Sleep regularity and how to super charge your sleeping habits

Matthew Walker’s, Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams became an international bestseller, including a #1 on the Sunday Times Bestseller in the UK, and a #8 on the New York Times Bestseller. It received numerous other reviews, including the Guardian, BBC, NPR, Financial Times, UC Berkeley and Kirkus Reviews. Walker compiles over thirty years of intensive research, to provide readers with alarming facts about the impact of lack of sleep on the human body.

 “After sixteen hours of being awake, the brain begins to fail. Humans need more than seven hours of sleep each night to maintain cognitive performance. After ten days of just seven hours of sleep, the brain is as dysfunctional as it would be after going without sleep for twenty-four hours. Three full nights of recovery sleep (i.e., more nights than a weekend) are insufficient to restore performance back to normal levels after a week of short sleeping”

While this information has become public knowledge, recent studies including one published in the Sleep Health journal demonstrate - about 30% of adults demonstrated an average sleep duration outside the recommended 7-9 h/night. Even in participants with an average sleep duration within 7-9 hours, about 40% of nights were outside this range. Only 15% of participants slept between 7 and 9 hours for at least 5 nights per week. Female participants had significantly longer sleep durations than male participants, and middle-aged participants had shorter sleep durations than younger or older participants.

The Impact of Sleep Deprivation on Your Mind and Body

Do you ever struggle with temporary insomnia? You’re not alone. Even short-term sleep deprivation can leave you feeling fatigued and stressed. Over time, persistent lack of sleep can take a toll on both your mental and physical health.

Sleep deprivation can lead to a range of negative health issues, including weakened immunity, an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and inflammation. It can also disrupt hormonal balance, slow recovery, heighten the stress response, and increase the risk of depression and anxiety. In short, insufficient sleep can affect every area of your life.

Prioritizing good sleep hygiene can help mitigate these effects, promoting better overall health and well-being. Make time for rest—your body and mind will thank you.

What can you do to improve your sleep

Research shows that sleep regularity, which is how consistent your sleep and wake times are from day to day, is linked to a significantly lower risk of dying from any cause compared to a sleep pattern that swings wildly. Plus, it may help lower the risk of death from cancer and cardiometabolic diseases like heart disease and diabetes in those with more consistent sleep patterns. Professionally Recommended Advice for Better Sleep includes

1. Maintaining a Consistent, relaxing Sleep Schedule

   • Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends, to regulate your internal clock. Engage in calming activities before bed, such as reading, meditating, or taking a warm bath. Limit daytime naps to 20–30 minutes to avoid interfering with nighttime sleep. If your sleep schedule is off, adjust it by 15–30 minutes per day to reach your desired bedtime and wake time.

2. Optimize Your Sleep Environment and light exposure

   • Keep your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet. Use blackout curtains, white noise machines, or eye masks if needed. Avoid screens 1–2 hours before bed, or use blue light-blocking glasses or filters to minimize circadian disruption. Avoid working, watching TV, or using electronic devices in bed to strengthen the association between your bed and sleep.

3. Be Mindful of Diet, Exercise and stress

   • Avoid caffeine, nicotine, and heavy meals close to bedtime. Regular exercise can improve sleep but avoid vigorous activity late in the day. Practice stress-reduction techniques like mindfulness, deep breathing, or progressive muscle relaxation.

Where does tech come in to play

The following tech can be used to help you adhere to sleeping on time:

1. Sleep-Tracking Devices: Devices like Fitbit, Apple Watch, or Oura Ring track sleep patterns and offer insights into sleep quality. These can be paired with apps like Sleep Cycle to analyze sleep patterns and wake you at an optimal time in your cycle. Mattress products like the Eight Sleep mattress and pod can further adjust your beds temperature and monitors sleep stages to improve rest.
   

2. Sleep Apps: Guided relaxation apps like Calm, Headspace, or Insight Timer provide meditations, soundscapes, and bedtime stories. Use can also tools like Apple Screen Time or Android's Digital Wellbeing to limit device use before bed. This paired with your device going into "Do Not Disturb" or airplane mode an hour before bed to reduce notifications and distractions.
   

3. Smart Home Integrations: Smart lights like Philips Hue can simulate sunset or dim on a schedule to prepare your body for sleep. Additionally you can wear glasses that block blue light in the evening. White Noise Machines such as smart speakers or noise machines can also play soothing sounds to drown out distractions.

There are many reasons why sleep problems can arise, remember, if you have diligently attempted to implement the recommended sleep advice and sleep problems still persist, consult a sleep specialist to address potential underlying issues such as insomnia or sleep apnea.