How to get better quality sleep: 6 tips to improve your sleep
Clinically reviewed by Dr. Chris Mosunic, PhD, RD, CDCES, MBA
Explore the importance of sleep quality and signs that your sleep needs improvement. Plus, how to get better quality sleep with 6 tips and tools to wind down.
Sleep is an essential part of our daily lives that influences our health, mood, and overall wellbeing. While many of us focus on the number of hours we sleep, the quality of our sleep is equally important, as it allows our body and mind to fully recover and rejuvenate.
Good sleep quality can affect how we think, learn, and make memories. It can also influence our emotional stability, decision-making, and even the strength of our immune system. When we sleep well, we wake up feeling refreshed, alert, and ready to tackle the day. But poor sleep can leave us feeling groggy, irritable, and unable to focus.
What is quality sleep (and why is it important)?
Quality sleep happens when you go through uninterrupted cycles of various sleep stages, including light sleep, deep sleep, and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Each of these stages plays a critical role in ensuring that your body and mind get the rest they need to function optimally. The four aspects of quality sleep are:
Consistency: Sleeping for a consistent number of hours each night
Continuity: Sleeping without frequent awakenings or disruptions
Depth: Reaching and maintaining the deep sleep stages, where the body heals and repairs itself
Timing: Sleeping at the right times based on your body's natural circadian rhythms
Why quality sleep matters for health
Quality sleep can have profound impacts on various aspects of our health and wellbeing.
Physical health: During deep sleep, your body repairs tissues, builds bone and muscle, and strengthens the immune system. A lack of quality sleep can increase the risk of chronic conditions like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
Mental health: Quality sleep can help you recall memories, make it easier to learn and retain information, problem-solve, and make decisions.
Emotional wellbeing: Lack of quality sleep can lead to irritability, stress, anxiety, and depression. When you sleep well, your brain processes emotional information, helping to maintain emotional balance.
Daily functioning: Good sleep can help improve concentration, productivity, and overall performance in daily activities. It can enhance your ability to interact socially, make decisions, and respond to changes around you.
How do sleep phases contribute to sleep quality?
Sleep is a complex and dynamic process involving several stages, each with a specific role in maintaining your health and wellbeing.
The sleep cycle: An overview
The sleep cycle consists of four distinct stages, which include three non-REM (NREM) stages and one REM stage. A complete sleep cycle lasts about 90 to 110 minutes, and each night, you go through several of these cycles.
NREM stage 1: The transition phase from being awake to sleep is a short period of sleep lasting several minutes where you can easily wake. During this stage, your heartbeat, breathing, and eye movements slow down, and your muscles relax with occasional twitches.
NREM stage 2: You become less aware of your surroundings, your body temperature drops, and your heart rate and breathing continue to slow. Stage two prepares you for deeper sleep and makes up about 50% of your sleep time.
NREM stage 3: Often referred to as deep sleep or slow-wave sleep, this stage is vital for physical restoration, boosting the immune system, and restoring your energy. It's harder to be woken up during this stage, and, if you are, you may feel disoriented for a few minutes. Deep sleep is vital for the growth and repair of bone and muscle, detoxification of the brain, and strengthening of the immune system to support overall health. Insufficient deep sleep can affect your physical health and leave you feeling tired the next day.
REM sleep: About 90 minutes after falling asleep, this stage is when most dreaming occurs. Your eyes move rapidly in various directions, but other muscles remain still. REM sleep is crucial for cognitive functions, such as memory consolidation, learning, and emotional processing. This stage becomes longer with each cycle through the night.
Quality sleep involves cycling through these stages multiple times in a night. Disruptions in the cycle, such as waking up frequently or not spending enough time in deep or REM sleep, can significantly impact your health, mood, and cognitive functions.
5 signs of poor sleep quality
Understanding the indicators of poor sleep quality can help identify whether you're truly getting restorative rest. Identifying these signs in your own sleep patterns can be the first step toward finding ways to improve your sleep quality.
Frequent wakefulness during the night
Difficulty waking up in the morning
Feeling tired during the day
Poor concentration and memory
Mood changes
How to get better quality sleep: 6 tips and tools to unwind
Improving sleep quality often involves making adjustments to your daily routine and sleep environment.
1. Fine-tune your sleep environment
Create a bedroom that encourages sleep. This means ensuring the room is cool, quiet, and dark. Try blackout curtains, eye masks, or earplugs to block out light and noise. Choose a mattress and pillow that support your preferred sleeping position and comfort needs.
💙 Block out unwanted noise in your bedroom with this White Noise Ocean Surf soundscape.
2. Deepen relaxation with mindfulness meditation
Mindfulness meditation can help calm a busy mind, making it easier to fall asleep and improve the quality of your sleep. Practice focusing on your breath or on a mantra to reduce stress and anxiety, which are common causes of poor sleep. With a mindfulness routine before bed, you can unwind, enhance mental clarity, and promote a deeper state of rest.
💙 Try the Nighttime Gratitude meditation to take stock of what you’re thankful for while quieting the mind and relaxing the body.
3. Incorporate aromatherapy
Essential oils like lavender or chamomile can create a soothing atmosphere in your bedroom. These scents are known for their calming properties and can help signal to your brain that it's time to wind down. Use a diffuser or apply oils to your pillow to benefit from their relaxing effects.
4. Optimize your evening meals
Aim for a balanced meal that’s right in nutrients to help support restful sleep. Avoid heavier foods, excess sugar, caffeine, and alcohol close to bedtime, as they can disrupt sleep. Foods containing magnesium, like nuts and leafy greens, can promote muscle relaxation and better sleep.
💙 Learn more about Balanced Eating for Joy and Nourishment in this episode from the Mindful Eating series.
5. Time your exercise
Regular physical activity can be beneficial for sleep, but exercising too close to bedtime can be stimulating, which may cause you to feel more alert instead of sleepy. Engage in moderate exercise earlier in the day to help enhance sleep quality, and find a workout routine that fits your schedule.
💙 Try Mel Mah’s Evening Wind Down if you want to move before bedtime.
6. Customize your pre-sleep ritual
A relaxing nighttime routine can signal to your body that it's time to wind down before bed. This might include reading, taking a warm bath, or practicing gentle yoga. Identify activities that help you relax and make them a consistent part of your nightly routine to help you unwind for better sleep quality.
💙 Add Screen Off, Sleep On to your nightly routine for the encouragement to replace phone time with quality sleep time instead.
Why you should track your progress (and how to do it)
Monitoring your sleep quality and the changes you make can help you narrow in on the best tools for getting better quality sleep.
Identifying patterns: Tracking your sleep can help you pinpoint what changes are beneficial or what might be hindering your progress.
Measuring improvement: Seeing improvements over time can be motivating and encouraging. It helps you understand the effectiveness of the strategies you're implementing.
Personalizing your approach: What works for one person might not work for another. Tracking can help you customize your sleep hygiene practices to suit your needs.
Setting goals: By understanding your current sleep patterns, you can set realistic goals for improvement and work toward achieving them.
How to track your sleep
By paying attention to how you sleep and the factors that influence it, you can take proactive steps to enhance your sleep quality, leading to better health and quality of life.
1. Use a sleep tracker: Wearable devices or smartphone apps can monitor your sleep stages, duration, and quality. These tools can provide detailed insights into your sleep patterns, helping you make informed decisions about your sleep habits.
2. Keep a sleep diary: If you prefer a less tech-centric approach, maintain a sleep diary. Record the time you go to bed, when you wake up, how many times you wake up at night, and how you feel in the morning. Note any factors that might have affected your sleep, like stress or caffeine consumption.
3. Observe changes in daytime functioning: Pay attention to how you feel during the day. Improvements in sleep quality often lead to better mood, increased energy levels, and improved concentration. These changes can indicate an improvement in sleep quality.
4. Consult a professional: If you're making changes but not seeing improvement, or if you suspect you have a sleep disorder, talk to a healthcare provider. They can help interpret your sleep data and provide professional advice.
How to get better quality sleep FAQ
How long does it take to notice improvements in sleep quality after making these changes?
The time it takes to notice improvements in sleep quality can vary from person to person. Generally, if you consistently implement positive sleep habits, you might start to see changes in a few days to a few weeks. Be patient and consistent with your sleep routines, as the body can take time to adapt to new habits.
How do stress and anxiety affect sleep quality, and how can they be managed?
Stress and anxiety can activate the body's fight or flight response, impacting sleep quality by making it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep. Managing stress and anxiety can involve regular exercise, mindfulness or meditation practices, maintaining a healthy diet, and establishing a relaxing pre-sleep routine. If stress and anxiety persistently affect your sleep, speak with a healthcare provider or a mental health professional for tips, strategies, and support in improving your sleep quality.
Are there specific meditation techniques that improve sleep quality more than others?
While many meditation techniques can be beneficial for sleep, some can be particularly effective for promoting relaxation and rest. Experiment with different types to help you find the one that works best for you.
Mindfulness meditation: Can help you focus on the present moment, reducing racing thoughts that can interfere with sleep
Guided imagery: Involves visualizing a peaceful setting, which can help shift your mind away from stressors
Body scan meditation: Encourages awareness and relaxation of different body parts, easing physical tension
What are the most common mistakes people make when trying to improve their sleep quality?
Common mistakes when trying to improve sleep quality include inconsistent sleep schedules, using electronic devices before bed, consuming caffeine or heavy meals too close to bedtime, and not creating a supportive sleep environment.
Stay consistent: Try to maintain a consistent sleep routine, even on weekends, to regulate your body's clock.
Reduce screen time: Reduce exposure to blue light from screens before bed to help prevent sleep disruption.
Say no to stimulants: Avoid stimulants and heavy meals in the evening to help improve sleep quality.
Boost your sleep environment: Ensure your sleep environment is quiet, dark, and cool to help you fall asleep and stay asleep.
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