Good sleep is one of the three building blocks of our health, along with nutrition and movement. Unfortunately, it doesn’t come easily for many, despite our best attempts and intentions. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than one in three adults in the U.S. don’t get enough sleep.
If you’ve tried everything from chamomile tea to white noise machines but still have trouble catching those z’s, you’ve come to the right place.
Who better to help us crack the code on quality sleep than the experts who have dedicated their careers to researching it? Here’s what they recommend for a restful slumber:
Try Cognitive Shuffle
“One surprising but effective sleep trick I often recommend is the cognitive shuffle,” says Dr. Shelby Harris, director of sleep health at Sleepopolis.
Here’s how it works: Pick a random, neutral word like “BEDTIME.” Then, for each letter, think of words that start with it—like “baby,” “boat,” or “banana” for “B.” The idea is to gently distract your brain from racing or stressful thoughts by focusing on something simple and neutral. “This approach is especially helpful for anyone who feels stuck in their head at bedtime,” says Dr. Harris.
Spend Less Time In Bed
“If someone told me I only had five minutes to fix their sleep, I would say, ‘You’re probably spending too much time in bed. Spend less time in bed’,” says Jessica Fink, an Austin-based therapist specializing in sleep issues.
“You want to be sleeping 85-90% of the time you are in bed, so we cut time in bed to just slightly longer than the amount of time you are sleeping,” says Fink. This works because being out of bed is what builds sleep drive. Your sleep drive determines the amount and quality of sleep you get, she explains.
Rewrite The Script
“Fear of nightmares often causes nightmares,” says Dr. Lisa Cromer, a psychology professor at the University of Tulsa whose research promotes resilience through healthy sleep and cognitive skills training.
If recurring nightmares are keeping you up at night, Dr. Cromer suggests drawing or writing about your nightmares and then changing their script by imagining yourself as the “director of your dreams.” The idea is to shift the narrative from fear and helplessness to safety and a sense of control. For example, if you have dreams about someone chasing you in a dark alley, you could flip the script by imagining that instead of running, you turn around only to realize it’s a lost tourist asking for directions. Or you realize you have the superpower to turn invisible and escape unharmed.
Tap Into The ASMR Trend
“Listen to podcasts at bedtime that incorporate ASMR principles,” suggests Dr. Craig Richard, professor of physiology at Shenandoah University, whose research focuses on sleep, relaxation, and ASMR.
The content of these podcasts tend to include ASMR whispering, ASMR trigger sounds, guided meditations, fiction or non-fiction stories, and a narrator who speaks slowly, softly and gently.
Studies have consistently shown that people respond to ASMR stimuli with increased relaxation, decreased heart rates and blood pressure, and lower stress—all of which increase our ability to fall asleep more easily, Dr. Richard explains.
Say “No” To Screens
Put your personal devices out of reach (ideally out of the bedroom) at least 30 minutes before bedtime. “Our phones, tablets and laptops emit blue light, which can reduce our melatonin production. Melatonin is what helps us fall asleep and regulates our sleep cycle,” says certified sleep science coach Sosha Lewis.
“Powering our screens off also prevents ‘doomscrolling,’ which can stimulate our brains and delay sleep,” she adds.
Lewis recommends reading a physical book by a soft light lamp or listening to a sleep podcast to wind down instead.
Schedule “Worry Time”
This tip is courtesy of Dr. Leah Kaylor, a licensed clinical and medical psychologist specializing in trauma and sleep.
How it works: You’ll need two pieces of paper, a pencil, a timer, and a quiet space. Ideally, anywhere but your bedroom. “We don’t want to intentionally bring worry time into the bedroom. We are trying to train the brain to leave the worries elsewhere,” Dr. Kaylor explains. She recommends doing it three to four hours before bedtime.
One sheet is for everything you can control, and the other is for everything you can’t. Now, set your timer for 10 minutes and start writing. Get everything out of your head and onto paper, whether it’s worries about work, family, or future plans. “I recommend handwriting over typing because there’s something uniquely therapeutic about physically writing your thoughts down,” says Dr. Kaylor.
The things you can control act like a to-do list for the next day, providing structure and reassurance to your mind. “Knowing that you’ve recorded your responsibilities for tomorrow can prevent your mind from repeatedly cycling through them, which can otherwise make it harder to relax and fall asleep,” says Dr. Kaylor.
