Sleep Better Naturally at Night: 5 Science-Backed Tips

Achieving optimal sleep is something many of us strive for yet regularly fail to accomplish. However, even when life's demands prevent you from getting as much sleep as you'd like to, there are still a number of things you can do to maximize the quality of your time in bed. Below are five science-backed strategies to help you improve the effectiveness of your sleep—from maintaining a consistent schedule to optimizing your environment and understanding how your daily behaviors shape your nights.

Maintain your circadian rhythm with sleep consistency

Your circadian rhythm is a 24-hour internal clock which regulates various cycles your body goes through, most significantly when you fall asleep and wake up. You can help keep your circadian rhythm aligned and allow your body to function more smoothly by going to sleep and getting up at similar times each day—we refer to this as sleep consistency.

A WHOOP data study of 38,838 healthy adults found that improved sleep consistency was linked to gains in cardiorespiratory fitness and parasympathetic activity. The WHOOP app tracks your sleep consistency on a nightly basis, providing insights into how regular your sleep patterns are.

Our Sleep Planner feature incorporates your natural circadian rhythm and sleep consistency metrics to suggest ideal times for you to go to bed and wake up each day. Feature availability may depend on your membership plan. Learn More: How Much Sleep Do YOU Need? The WHOOP Sleep Planner Has the Answer

Good sleep starts with your daytime behaviors

In order to sleep well at night, it's important to make smart choices during the day. Here are the key behaviors to focus on:

Be active - Studies show that exercise and other physical exertion may enable you to feel more tired when your body is ready to sleep.

Drink water - To support better sleep, it's important to stay hydrated throughout the day. However, avoid drinking large amounts of water right before bed, which can lead to waking up to use the bathroom.

Avoid afternoon caffeine - Many people realize that an after-dinner coffee will keep them up at night, but the sleep-inhibiting effects of caffeine can actually linger in your system for 4 hours or more.

Don't eat close to bed time - Your body wants to be in as restful a state as possible when its sleeping, and digesting food is a very active process.

Learn More: Sleeping Tips from the 100 Best Sleepers on WHOOP

Lock in your pre-bed routine

The human body generally functions better when it is able to stick to routines. Following a consistent bedtime ritual creates a distinct moment of separation between day and night and lets your body anticipate the onset of sleep. Beyond the standard things like brushing your teeth and putting on pajamas, here are several sleep-promoting activities to think about including in your bedtime routine:

• Yoga or stretching
• Meditation or mindful breathing
• Listen to relaxing music
• Hot bath or shower (facilitates your body temperature dropping, part of falling asleep)
• Blue light blocking glasses up to 3 hours before going to sleep
• Reading or journaling (the old-fashioned way)
• Don't use a screened device in bed

Learn More: 28 Simple Techniques to Fall Asleep Fast

Create the perfect environment for optimal sleep

Making your bedroom as conducive to sleeping as possible will do wonders for getting a good night's sleep. The more of these suggestions you can implement, the better.

Get comfortable - You want a mattress, pillow and sheets that you really like. You'll fall asleep faster with warm feet as well, so wear socks to bed.

Total darkness - Either wear a sleep mask, or eliminate all the light in your room with blackout curtains and by covering any LEDs. Part of this is getting rid of your clock, for the light it emits and also because stress from watching it will keep you awake.

Cool temperature - Ideally 68 degrees or less, so you can experience that cozy feeling of getting into bed and cuddling under a warm blanket. Being hot and sweaty is also terrible for sleep.

No noise - Ear plugs do the trick. And if eliminating all noise isn't a viable option, try a soft white-noise sound machine.

Learn More: The Optimal Sleep Playbook

Supplements that can support good sleep

Melatonin is a hormone naturally produced by your body that aids in regulating your circadian rhythm. Your brain generally releases more of it when it gets dark in an effort to tell your body that it's time to go to sleep. Many people take supplements of melatonin to assist the process of falling asleep and prevent insomnia (combatting jet lag and shift work sleep disorder are common examples).

As noted on our podcast by VP of Data Science and Research Emily Capodilupo, while melatonin can help you get to sleep initially, it won't help you stay asleep. Another sleep supplement that is widely gaining popularity is CBD oil.

An analysis of WHOOP member data found that logging CBD use in the WHOOP Journal was correlated with mild improvements in multiple sleep metrics. The journal feature allows you to track how any number of behaviors may affect your sleep and other metrics, with Impacts that offer a detailed breakdown of your results. Learn More: Does Magnesium Before Bed Improve Your Sleep?

Understand your sleep to improve it

Improving your sleep is a continuous process of making small, consistent changes and seeing how your body responds. While these tips provide a strong foundation, the key to unlocking better sleep is understanding your own physiology. By monitoring how these behaviors affect your Sleep, Recovery, and Stress, you can build a personalized routine that works for you.

Frequently asked questions about natural sleep

What is the 10-3-2-1-0 rule for sleep?

The 10-3-2-1-0 rule is a simple guideline to time your daily activities for better sleep. It stands for: 10 hours before bed, no more caffeine; 3 hours before bed, finish large meals and drinking alcohol; 2 hours before bed, stop working; 1 hour before bed, no more screen time; and 0 is the number of times you hit the snooze button in the morning.

What are the best natural sleep aids?

While behavioral changes are most effective, some people find support from natural aids. Melatonin can help regulate your sleep-wake cycle, particularly for jet lag. Other supplements like magnesium and valerian root are also used by some to promote relaxation.

The WHOOP Journal can help you track these and see if they have a measurable impact on your personal sleep data.

Why can't I fall asleep even when I'm tired?

This is often due to being 'tired but wired.' It can be caused by high stress levels, a racing mind, or exposure to blue light from screens before bed. Your body may be physically fatigued, but your mind is too alert to switch off.

Practicing a relaxing pre-bed routine, like meditation or reading a physical book, can help calm your nervous system and prepare your mind for sleep.