How to get a better night’s sleep, according to science

There’s nothing like a terrible night’s sleep to show you just how important it is to get the right amount of quality shut-eye. But even getting eight hours of sleep isn’t enough to offset the negative health impacts of an irregular bed time, a new study suggests.

New research, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, shows that people who fail to keep to a regular sleep schedule are at higher risk of stroke, heart attack and heart failure. The study found that going to bed and waking up at irregular times each day was “strongly associated” with the higher risk of poor health outcomes.

Sleep has a major impact on our overall health and wellbeing, with numerous studies showing how a lack of sleep can result in physical and mental consequences, such as immune dysfunction, high blood pressure, mood disorders and social difficulties. The Sleep Foundation describes sleep as an "essential function that allows your body and mind to recharge", as well as helping the body maintain good health and keep diseases at bay.

Here are six science-backed tips to improve your sleep:

1. Stick to a regular sleep schedule ⏰

Researchers of the recent sleep study recommends going to sleep and waking up within an hour of the same time each day to prevent the adverse effects on your cardiovascular health.

Lead author Jean-Philippe Chaput, of the University of Ottawa, told The Guardian: "We should aim to wake up and go to sleep within 30 minutes of the same time each night and each morning, including weekends.

"Within an hour of the same time is good but less good than 30 minutes, and even better is to have zero variation. Beyond an hour’s difference each night and each morning means irregular sleep. That can have negative health impacts. The closer you are to zero variation, the better."

He added that waking up around the same time every day is more important than going to bed at the same time, as this "really messes with your internal clock". His advice is to go to sleep earlier on the weekends if you feel like you need to catch up on sleep, instead of having a lay-in.

2. Make sure your room is the right temperature🌡️

According to The Sleep Charity, the ideal temperature to help you drop off to sleep is around 16C to 18C.

In very cold temperatures during the winter, it can be tempting to crank the thermostat up high to stay warm. However, a warm bedroom could lead to sleep disruption as you’ll be more likely to be restless and uncomfortable - a feeling we’re well-acquainted with during the height of summer.

But if your room is too cold, it can be difficult to fall asleep in the first place. The Sleep Charity says that rooms that are too hot, too cold, or too draughty can have a serious impact on your sleep, particularly REM (rapid eye movement) sleep.

3. Declutter your sleep space🧹

A 2015 study suggested that a cluttered bedroom raised the risk of its occupant developing a sleep disorder. It found that people who decluttered their bedroom increased their sleep quality and had fewer sleep-related problems.

The scientists believed that this could be because a messy room could increase anxiety, which makes it harder to go to sleep. They recommended taking a short time each week to tidy the bedroom and discard any unwanted clutter, leading to better sleep each night.

4. Have a warm bath or shower before getting into bed🛁

Research suggests that taking a warm bath or shower an hour or two before you wind down for bedtime can help you relax and fall asleep faster.

This is because the warm water can help the body’s natural temperature regulation process by stimulating blood flow to the hands and feet and allowing body heat to escape more quickly.

One study, published in 2019, even suggested that taking a hot bath or shower can help bring down nighttime blood pressure in older adults.

5. Avoid caffeine at least six hours before bedtime☕

We all know that caffeine is great at keeping us alert and awake throughout the day, but it can wreak havoc on our ability to get a good night's sleep.

A study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine recommends avoiding consuming any "substantial" amount of caffeine for a minimum of six hours before you go to bed to avoid the "significant effects on sleep disturbance" it can have.

6. Avoid screens so you nod off sooner rather than later📱

Previous research suggested that the light from our phone screens had a potentially negative impact on our sleep quality - but this year, researchers found that it's not the light we should be worried about, but how long endless doomscrolling is delaying our sleep.

Michael Gradisar, a clinical psychologist who co-wrote the 2024 report published in the Sleep Medicine Reviews journal, said that the most significant impact that phones have on our sleep is that they are distracting us from going to sleep sooner rather than later.

So, although the light from your screens may be one less thing to worry about, you should still avoid screens while you're in bed so that you can get to sleep without any delay.

Read more about sleep:

• Five ways to feel refreshed after a bad night’s sleep (Yahoo Life UK, 4-min read)

• The Secret Bedtime Hack I Followed to Fall Asleep an Hour Earlier (Good Housekeeping, 4-min read)

• You're ruining your back while sleeping – one small change could help posture (SurreyLive, 3-min read)