#100 - 100 Sleep Tips (In Alphabetical Order)
“One Frickin Hundred! How do I mark this special occasion? How can Blog #100 stand out amongst the rest?”
I’m guessing when people think about starting a blog, they never think about how long they’ll blog for.
Looking back, I hoped that at least 3 people would read my blogs. The fact that anyone reads them is a great motivator. Now there’s hundreds of readers.
So a big Thank You to you for reading this blog - and a bigger THANK YOU if you subscribed to these blogs (you’ll be getting more than the 25 below in your Inbox). And a massive THANKS to our Members who are creating a supportive community - a place where we all continue to learn about how to help others sleep).
So here’s our gifts - from us to you. A bunch of evidence-based Sleep Tips (and as you’ll discover - a bunch of Sleep Myths!).
Enjoy!
Apple’s Nightshift mode doesn’t help you fall asleep faster - so why are you using it? (Duraccio et al., 2021). Even Apple don’t claim it will help you sleep (Apple, 2021).
Addicted to the Internet? Then you’re twice as likely to have a sleep problem and get less sleep than ‘normal internet use’ (Alimoradi et al., 2019)
Although potentially expensive, saffron may reduce the symptoms of insomnia (Lopresti et al., 2020).
Avoid caffeinated solids and liquids after 6 PM (Bonnar & Gradisar, 2015)
Be reassured that insomnia cannot kill you (Lovato & Lack, 2019)
Bed sharing with your infant can be fatal (Coronial Findings, 2008) - seek professional advice and create a safer sleep environment (like room-sharing).
Bedtime passes might help your kids stay in bed (Moore et al., 2007)
Bedwetting alarms are one of the most effective ways to treat enuresis (Kotagal, 2009).
Being sedentary is bad for sleep. Move your body - even within 3 hours of going to bed (Kredlow et al., 2015).
Brief afternoon naps (10-20 mins) can restore alertness for up to 3 hours afterwards (Brooks & Lack, 2006).
Camomile tea does not help you sleep (Hieu et al., 2019)
Children as young as 7 years of age can learn new cognitive skills to face their fears at night (and their parents can too!; Paine & Gradisar, 2011).
Cool the air temperature (in your bedroom and around your body; Gradisar et al, 2006)
Cookies are tempting when you stay up late (there’s a reason why a company called themselves Insomnia Cookies!; Beebe et al., 2013). Plan ahead and stock up on something less carby.
Counting sheep can make your sleep worse.
Darth Vader’s breathing sounds better than your husband’s snoring. PET (Persistent Elbow Therapy [ie, your elbow into husband’s ribs]) is a great motivator to get him to the doctors and onto CPAP. Otherwise, look out for this.
Ditch those damn blue-blocking glasses (van der Lely et al., 2015)
Don’t make predictions about how you’ll perform during the day when you first wake-up. Reassess this every 15-min and see if your assessment changes (Harvey, 2002).
Faded bedtime can help infants fall asleep faster and with less fuss (Gradisar et al., 2016). Learn how to do it here.
f.lux came out years before Apple’s Nightshift Mode - and we were the first ones to test it against sleep (it didn’t affect sleep but it gave our faces a warm glow; Heath et al., 2014)
Focus your attention on something pleasant when attempting sleep (Gellis et al., 2013).
Getting on top of your sleep problem can help your depression (Gee et al., 2019)
Getting on top of your partner might help them fall asleep (Blog #78)
Getting outside during the day can help your sleep and circadian rhythm (Burns et al., 2021)
‘Going around the clock’ is a technique that can help teenagers fall asleep and wake-up at the right time - learn more here.
If you’ve stumbled onto this blog you may be disappointed.
That’s because for the past 5 weeks we’ve been asking people to subscribe to our free weekly newsletter to gain a whole bunch more of the Sleep Tips.
And if you become a Member (see the Join tab), then you get all 100 Sleep Tips (plus big discounts on our ebooks, courses, and conferences).
So to avoid future disappointment - please feel free to subscribe!
For example - next week - we’ll be giving subscribers a Discount Code for one of our products related to the theme of our #101st Blog.
Prof MG