still goes through periods of 3 a.m. wake-ups and fatigue-filled mornings.

And when exhaustion is dragging him down, a nap is my dad's go-to response for a quick energy boost. But it's a balancing act. Nap too long or too late and you might find yourself groggy with sleep inertia all afternoon.

His trick is deceptively simple and comes approved by the experts — he sets a 20 minute alarm before his nap and gets up as soon as it chimes.

"A short nap, around 20 minutes, can improve focus and energy, especially if you’re dealing with short-term sleep loss," Dr. Harris advises.

She explains that my dad, like many others, is experiencing "lighter, fragmented" sleep that leaves you feeling unrested even after hours in bed. This can be caused by things such as too much screen time, an erratic sleep schedule, or "higher levels of stress" (ding ding — that's my dad!)

"It’s very possible to get a full night of sleep and still feel exhausted, because sleep quality and consistency matter just as much as duration," she says. As you haven't got enough the deep sleep essential for energy restoration, you might find yourself running on fumes by lunchtime.

That's where a nap comes in, providing you with that boost of extra energy to reclaim some of what you lost in the night.

Can naps cause insomnia?

To get a healthy night's sleep, it's important to build up enough sleep pressure. This is that yawning, heavy-eyed feeling you get before bed and it's the result of the chemical adenosine building during the day.

Naps help clear some of that adenosine, reducing sleep pressure but also potentially making it harder for you to fall asleep and stay asleep.

Too much napping, therefore, can be the reason you're tired in the first place and Dr. Harris emphasizes better sleep at night should take priority over naps.

"Naps can help in the moment," says Dr. Harris, "but they’re not a substitute for consistent, restorative sleep overnight."

Napping can't substitute better sleep quality

Regular napping can be a way to off-set poor sleep and give yourself a boost of energy in the afternoon. However, if you're napping daily or fighting drooping eyes at your desk, naps might be a bandaid over a bigger problem.

"If you feel like you need a nap every day just to get through the day, that’s often a sign your nighttime sleep or overall schedule needs attention." explains Dr. Harris.

She advises following the tips below for napping perfection and to pay attention to your overall sleep health.

"If that level of fatigue continues, it’s worth checking in with a healthcare provider or sleep specialist to rule out underlying issues," she advises.

How to take the perfect nap

1. Keep it under 20 minutes

The alarm hack is for people willing to accept napping self-responsibility: you won't wake up naturally, so set an alarm. Because it's far too easy to promise yourself a 'few minutes shut-eye' and find yourself startled awake hours later.

A 20-minute nap is enough time to shake off some sleep pressure without eating into your sleep at night. And the alarm means you definitely will wake up when you promised yourself you would.

2. Finish napping by early afternoon

Timing is everything when it comes to naps, in both senses. First, you want to keep it under a certain amount of time (as noted above.) Second, you have to pick the right time of day.

"I recommend earlier in the afternoon, so it doesn’t interfere with nighttime sleep," says Dr. Harris.

The ideal nap time for adults is between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. This aligns with a natural sleepy dip in your circadian rhythm and leaves ample time for sleep pressure to build up again before bed.

3. Try a 'nappuccino'

A nappuccino, or coffee nap, combines the power of caffeine with the refreshment of a quick lie-down, to supercharge your naps.

Working on the principal that caffeine takes about 15 minutes to kick in, a nappuccino encourages you to drink a cup of coffee just before you settle down for your nap.

Set your alarm for around 20 minutes and when you wake up you should be feeling doubly energized.

Best sleep products for a power nap

My mom has always preached the benefits of an early night, so even as an adult it's been my go-to fix following a bad night's sleep. Turns out, going to bed earlier to catch up on sleep is the worst thing I could have done.

"People often assume that if they're tired or sleeping poorly, the solution is to go to bed earlier," explains Dr. Joshua Roland, medical director for Dreem Health. "But this can create a mismatch between your sleep opportunity (time in bed) and your actual sleep need."

Here's why your 'early nights' might actually be causing your poor sleep and 3 a.m. wake-ups too, and how you can properly catch up on rest without sabotaging your quality of sleep...

• Read more: I kept waking up at 3 a.m. until doctors explained that falling asleep in front of the TV was destroying my sleep pressure

At a glance: Key takeaways

• Early nights are seen as a healthy way to catch up on sleep, however they can disrupt your circadian rhythm and lead to middle of the night wake-ups.
• When you go to bed early, you may not have built up enough 'sleep pressure,' so you might struggle to drift off. This can cause some people to mistakingly think they have temporary insomnia.
• But if you're yawning and feel drowsy, a slightly earlier bedtime (around 20 minutes earlier than normal) can help — but experts say to avoid significantly altering your sleep schedule.

How early nights caused my overnight wake-ups

Early nights might sound sensible but our sleep schedules thrive on routine. When that routine gets disrupted, even if you think you're doing the right thing, your sleep can suffer.

"When people extend their time in bed significantly beyond what they're used to, they may find that sleep becomes more fragmented," explains Dr. Aric Prather, sleep scientist and licensed clinical psychologist at BetterSleep.

"One reason for this is that the body is still operating on its usual timing," he says. "Sleep is regulated by both circadian rhythms and sleep drive, and an earlier bedtime doesn't necessarily shift those systems immediately.

Here are three ways it impacted my sleep...

I started waking up at 3 a.m.

I assumed an early night would simply add hours to my usual sleep routine but my good intentions flew out the window when I found myself waking up at 3 a.m.

As Dr. Rolands explains, this is because while my schedule has changed, my body clock is sticking to its usual routine.

"Someone who normally sleeps from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. may fall asleep at 9 p.m. if they're tired, but their body clock is still programmed for a later schedule," explains Dr. Roland. "As sleep pressure fades overnight and the circadian system begins preparing for wakefulness, they may wake at 2, 3, or 4 a.m. and struggle to fall back asleep."

This is because around this time of night, your hormones shift. Levels of melatonin, the sleepy hormone, drop off while cortisol, the awake hormone, begins to rise.

If you've already clocked up enough sleep, this hormone change can be enough to wake you. And because sleep pressure (the need for sleep) has faded, you can't drift off again.

"In some cases, an 'early night' can actually contribute to middle-of-the-night awakenings rather than improve sleep," says Dr. Roland.

I couldn't fall asleep

Despite yawning my way through the afternoon, I often find when I go to bed at an earlier hour, I lie awake until my regular sleep time arrives. What gives?

Sheree-Ann Michelle, Pharmacist and Functional Medicine Health Coach at The Wellnaissance, explains that the longer you're awake, the more the chemical adenosine builds up and it's this that makes us feel sleepy (in other words, the more you're awake, the more you feel pressure to sleep.)

"When you go to bed before that sleep pressure has had sufficient time to build, your body simply is not ready to enter or sustain deep sleep, even if you feel tired or stressed," says Michelle. "The result is that people who go to bed unusually early often find themselves lying awake."

It's like turning up early for a train. You're ready to go but the train is sticking to its schedule.

I struggled to sleep the next night

When your early nights haven't accomplished what you hoped for, you might feel tempted double down — keep moving your bedtime forward until those cumulative hours have finally killed off your sleep deprivation.

However, all this time spent in bed not sleeping can have a long reaching impact on your sleep health.

"One reason that early nights can backfire is that getting into bed before sleepiness leads the brain to connect bed with laying awake," says Dr. Jessica Weatherford, psychologist at Catalyst Psychology.

That means when you go to bed, your brain doesn't think: 'this is where sleep happens.' Instead, it might start to assume, based on experience, that you're lying there with the intention of staying awake.

How to sleep better after a bad night's sleep

So my early nights might not actually help me catch up on sleep. But as it's my go-to solution when I've clocked up under seven hours the night before, I asked the experts what I can do instead.

1. Move your bedtime slightly earlier

After a bad night's sleep you might be tempted to crawl into bed as soon as possible but Dr. Roland advises sticking as close to your usual sleep schedule as possible.

"I'd recommend recovering from a poor night's sleep by maintaining a consistent wake-up time," he says, "moving bedtime only slightly earlier if needed."

That means rather than an additional hour in bed, you take an extra 15 to 20 minutes. Doing so maintains your sleep cycle, limiting disruption (while still getting a touch more snooze.)

2. Aim for a few good nights, not one 'mega night'

"Consistency' is your watchword when it comes to good sleep as your body clock thrives on repetition. So when you're trying to catch up on rest, don't do it all at once.

"Prioritize several consecutive nights of adequate rest rather than relying on a single 'recovery' sleep marathon," says Dr. Rolands.

"Additionally, your body can only make so much sleep," notes Dr. Prather.

To get through the day in between, try a quick nap. But quick is the operative word: the 20-minute nap hack is the best way to regain energy without ruining your sleep pressure.

3. Make sure you're actually sleepy

There's a difference between feeling worn out and feeling tired. If you go to bed when you're experiencing the first but not the second, you might find yourself lying awake.

Dr. Weatherford encourages looking for "signs of sleepiness", including yawning and heavy eyes.

When these sleepy signals are clear, it's time to go to bed, even if you're (slightly) ahead of your usual bed time.

Many of us want to know the secrets behind how to fall asleep fast and sleep through the night. I've learned a lot during my time as a Tom's Guide sleep writer, but I want to know how one of the world's most renowned experts on insomnia and other sleep problems does it.

Dr Lindsay Browning is a neuroscientist and chartered psychologist, and the founder of sleep clinic TroubleSleeping. Through her work Dr Lindsay has helped thousands of people to learn how to fall asleep easily and quickly, and to skip unnecessary overnight wake-ups.

Here she shares her the four things she does every evening to fall asleep fast and sleep through the night. Plus, her golden rule about what not to do if she ever wakes up at 3 a.m.

Key takeaways: At a glance

• Dr Browning goes to bed at the same time each night (an important aspect of the 7:1 sleep rule), and uses 'sleep cues' including nighttime tea and a pillow spray to signal to her brain that it's time to sleep.
• She uses 'Do Not Disturb' settings on her phone to silence non-essential notifications overnight while still allowing emergency calls from close family.
• Dr Browning avoids using her phone in bed and never checks the time if she's having trouble sleeping. She also blocks unwanted light with an eye mask.

The 4 things an insomnia expert does every night to fall asleep fast and sleep through

1. Keeps a consistent bedtime

I know from the 7:1 sleep rule that bedtime consistency is key to better long term health, but studies show that reducing day-to-day variability in bedtime can also help treat insomnia.

And Dr Browning definitely takes this key finding into consideration when planning her nighttime routine.

"I try to go to bed at a similar time each night to allow me enough time in bed before my morning alarm," Dr Browning tells me.

"Even if I have things left to do, I really try to prioritise sleep because I know that if I get enough sleep, I will be better equipped for the next day," she adds.

• Read more: I kept waking up at 3 a.m. until I ditched this 'healthy' sleep habit — an expert explains why I had to stop it

2. Follows the same wind-down routine

The best teas for sleep contain ingredients such as lavender and chamomile that studies have found improve sleep quality, but Dr Browning tells me the very act of brewing and drinking a caffeine-free beverage every evening can send a message your brain that it's time to wind-down.

According to the psychologist, there is a "psychological association" between the tea's smell and taste and the fact that sleep will be soon.

"Having the same warm drink before bed each night helps signal to my brain that it’s time to wind down for the night," she shares.

3. Uses aromatherapy

I am a big fan of lavender pillow mist and lavender's proven sleep-inducing effect, so I was pleased to hear that Dr Browning "always use a lavender scented pillow spray before bed on my pillow". A spritz of lavender is also her secret travel sleep hack.

"Having these consistent pre-bedtime rituals means that when I travel I take my tea and pillow spray with me, which brings a sense of familiarity from home wherever I am," she reveals.

4. Silences most phone notifications

Can't wind down because your phone is constantly lighting up? Dr Browning doesn't have this problem as she helps her phone prepare for sleep, too.

"I ensure that my phone has an automatic night setting which silences all notifications," the neuroscientist says.

To put her mind at ease and soothe nighttime anxiety, she's also set an override so that her closest family members can call her during the night even when her phone is set to do not disturb. .

"This helps me to sleep peacefully knowing that I can be contacted in an emergency but without the disruptions from unnecessary notifications that can wait until the morning," she explains.

3 things an insomnia expert avoids at night for better sleep

While the above tips help her sleep through the night, trouble sleeping and nighttime awakenings are more common than you think.

So, when she finds herself struggling to sleep or awake at 3 a.m., here are the 3 things she avoids to help her fall back asleep.

1. Clock watching

When you wake up in the middle of the night, it's tempting to grab your alarm clock or phone to check the time. However, this will just prolong your nighttime awakening.

"I advise my clients that clock watching is almost never helpful in the middle of the night because it typically just makes you more anxious and frustrated about how little sleep you've had or how long it is left until morning," she says.

"Instead, I always set an alarm and if the alarm has not gone off yet, I know that it's not morning yet," she adds.

2. Bedroom light

There's plenty of research that shows how artificial light and seasonal changes can disrupt sleep, with one study finding that even a small amount of light can lead to nighttime awakenings.

Whether it's light from a device or from traffic, Dr Browning says there's a simple product you can buy to avoid sleep-disrupting light.

"If my husband is staying up later in bed to do something on his phone, or it is summer and there is light coming through the curtains, I will use an eye mask to block out the unnecessary light that might otherwise disrupt my sleep," she says.

3. Scrolling

And finally, we have one of the worst offenders for disrupting sleep: scrolling.

Research has even shown that one hour pf phone use in bed can increase insomnia by 59%, which is why Dr Browning avoids reaching for her phone whenever she finds herself awake in the middle of the night.

"I try to resist reaching for my phone because scrolling through social media instead of sleeping will make it less likely that I'm going to be able to go back to sleep again," she says.

Our top 3 gadgets for better sleep

I recently started tracking my sleep with an Apple Watch, and it's told me something I already knew: I sleep for around six hours a night. While expert guidelines recommend that adults should sleep seven or more hours a night for optimal health, my sleep tracker consistently awards me high sleep scores.

So, does this mean six hours of sleep is enough?

To find out, I recently showed my Apple Watch's sleep tracking data to board-certified sleep medicine physician and medical director at Dreem Health, Dr. Joshua Roland. My aim was to find out if I could be part of a small percentage of people whom research finds are genetically predisposed to sleeping less than seven hours a night.

Here's what Dr. Roland had to say about my sleep, the rare short sleeper trait, and whether sleeping for six hours is ever enough. He also breaks down the ramifications of sleeping six hours a night, plus the benefits of sleeping for seven hours or more.

Key takeaways: At a glance

• My high sleep scores from my sleep tracking device don’t mean my average sleep duration of six hours is enough — most research still supports seven hours as the minimum for long-term health.
• Only a very small number of people are true 'short sleepers' genetically; for most, consistently getting less than seven hours is linked to higher health risks and reduced life expectancy.
• Chronic sleep deprivation impacts the whole body, including cardiovascular, immune, and hormonal systems — even if you feel mentally fine in the short term.
• Sleep quality matters (stages, consistency, few awakenings), but it doesn’t replace sufficient duration; the best outcomes come from both good quality sleep and at least seven hours of sleep a night.

My average sleep time and sleep scores

When I began tracking my sleep, I knew I'd be getting sleep duration averages of around six hours — maybe even five or four on nights when I'm pulling an all-nighter or experiencing a bout of insomnia.

My average sleep duration varies. Some weeks my average sleep time is around 6 hours and 11 minutes. Other weeks, particularly during my menstrual phase, I get an average of 5 hours and 52 minutes. Basically, I'm getting nowhere near the amount of sleep that sleep experts recommend.

However, my Apple Watch sleep scores are consistently high. For example, on Tuesday, April 7, I was awarded a high score of 90 on just 6 hours and 24 minutes of sleep. On Wednesday, April 15, I got an 86 on 6 hours and 2 minutes of sleep. So, what gives?

Is 6 hours of sleep enough?

While there has been research that found six hours or more of sleep is actually markedly better at reducing the risk of serious health issues, compared to less than six hours sleep, Dr. Roland says that there's an overwhelming amount of studies that warn seven hours is actually the minimum.

"There's definitely variation, genetics and age and health conditions that affects the sleep need but, as a ballpark, we recommend at least seven to eight hours minimum for most people," he tells me.

"Genetically, maybe some people can get away with six, but probably very few can chronically get away with it without it impacting health and cognitive function," he adds.

So, how does sleeping for less than seven hours affect our health? Dr. Roland points to recent research that highlights sleep deprivation's impact on life expectancy, such as a 2025 study that reported sleeping less than seven hours decreases your life expectancy more than poor diet or lack of exercise.

"Studies on duration show that mortality goes up if it's less than seven," he says.

The sleep expert also points out that even those who don't feel the effects of less than seven hours of sleep "cognitively" may be overlooking the effects a lack of sleep can have on the body.

"If you go a long time where you're not sleeping enough, you might feel like you're getting used to it, but sleep is such an ingrained part of our biology that every organ system needs sleep to recover and repair," he warns.

"Even if you feel OK mentally, your cardiovascular system, your immune system, your endocrine system, pretty much every system in the body needs sleep to restore itself and recover from day-to-day damage," adds the board-certified doctor.

Dr. Roland warns that, while a night or two of sleeping less than seven hours is unlikely to do any substantial harm, years of sleep deprivation can accumulate serious sleep debt.

"Over the course of years, it takes a major toll on life expectancy and long-term health if you're not getting the sleep you need," he warns.

But what about those who experience short sleeper syndrome? Do they need at least seven hours of sleep for their bodies to recover, even if they have an innate tendency to sleep for less?

"In a lot of ways, the short sleeper syndrome is kind of a sleep myth as short sleep is usually behaviorally driven," he argues.

According to Dr. Roland, modern life, from social obligations to media consumption, have driven us to stay up late and follow an "unnatural" schedule which shortens our sleep.

"The way we live now is very different than our ancestors lived for millions of years, and our bodies aren't built to live this way quite yet. " he warns.

The sleep medicine physician also explains that there are certain groups of people who need more sleep than others.

"Anyone growing or recovering needs more sleep, so infants, kids, teenagers, even some in their twenties need higher than that, along with anyone recovering from illness or requiring more energy for athletic performance," explains Dr. Roland.

The benefits of sleeping for 7+ hours a night

Okay, so we've established how sleeping for less than seven hours a night can affect our overall and long-term health, but what are the benefits for sleeping seven hours or more?

Dr. Roland says that one major benefit of sleeping for at least seven hours is increased metabolism.

"The way we regulate glucose and really most hormones in the body are regulated on based on sleep, he says.

In fact, a study found that sleeping for around 7 hours and 18 minutes every night may be the ideal amount of time for reducing the risk of insulin resistance, which can lead to type 2 diabetes.

Another benefit is a boosted immune system, as Dr. Roland explains.

"A boosted immune system is important to fight off disease and can look at our cells and identify cancer cells," he tells me.

However, probably the most talked-about benefits is increased life expectancy.

Earlier this year, a groundbreaking study by Vitality and The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) discovered that getting at least 7 hours of sleep and going to sleep within a 1-hour window can help you live up to four years longer. This has led to a gold-standard sleep guideline: the '7:1' sleep rule.

3 sleep scores just as important as duration

While it's clear that I need to boost my average sleep duration for better long-term health, what isn't as clear is why I'm consistently achieving high sleep scores.

As it tuns out, sleep duration isn't the only sleep metric that's worth paying attention to. Here, Dr. Roland explains why sleep quality, a consistent sleep schedule, and the number of nighttime awakenings are just as important as sleep duration.

1. The quality of my sleep

After looking at my sleep tracking data, Dr. Roland says one major factor for my high sleep scores is the quality of my sleep.

"It's not just how much sleep you get, it's also the quality of your sleep," he tells me.

"You can be getting a good 8 hours of sleep, but if it's poor quality sleep, it's not the same as getting a good healthy 8 hours of sleep," Dr. Roland adds.

One of the key metrics I always pay attention to is my sleep stages (in other words, the type of sleep I'm getting throughout the night): core (light sleep), deep sleep, and REM sleep. According to Dr. Roland, these sleep stages all serve specific functions that are crucial for optimal health.

"REM sleep is really important for cognitive functioning, and deep sleep is important for the immune system," he explains. "In nights that you didn't have as high a score as others, you had a little bit less REM sleep and deep sleep and that's because those are important for health."

2. Number of nighttime awakenings

Waking up during the night is a normal part of sleep (most of the time, we have no memory of it the next day), and my sleep tracking data shows that my nighttime awakenings are minimal and last no more than a minute.

However, waking up at night can become an issue if nighttime awakenings become frequent.

"If sleep is fragmented, you're not getting the uninterrupted sleep that allows you to get the amount of REM sleep and deep sleep the way that you should," warns Dr. Roland.

3. Consistent bedtime

My sleep score is always boosted when I go to bed within a 1-hour window, and that's because a consistent sleep schedule is in line with my circadian rhythm.

"Your body is on a 24 hour cycle, and even if you're taking a long sleep period during the day, it's not quite the same as a consistent sleep period where your entire body is resting and synchronised," explains Dr. Roland.

Bottom line

After looking at my sleep data, Dr. Roland has left me some words of advice — and it turns out I'm not wired to be sleeping as little as I am after all.

"My guess is you probably need a little bit more than you're getting, so try to get to bed 15 minutes earlier for a couple of weeks, and add another 15 minutes if that's going well," he advises.

"See if you can shoot for a half hour to an hour earlier," he adds.

However, he also advises that I don't push myself by trying to extend my sleep duration too much.

"You don't wanna create a goal that's really high and then get stressed out over trying to get eight hours when you're averaging six," he warns.

As for whether six hours is enough, Dr. Roland says that for the majority of people, it's a hard "no".

"The literature really points to at least seven hours for long-term health and longevity the board-certified doctor explains. "For most people, six hours is not enough for overall health, lifespan and the body to repair itself.”

Tech that helping me get enough sleep

A new study from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and Soroka University Medical Center, published in the medical journal Sleep and Breathing, now links obstructive sleep apnea with reduced muscle quality and strength, plus an increased risk of fractures.

It's estimated that around 936 million people globally are affected by sleep apnea, with the main symptoms and effects being impaired breathing at night, leading to strong daytime fatigue. If you're waking up exhausted and feeling weak when working out, your sleep disorder might be to blame.

We spoke to board-certified neurologist Dr. Rab Nawaz Khan and physician Dr. Fabio Luis Vieira to learn more about the new study; how sleep apnea impacts your muscle health and bone quality, and, crucially, how you can reduce its impact on your muscle and bone health.

Key findings: At a glance

• The study, published in January 2026, shows an emerging link between obstructive sleep apnea and reduced muscle density. The more breathing disruptions during the night, the poorer the participant's muscle quality.
• Peak growth hormone secretion happens during deep N3 sleep. OSA 'fragments' deep sleep, so your muscles aren't getting a chance to be repaired.
• Intermittent hypoxia (low oxygen) creates systemic inflammation in the body and is a known 'muscle killer'.
• Check the Deep Sleep or Restoration metrics on your sleep tracker. While not a medical diagnosis, a consistent lack of N3 sleep is a red flag for sleep apnea.
• Those with OSA and who are aged 65+ and/or have a high BMI are typically associated with muscle depletion and bone risk.
• Make sure your sleep apnea is properly diagnosed and treated. CPAP remains the standard therapy and research suggests effective OSA treatment may help support bone health over time.
• Eat calcium and protein-rich foods to improve bone and muscle health. Eating enough protein could help you get 18 minutes more sleep a night.
• A recent study found that a daily walk can reduce sleep apnea risk by 10%.

About the obstructive sleep apnea and muscle health study

The study, published in January 2026, looked at a possible link between sleep disorders and muscle health. Specifically, it assessed how Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) impacts muscle health and bone health.

209 participants were screened with a polysomnography sleep study to diagnose the presence and severity of their obstructive sleep apnea.

Using the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), participants were defined as having OSA if they partially or completely stopped breathing 10 times or more per hour of sleep (134 participants did).

If breathing disruptions were fewer than 10 per hour, they were joined the comparison group.

Computed tomography (CT) imaging was used to assess muscle characteristics.

The researchers looked at two key metrics. The first was skeletal muscle density, which measures the quality and compactness of muscle tissue, specifically representing the amount of lean muscle tissue relative to fat infiltration within the muscle.

The second metric was skeletal muscle index, which measures an individual's skeletal muscle mass relative to their height.

They then examined how these muscle traits correlated with OSA severity, oxygen levels, age, and Body Mass Index (BMI).

The results indicated that:

• Obstructive sleep apnea is associated with lower skeletal muscle density.
• The more breathing disruptions recorded (higher AHI), the lower skeletal muscle density observed. Muscle quality also correlated negatively with BMI and age.
• Ultimately, while the study indicates people with sleep apnea have low muscle quality, high BMI and old age can lead to sleep apnea.
• Therefore, these factors could also cause low muscle quality, rather than sleep apnea itself causing it.

How obstructive sleep apnea affects muscle health

The new research adds to a growing body of research associating sleep apnea with poor muscle health.

For example, Dr. Fabio Luis Vieira, a board-certified physician, points to a 2021 Brazilian study of nearly 8,000 people aged 50 years and older that found people at high risk of obstructive sleep apenea were more than twice as likely to have low muscle mass.

But what causes this muscle loss?

There are two mechanisms that contribute to adverse musculoskeletal changes in sleep apnea patients, agree the doctors: chronic intermittent hypoxia (a condition where body tissues do not receive enough oxygen), and sleep fragmentation.

Let's look at them in turn now...

Oxygen deprivation

Without adequate oxygen, muscles do not function.

Dr. Vieira explains: "Every time breathing stops during sleep, the body is deprived of oxygen — and that deprivation, repeated hundreds of times a night, appears to trigger a slow but steady breakdown of muscle tissue."

"Repeated oxygen drops can also trigger metabolic acidosis, which dissolves bone mineral directly, inhibits mineralization, and suppresses the collagen synthesis that both muscle and bone depend on for structural integrity."

Sleep deprivation

The sleep deprivation caused by sleep apnea also impacts muscles. Nighttime breathing disruptions also disturb your sleep cycles, resulting in low quality, broken sleep.

Alongside increasing the levels of stress and inflammation in your body, frequent nighttime awakenings prevent your body from entering restorative deep sleep stages where muscles rebuild and grow.

As Dr. Vieira explains: "The hormones the body normally releases during deep sleep — especially growth hormone, which is essential for muscle repair — never get a chance to do their job."

"Chronic sleep disruption also quietly raises inflammation throughout the body. Research shows that this low-grade inflammatory state accounts for roughly a third of sleep apnea's effect on muscle loss," he adds.

This means, Dr. Khan reminds us, that "from a neurologic and whole-body perspective, OSA is not just snoring plus tiredness. It is a repeated overnight physiologic stressor."

Sleep apnea and bone health

It's not just your muscles at risk, says Dr. Vieira, "sleep apnea may be hollowing out your bones, too." And the science checks out.

Two major meta-analysis — one published in 2022 and the other in 2024, together covering more than 270,000 people — found that individuals with sleep apnea are roughly twice as likely to develop osteoporosis as those without it. And the worse the sleep apnea, the worse the bone damage.

That's because "each apnea event plunges the body into a brief state of low oxygen," which stimulates the cells that break down bone, while blocking the cells that build bone, explains the doctor.

What's more, a 2025 case-control study found patients with OSA had a 12% higher incidence of vertebral fractures than healthy controls, indicating poorer bone health.

Said fractures do not bode well with getting quality sleep, indicates the research. The OSA patients with a fracture had a higher wake time after falling asleep, spent more time in light sleep and less time in deep sleep than OSA patients without a fracture.

Who is most at risk of the physical effects of sleep apnea

Sleep apnea can affect anyone, but the physical toll on muscles is heightened in certain individuals.

People aged 65 and over who have OSA are typically associated with muscle depletion and bone risk.

Dr. Khan says: "Older adults are the group I would watch most closely, especially those with obesity, low physical reserve, frailty, or other metabolic risk factors."

That said, there is now evidence to suggest those in the 18 to 39 age bracket are not exempt from risk. Research has linked OSA to early-onset sacropenia (age-related loss of muscle mass) in the United States.

Additionally, people of any age with obesity face an increased risk.

How to mange sleep apnea and improve muscle health

Now that we know the dangers, how can people with obstructive sleep apnea protect their muscle and bone health? Here's what doctors recommend...

1. Seek a diagnosis and treatment

"The most practical step is to make sure the sleep apnea itself is properly diagnosed and treated," advises Dr. Khan, "because CPAP remains the standard therapy and newer research suggests effective OSA treatment may help support bone health over time."

From the gold-standard CPAP machines to mouth guards, medicine, surgery, and laser treatments, there are now plenty of sleep apnea treatment options available. It's just about finding the right one for you.

2. Get regular exercise

Lifestyle changes are also critical to managing OSA and the muscle and bone damage that can come with it.

Dr. Khan says: "I would also strongly emphasize regular exercise, especially a mix of aerobic activity and resistance training, because exercise can improve OSA severity, physical function, and muscle strength."

If hitting the gym isn't practical for you, a recent study found movement as gentle as a daily walk can reduce sleep apnea by 10%.

3. Eat a nutritious diet

Beyond medical intervention and exercise, Dr. Khan advises people pay attention to "weight management, adequate protein intake, and bone-health basics such as getting enough calcium and Vitamin D."

With obesity being a major cause of airway blockages, eating well and maintaining a healthy weight is crucial to reducing fatty issue around the throat and managing OSA.

Eating plenty of calcium-loaded foods like milk and yoghurt, and protein-rich meals will ensure your bones and muscles retain all the strength they can.

And your sleep will thank you for it as well, considering there is science suggesting you can get 18 minutes more sleep a night by eating adequate protein.

As someone who writes about sleep for a living, I thought I was doing everything right to sleep through the night: consistent sleep schedule, no caffeine after midday, and a calming nighttime routine. So when I started waking up around 2 a.m. night after night, I was baffled.

Why was my sleep suddenly being sabotaged? After combing through my routine for the culprit, I realized that a supposedly 'healthy' bedtime habit could be the cause of my middle-of-the-night insomnia: my sleepy tea.

I reached out to sleep specialist Dr Shelby Harris to find out why, and to learn about the '10-3-2-1-0' rule she recommends for boosting your chances of sleeping through the night instead...

Key take-aways: At a glance

• My bedtime habit: I was drinking sleepy tea every evening. It was causing me to wake up around 2 a.m. and even though I wasn't desperate to use the bathroom, once awake I couldn't go back to sleep until I did use it.
• The temperature trap: Drinking hot liquids too close to bed can raise your core temperature. This can keep you in a lighter state of sleep for longer, where you're more likely to wake up.
• Bladder irritants: Peppermint and some floral blends can irritate your bladder, making your 'urge to go' feel stronger.
• The 90-minute cut-off: If you can't sleep without a cup of bedtime tea, Dr Harris recommends finishing it around 60-90 minutes before sleep to reduce the chances of it waking you up in the night.
• Fluid-free ways to wind down: Try gentle stretching, reading or using a "wind-down audio program" instead of bedtime tea.
• The '10-3-2-1-0 rule': Dr Harris recommends no caffeine 10 hours before bed, no food or drink (only small sips) 3 hours before bed, no work two hours before bed, no screen time an hour before bed, and not pressing snooze on your alarm.

The 'healthy' bedtime habit that caused my insomnia

As part of my nighttime routine, I’ve been enjoying a nighttime tea with a blend of chamomile, lavender and valerian — ingredients known for their sleep-inducing qualities.

Practising the same activities in the evening can help the mind and body recognize that it’s bedtime and start winding down, so along with my evening bath, book and tidy, my cup of tea became a habit.

I found it was helping me sleep, but I reached out to Dr Harris to find out how effective a tea could be.

While the ritual of drinking something warm and caffeine-free can signal to the brain that it’s time to wind down, “it’s not inherently sleep-promoting on its own,” explains Dr Harris.

“The key is what’s in it and how your body responds to it. Herbal teas like chamomile, lemon balm, valerian root, and passionflower may have mild calming effects for some individuals, primarily by promoting relaxation rather than directly inducing sleep.”

So I think my tea habit was helping me fall asleep faster because of my calming evening routine, but why was it waking me up later that same night?

Why it was waking me up at 2am

Even though I wasn’t waking up desperate for the toilet, I always felt like I needed to use the bathroom to go back to sleep once I was awake.

“Even if a tea is caffeine-free, the fluid volume can be enough to disrupt sleep,” explains Dr Harris, adding that “this is one of the most common causes of waking up in the middle of the night.”

“Some people are also more sensitive to bladder filling during lighter sleep stages, so even a relatively small amount of liquid before bed can disturb sleep,” adds the board-certified Sleep Specialist at BetterSleep, advising to drink tea around 60-90 minutes before bed to avoid the issue.

While Dr Harris recognizes the importance of a nighttime routine, she recommends a non-fluid-based wind-down instead.

“This might include reading, gentle stretching, guided relaxation, or using a wind-down audio program,” she says.

The new '10-3-2-1-0 rule' I’m sticking to instead to sleep through the night

A sleep rule Dr Harris recommended is the 10-3-2-1-0 rule. This means:

No caffeine 10 hours before bed
No food or drink three hours before bed
No work two hours before bed
No screen time one hour before bed
And 0 times pressing the snooze button

“The 10-3-2-1-0 framework is a helpful educational tool because it simplifies healthy sleep habits,” says Dr Harris.

Since implementing this, my middle-of-the-night insomnia has stopped. I fall asleep fast and sleep through the night, without waking to use the bathroom.

It also stops me from scrolling on my phone at night, meaning keeping a regular sleep schedule (one of the most important steps for a regulated circadian rhythm) is easier.

However, despite the sleep expert saying it’s a good guide, “people should do what works best for them,” she advises. “Some people do fine with a light snack or a small amount of fluid before bed, while others are very sensitive and benefit from tighter restrictions.”

“What’s important if you’re having constant sleep disturbances is discussing potential causes with your doctor,” Dr Harris says.

I went through a period of waking up at 3 a.m. most nights and it felt nearly impossible to fall asleep again. I tried everything from breath techniques designed to calm my nervous system, to getting out of bed and 'pottering' in another room, but nothing worked.

After repeated 3 a.m. wake-ups that were draining me of energy the next day, I decided to get to the bottom of not only why I was waking up at 3.a.m, but how to fall asleep fast again in the middle of the night.

After speaking with experts, I learned that stress (oh hello, cortisol) and anxiety were behind my disrupted sleep. I also discovered a simple relaxation technique that can now help me fall asleep in two to five minutes whenever I wake up at night. Here a psychotherapist explains why it works and how.

Key take-aways: At a glance

• The 3 a.m. wake-up fix: Cognitive shuffling is a mental exercise designed by cognitive scientist Dr. Luc P. Beaudoin to stop racing or busy thoughts that keep you awake at night.
• The 'brain-flip': Cognitive shuffling flips your brain into a 'pre-sleep' state by mimicking the random imagery we experience right before drifting off, and is a science-backed way to fall asleep fast again if you wake up at 3 a.m.
• Anti-stress mode: By focusing on random images and words, you trigger your parasympathetic nervous system responsible for your 'rest and digest' state.
• A faster way to fall back asleep: Just two to five minutes of shuffling through a few letters of the alphabet should be enough to help you drift back into a state of deep rest.

How stress causes 3 a.m. wake-ups

Our sleep is primarily controlled by two main hormones: cortisol and melatonin. These help regulate our internal body clock (also known as circadian rhythm), which determines when we feel awake and when we feel sleepy.

Cortisol, the energizing hormone, is usually released at about 3 a.m. and onwards to help our bodies slowly wake to the day. Melatonin, on the other hand, is released in response to darkness, so is usually released in the evening to help us fall asleep at the right time.

However, cortisol is also a stress hormone. This means that if you experience high levels of stress and anxiety, your cortisol levels are likely to be higher throughout the night. So, when more cortisol is released at about 3 a.m., it’s enough to wake you up abruptly.

This is called the cortisol awakening response (CAR). And it often goes hand-in-hand with a fast heart and racing thoughts, making it difficult to fall back asleep.

Juggling studies, full-time work and two new kittens, this seemed like the culprit behind my disrupted sleep schedule.

While I needed to work at relaxing during the day and implementing a stress-reducing nighttime routine, I also needed an effective short-term technique to make sure I could fall back asleep in the middle of the night.

The technique I used to fall back asleep fast at 3 a.m

What is ‘cognitive shuffling’?

When I learnt about ‘cognitive shuffling,’ a technique developed by Canadian cognitive scientist Dr. Luc P. Beaudoin, I was surprised at its simplicity.

“Cognitive shuffling is a technique where you deliberately think about random, unrelated things, like a lamp, a banana and a car in quick succession,” explains Amy Morin, a Psychotherapist and author of The Mental Strength Playbook.

“The idea is to mimic the kind of loose thinking your brain naturally does as it drifts toward sleep,” she adds.

This essentially ‘tricks’ your brain into sleep mode, “giving it meaningless content to process instead of worrying about the problems that keep you awake,” Morin explains.

How to try ‘cognitive shuffling’

Sometimes, the pressure of thinking of random objects that aren’t connected can actually make your brain work too hard and wake you up.

So a good way to practise cognitive shuffling is to think of a word and then think of objects beginning with each letter of that word.

For example:

Mall, manatee, mug, map…

Ant, apple, attic…

Top, tail, tick…

Trainers, tickle, table…

Rain, rabbit, ruby…

Eggs, elephant, ears…

Sausage, socks, seat…

Switch, store, scissors…

As you can imagine, you don’t need any fancy equipment or lots of focus. It’s quick, free and simple – and surprisingly effective.

My experience of falling back asleep fast at 3 a.m.

With low expectations, I tried this method after lying awake for 20 minutes in the early hours. I closed my eyes and thought of the word ‘sleep’, visualizing random objects that started with each letter of the word.

Initially, my brain started connecting the images, rationalizing them and giving them reason and logic.

But when this happened, I simply stopped and started again. Soon, my thoughts weren’t making any sense, and I drifted back to sleep, calm and anxiety-free.

I was shocked at how effective it was, and when I implemented it again the next night, I fell back asleep in under five minutes.

I also found it was the perfect solution for distracting my anxious brain. Breathing methods gave me too much time to think and become more stressed, whereas this kept my brain away from stressful to-do lists.

And the more you practise, the easier it gets — so now cognitive shuffling is my go-to fall asleep fast method.

More tips to fall asleep quickly again at 3 am

If cognitive shuffling isn’t for you, there are some effective alternative methods I’ve tried. These are the top three:

1. Use an eyemask and earplugs: To stop your brain from becoming too stimulated and switching on, an eyemask and earplugs can keep external stimuli away, helping you drift off in silence and darkness. It also stops you from looking at the clock — a classic stress-inducer.
2. Try slow breathing: Rather than focusing on complicated breathing techniques that usually make me feel more anxious, I just try to slow my breathing down. I don’t restrict myself or count my breaths, but just ensure I’m taking deep, slow breaths. This is usually enough to stimulate my parasympathetic nervous system (for rest and digest) rather than my sympathetic (for fight or flight).
3. Listen to a podcast: Sometimes, if the anxiety is too much for any other method, distracting my brain by listening to a quiet podcast I’ve listened to before can help. It distracts my brain enough from my stressful thoughts, but not enough to actually stimulate me and keep me awake. A calming voice is always a bonus!

For over a year now, I've been going for a pre-work stroll every morning to lift my brain fog and boost my energy levels. This morning habit is now an essential part of my day, and I often find myself yawing and feeling groggy whenever I skip it.

But why does a 15-minute morning walk around the block make such a difference to my energy levels? To find out, I asked four doctors why stepping outside after waking up helps me start my day refreshed.

The experts explained there are science-backed advantages to adding a walk to your morning routine, and gave me tips to maximize these benefits. Below, I'll share their advice plus some of the ways I increase my energy levels when I don't have time to go outdoors.

Key takeaways

• Research has proven that getting 15 minutes of sunlight exposure within an hour of waking up every morning can increase energy levels and reduce brain fog.
• You can also increase morning energy levels by hydrating as soon as you wake up, eating a protein-rich breakfast, and avoiding phone activity within 15 minutes of waking up.
• For those who don't have easy access to morning sunlight, try light therapy lamps, blue light glasses and sunrise alarm clocks.

• Read more: I kept waking up exhausted until a NASA scientist shared her $0 lab-tested tip for beating morning grogginess — here’s how it works

My 15-minute morning habit for boosting energy

I work from home three days a week, and while the arrangements has its perks, it does mean my 15-minute walk to the office is eliminated.

While opening my curtains to get some natural light does brighten up my workspace, on my home working days I'd often find myself yawning and reaching for the instant coffee.

So, to make sure that I didn't go eight hours without getting a dose of fresh air, I decided to pencil in a pre-work walk every morning. Lasting just 15 minutes, this was an easy activity to turn into a habit as I live in a walkable city with plenty of parks to stroll in and coffee shops to frequent.

After a year of this healthy habit, I always feel an invigorating boost post-walk — and a groggy slump when I have to miss it. I even credit the morning habit for helping me sleep through the night.

How does the 15 minute sunlight rule boost energy and reduce brain fog?

So, my 15-minute morning walk helps to wake me up and sleep through the night, but why? There's one important component of an outdoor walk that holds the key to boosted energy: sunlight.

A 2026 study by the University of Manchester found that higher daytime light exposure decreases brain fog and increases the ability to maintain focus and attention, with up to 10% faster reaction speeds under bright light compared to dim conditions.

In fact, extensive research shows that our circadian rhythm pretty much relies on light to know that it's daytime, as sunlight increases the production of energy-boosting hormone cortisol.

And while artificial light has been seen to increase alertness, science has proven that natural morning light is a much stronger environmental signal for boosting alertness than indoor lighting.

Dr. Eleni Nicolaou a clinical psychologist and creative wellness expert at Davincified, explains that morning sunlight stimulates two biological functions that transition the body from its sleep state into its alert state.

"The first is the suppression of melatonin, the hormone that your brain secretes during the night to make you feel sleepy," the wellness expert tells me.

Dr. Nicolaou explains that when morning light hits our eyes, it sends a signal to the brain to stop the production of melatonin.

"Most people wake up with melatonin still in their system, which is why the first hour after waking often feels foggy and slow — nothing clears that up much faster than sunlight," she explains.

The second function stimulated by sunlight is the production of cortisol, which is shown to increase blood sugar levels slightly and has been found to enhance concentration and prepare the body for physical and mental activity.

"At the same time melatonin drops, morning light triggers what researchers call the cortisol awakening response," says Dr. Nicolaou.

"Cortisol has a bad reputation as a stress hormone, but in the morning, its role is to energize you," she adds.

How to use the 15-minute sunlight rule: Key considerations

Timing is crucial

'Get 15 minutes of sunlight every morning', as a rule, is pretty broad. Morning can be anything from 5 a.m. to 11 a.m, which means you might wake up at 7 a.m., head out at noon, and feel happy you've hit the brief.

So, what time should you go out to catch some energy-boosting rays? Well, it all depends on your wake-up time.

"The sweet spot based on the circadian literature is within the first hour of waking, ideally within the first 30 minutes, explains Dr. Tracy Collins, a clinical psychologist at Mentalyc.

Dr. Collins notes this 30-60 minute rule is based on how your circadian clock is most sensitive to light input during this early window.

"Waiting until 11 a.m. still has some benefit but you've missed the period where your system is actively looking for that timing signal," she clarifies.

The glass filter

As explained above, sunlight is an important biological wake-up call. However, you can't get your sunlight fix by sitting near a window. Even on a cloudy day, it's best to head outside.

"Even overcast skies provide somewhere around 10,000 lux of light, which is significantly more than indoor lighting which typically sits around 200 to 500 lux," says Dr. Collins.

The psychologist explains windows provide a 'glass filter', with studies finding that the vitamin D-triggering UVB radiation is blocked by window glass.

"So a cloudy day outside is still roughly 20 times brighter than sitting next to a window inside," she says.

"On really grey days I'd suggest bumping it to 20 or 25 minutes to compensate, but you're still getting a meaningful dose," advises Dr. Collins.

Walk anywhere

When I say walk', I don't mean a ramble through the forest or taking a nature hike. You can get your 15-minute sun exposure from walking to the store, taking a stroll around your block, or even stopping to chat to a neighbor.

"10 minutes of movement, doesn't have to be a workout, even a walk around the block counts," says Dr. Collins.

How much energy can you get from 15 minutes of sunlight?

While it's clear by now that sunlight can increase your energy, it's trickier to pinpoint the amount of energy it can boost. So, lets compare gaining energy to charging a phone battery.

"If we're using the phone battery metaphor, I'd say morning sunlight takes you from whatever your baseline is and adds roughly 15 to 20 percent," says Dr. Collins.

"So if you woke up at 50% because you slept poorly, you're now at 65 to 70," elaborates the psychologist.

She also clarifies that, while sunlight's not going to "fully charge you" on its own, it's one of the highest return investments you can make for how little effort it requires.

"Nothing else that takes 15 minutes and zero equipment comes close," she says.

3 other ways to naturally boost your energy

While sunlight is a great way to feel more alert each morning, it's a good idea to pair it with other energy-increasing activities. Here are three other things I do each morning to wake me up:

1. Eat a protein-rich breakfast

First of all, I don't skip the most important meal of the day.

Studies have shown how missing breakfast can significantly reduce energy levels and a bring about cases of brain fog.

Dr. Nerina Ramlakhan, a neurophysiologist and sleep expert at Oak Tree Mobility, advises grabbing a protein-rich breakfast instead.

"Try to include a good source of protein such as nut butter, full fat Greek yoghurt or eggs, as these will help to maintain your blood sugar levels and keep you more energized throughout the day," says Dr. Nerina.

2. Skip the morning doomscroll

I can admit that I'm often tempted to start my day with a scroll, but not only is doing this a time suck, but studies also show it's a huge energy drain.

Instead, phycologists like Dr. Collins advise avoiding your phone for the first 15 minutes of your day.

"The reactive mode that email and social media put you in first thing is an energy drain that people massively underestimate," she warns.

3. Hydrate before your morning coffee

While I confess that I sometimes like to supplement my walk with a cup of joe, I never ever drink it before heading out or before enjoying half a bottle of water.

According to research, hydrating helps to make you feel more focused and alert, so save your java for after your hydro boost.

"We tend to lose fluids overnight through our breathing and sweating which can contribute to dehydration if you aren’t drinking enough water," warns Dr. Jody-Ann McLean, a physician and medical writer at This Is Menopause .

"Hydrate with a glass of water when you wake up," she advises.

The best sunlight tech if you can’t get outside each morning

Whether you're a shift worker or just don't have the chance to catch some rays in the morning, here are some other ways you can get your morning sunlight exposure.

1. Light therapy lamp (10,000 lux)

While indoor lighting may not be the best for staying alert, there is an exception: a light therapy lamp.

There is plenty of research supporting the positive impact of light therapy lamps on reaction times and attention, even when used in a dim indoor environment.

"The best time to use bright light therapy is every morning within thirty to sixty minutes of waking up," says Dr David Danish, a Double Board-Certified Psychiatrist.

"If your light box delivers 10,000 lux, aim for twenty to thirty minutes per session," he adds.

2. Blue light glasses

While I've touched on what a massive energy drain morning phone activity can be, they can emit something that can helps us feel more energized: blue light.

You can boost morning energy by wearing glasses designed to emit blue-enriched white light that suppresses melatonin, with studies finding that sleepiness was reduced in workers who wore these blue-enriched light glasses.

3. Sunrise alarm clock

Read my Lumie Bodyclock Luxe 700FM sunrise alarm clock review and you'll find out why I think the best sunrise alarm clocks are worth it if you want to eliminate morning grogginess.

In fact, sunrise alarms, which simulate a sunrise, work by mimicking a sunrise, have been shown to increase cortisol for a morning energy boost.

After three years of writing about sleep, I've finally been swept up by the magnesium craze and its promise of promoting deep sleep. But does it have the edge over sleep-enhancing glycine?

Magnesium surged in popularity thanks to the viral sleepy girl mocktail, and I use magnesium patches and gummies every night in an attempt to boost my deep sleep. However, after examining the ingredients label, I found my gummies also use glycine to "support relaxation".

So which supplement is actually best for deep sleep? To find out, I asked two board-certified doctors for the lowdown on glycine versus magnesium. Here's which one they recommend for improving deep sleep, and how to take each supplement...

Key takeaways: Glycine vs magnesium at a glance

• Magnesium and glycine are supplements that have been shown to improve sleep quality and sleep onset latency.
• There is stronger evidence that magnesium can increase time spent in deep sleep, but results vary depending on your body’s pre-existing magnesium levels.
• While there is a lack of objective evidence to suggest glycine can specifically increase deep sleep, it may be more helpful than magnesium for falling asleep faster and reducing morning grogginess.
• To improve your sleep quality, take magnesium and glycine an hour before bedtime. Magnesium can be taken with food to reduce digestion issues, while glycine is more efficient when taken in powder form and mixed with water.

How does glycine improve sleep?

The gummies I take in the evening are designed to promote relaxation and "promote a balanced sense of well-being". Their key ingredient? Glycine. But what is glycine and can it actually help you sleep?

"Glycine is an amino acid, a building block of protein that also acts on the brain," explains Dr. Sarah Jamison, a board-certified doctor and Health Expert on the Vitamin Shoppe’s Wellness Council.

Dr. Raj Dasgupta, a board-certified doctor, also points out that glycine's effects on the body have been shown to improve subjective sleep quality and "next-day alertness".

"It is used for sleep because it may promote a drop in core body temperature and support a calmer state in the central nervous system, both of which are favorable for sleep onset," he explains.

• I kept waking up at 3 a.m. so I tried reishi and lion's mane adaptogens for 30 days — here’s what happened to my sleep score

How does magnesium improve sleep?

Magnesium is a popular sleep aid, and I've been using magnesium supplements every night in the form of gummies and sleep patches.

According to both Dr Jamison and Dr Dasgupta, the use of magnesium to promote sleep is well founded and science backed.

"Magnesium is an essential mineral that helps regulate the chemicals our brain naturally produces to help us sleep," explains Dr Jamison.

"It’s used because studies link higher magnesium levels with better sleep quality, longer duration, and faster sleep onset," she adds.

Dr. Dasgupta also highlights the role of magnesium in stress regulation, with a 2020 review finding that magnesium stabilizes our nervous systems.

"People use it for sleep because it has a calming effect on the nervous system and may help reduce physical tension and nighttime awakenings," he tells me.

Magnesium vs glycine: Which is better for deep sleep?

Before we explore the pros and cons of glycine versus magnesium, it's important to note that more research needs to be conducted on the effects both have on deep sleep.

"Neither supplement reliably and strongly increases slow-wave sleep in a clinically dramatic way," warns Dr. Dasgupta.

However, glycine and magnesium do show promise in promoting deep sleep. Here's a breakdown of their respective pros and cons...

Glycine: Pros and cons

While he acknowledges that evidence is "very limited", Dr Raj Dasgupta argues that glycine has a "small edge" based on current data.

"Glycine has slightly more direct support for improving sleep quality and sleep onset, with some studies suggesting modest improvements in perceived sleep depth," he says.

Meanwhile, Dr Jamison says that, while glycine hasn’t objectively been shown to increase deep sleep specifically, it does helps with falling asleep and overall sleep quality.

"If your issue is falling asleep or feeling groggy the next day, glycine might be more helpful," she advises.

Magnesium: Pros and cons

Magnesium is a clear winner for Dr Jamison, who says that magnesium has "the edge" if the goal is achieving deeper sleep.

"If we’re talking specifically about deep sleep, magnesium actually has better evidence showing it can increase deep sleep time and improve sleep quality."

On the other hand, Dr Dasgupta says that, while magnesium have been proven to improve sleep indirectly in those who have a magnesium deficiency, research has shown that it won't supercharge the sleep of those who already have enough magnesium.

"In patients who are deficient, correcting magnesium levels can noticeably improve sleep quality, but effects in people with normal levels are usually more subtle."

• Read more: I fell back asleep fast at 3 a.m. using a brain researcher’s 5-minute trick — here’s why

How to take magnesium for sleep

While I take magnesium in the form of gummies and patches, those are far from magnesium's only forms.

Magnesium is available in plenty of formulations: tablets, capsules, powders, topical solutions, sprays, and even hot chocolate.

However, Dr Dasgupta pints out that choosing the type of magnesium is more important than the dosage form.

Magensium supplements come in three main types: magnesium glycinate, citrate, oxide, and threonate.

"For sleep, magnesium glycinate is usually preferred because it is better absorbed and tends to be gentler on the stomach, while citrate can also help but is more likely to cause a laxative effect," he warns.

As for the timing of taking magnesium, Dr Dasgupta recommends taking it in the evening with a snack (as "people tolerate it best" when it's with food) or at bedtime.

Dr Jamison agrees with the latter time. "If being used for sleep, the recommended timing is typically one hour before bed," she suggests.

With dosing, Dr. Jamison strongly recommends speaking to a healthcare professional before taking magnesium.

"It’s best to speak to your doctor to know exactly what dosing is correct for you, especially because dosing for magnesium can vary," she tells me.

How to take glycine for sleep

While glycine also comes in many modes, including powders, capsules, and the gummies that I'm using, Dr Dasgupta says you should choose a form based on the efficiency of its dosage.

"Glycine is most commonly available as a powder or capsule, but powder is usually preferred because effective sleep doses are relatively high," he says.

"Capsules are more convenient but often require several pills to reach an effective dose," he adds.

However, Dr. Jamison also points out that the right dosage and form can vary from individual to individual, even if the recommended dose for a healthy adult is around 3g of glycine

"Since everyone has their own unique medical history and needs, it’s best to speak to your healthcare provider regarding the mode and dose that is best for you," she advises.

Meanwhile, both doctors agree that it's best to take glycine at a maximum of an hour before bedtime for best results.

"It is usually taken about 30 to 60 minutes before bed and mixed with water," recommends Dr Dasgupta.

So, whichever one I choose as my nightstand staple, both magnesium and glycine seem to be great additions to my nighttime routine either way.

I've been wearing my new Apple Watch to bed for a week now, and I must say I'm impressed. From accurately tracking my sleep stages to giving me gentle nudges to start winding down, the Apple Watch has helped me understand my sleep while showing me key ways to improve it.

Still, as with every time I try out one of the best sleep trackers, I feel there are modes and settings that I'm completely oblivious to — and it could be standing in my way of seeing lab-accurate results.

So, to find out, I've called on Dr. Audrey Wells, Chief Medical Officer at SLIIIP.com and Dr. Joshua Roland, Medical Director at Dreem Health, to give me some helpful pointers. Here, the two board-certified sleep doctors reveal the five Apple Watch settings that increase the accuracy of my sleep tracking.

Key takeaways: At a glance

• The Apple Watch can track your sleep duration and sleep stages, but there are key hidden settings that need to be activated for more accurate results.
• Activating Wrist Detection and Sleep Focus are vital for accurate results, as they allow your Apple Watch to know when you're wearing your device and are intending to sleep.
• Other settings, such as Wrist Temperature and Sleep Apnea notifications, can give you invaluable insights into your health, such as sleep disorders, medical conditions, or illness.
• While research shows that consumer sleep-tracking wearables are improving in accuracy and can give you useful data on your sleep duration and patterns, board-certified sleep physician Dr Wells notes that an Apple Watch won't give you data as accurate as a clinical sleep study's data.

The 5 vital Apple Watch settings for accurate sleep data

1. Sleep Focus

Let's begin with one of the most important Apple Watch settings for your sleep: Sleep Focus mode. In fact, it was the first setting I learned about when I set up my Apple Watch, and while it prepares you for rest by reducing distracting notifications, it's also needed for accurate tracking.

"Sleep Focus mode signals to the watch that you’re intending to sleep, and this allows it to more accurately detect when you fall asleep and stay asleep, rather than misinterpreting late-night phone use or movement as wakefulness," says Dr. Roland, a board-certified sleep medicine physician.

"Without it, the watch may confuse quiet rest, like lying in bed scrolling your phone, with sleep," agrees board-certified sleep medicine physician Dr Wells.

• Read more: Experts explain why your Apple Watch tracks your wrist temperature during sleep — 5 key things it can tell you

2. Wrist detection 

Wrist Detection is another important one as it lets the Apple Watch know you're wearing it and, according to Dr Roland, it's "essentially what allows all the sensors to function properly" when you're wearing the watch to bed.

"Without it, the watch can’t reliably track movement, heart rate, or sleep stages, which means your sleep data may be incomplete or inaccurate," the sleep expert warns.

Dr Wells also agrees that Wrist Detection needs to be on so the Apple Watch can track the "main signals" it uses for sleep. The doctor also reminded me of another essential thing you should do that's outside your Apple Watch settings: wear the Watch correctly.

"If it's too loose or not positioned correctly, the device can’t reliably track movement even with Wrist Detection," she reminds me.

3. Sleep apnea notifications

Okay, so the Sleep Apnea notifications tool is the one setting that I actually can't activate as, according to Apple Support, it's only available on the Apple Watch Series 9 or later, the Apple Watch Ultra 2, or Apple Watch SE 3.

However, sleep tech writer Eve Davies swears it's an essential hidden Apple Watch sleep tracking feature if you or your partner are prone to snoring.

This sleep apnea tool flags potential breathing disturbances during sleep, which Dr Roland emphasizes is important, as you probably don't notice these disturbances yourself.

"Sleep apnea often goes undiagnosed, but it can seriously impact sleep quality and overall health," he explains.

"Having a tool that monitors for irregular breathing patterns can prompt you to seek medical evaluation if something seems off," he adds.

4. Wrist temperature

One of the health metrics (or vitals, as Apple calls them) I was eager to see was the Wrist Temperature measurement. Dr. Roland told me the Wrist Temperature setting was important for assessing my "body's overnight physiology".

"Changes in skin temperature while you sleep can reflect things like illness, hormonal shifts, including menstrual cycle phases, or recovery status," notes the physician.

I was a little disappointed to wake up after the first couple of night and seeing no Wrist Temperature data, but Dr Wells assures me this was normal.

"Wrist temperature doesn’t measure sleep quality or diagnose sleep problems, so think of it as a trend over time, not a single-night insight," she tells me.

Dr Wells says that, as wrist temperature can give you helpful context about you nocturnal patterns (including changes to your overall health and circadian rhythm), "it may be worth paying attention if you notice consistent changes."

5. Charging reminders 

Charging Reminders are a setting you may not even associate with sleep tracking, but it's important for accuracy because, as Dr Wells puts it, "If your watch runs out of battery overnight, you won’t get sleep data."

"The real value of wearables comes from consistent trends over time, not one or two nights of data," says the sleep expert. "So charging reminders help you build that consistency so you get to know your own patterns and the information is actually useful."

3 things my Apple Watch data has revealed about my sleep

1. My average sleep duration is way less than the recommended 7-9 hours

The main draw of the Apple Watch's sleep tracking is seeing how much sleep you managed to get each night, along with amount of time you spent in each sleep stage.

After I started building enough sleep data, the Health app gave me overview of how much sleep I get on average. Today's weekly average? 6 hours and 11 minutes.

Now, some people may be tugging on my neck collar, wondering how on earth I can function on so little sleep. After all, the recommended sleep duration for adults is seven to nine hours. But...

2. ...but my high sleep scores say it's not a huge problem

...I'm scoring pretty high sleep scores on less than seven hours of sleep. Apple Watch sleep scores are basically marks out of 100, categorised into four scoring groups: very low, low, high, and very high. On average, I'm achieving a 'high' score — sometimes even in the 90s.

Of course, your sleep score isn't only calculated on duration. It also takes into account your sleep regularity (for example, going to bed within the same window every night) and how many times you experience nighttime awakenings.

3. Health metrics rule out any sleep disorder

As I mentioned above, there are some tools I can't access (most importantly the Sleep Apnea Notifications), but I still get to see important health metrics on the Vitals app, an Apple Watch app that gives me a daily snapshot of key measurements.

These include respiratory and heart rates and blood oxygen levels, which can provide data used to suggest sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, dehydration, or overconsumption of caffeine or alcohol.

Luckily, my health metrics indicate that I'm not experiencing any sleep disorders, but I know that if I spot any changes outside my typical range, I can use these patterns to identify any problems.

Is Apple watch sleep tracking accurate?

If you're wondering how to make your sleep tracking more accurate, you're probably also questioning how accurate an Apple Watch's sleep trackers are (or how accurate wearable sleep trackers are in general).

Luckily, a study has proven the value of consumer sleep-tracking devices, concluding that at-home trackers have a similar accuracy to research-grade actigraphy when estimating total sleep duration.

Other research even predicts that consumer wearables will "likely provide sleep information on par with actigraphy."

But are we there yet? According to Dr Wells, not quite. "The data should be viewed as an approximation of sleep patterns, not a precise measurement of sleep stages or quality," says the sleep expert.

"Remember that the Apple Watch is estimating sleep based on patterns, not directly measuring brain activity like a clinical sleep study would," she adds.