These days, I feel like I was born exhausted. One could chalk it up to pandemic stress, possible recession panic, and/or environmental despair lately, but I don't remember the last time I felt well-rested. Even a much-needed dream vacation couldn't cure my irregular sleeping habits! When I mention my bedtime woes, people are quick to recommend everything from sleep apps and new wind-down routines to CBD tinctures, teas, and, of course, melatonin supplements. But how helpful are they, really? And why can't I just drift into dreamland on my own?
I know I'm not the only one tossing and turning. A recent study done by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed that 14.5 percent of American adults and about 17 percent of women have problems falling asleep most or every night when observed for 30 days. Lots of people are having a hard time getting — and staying — asleep. And even with all the tips and tricks out there for getting the most optimal shut-eye, it can still be confusing to what an ideal sleep schedule is or the best ways to get adopt a regular sleep rhythm.
Sleep schedules can be affected and changed by many things. Jing Wang MD, an assistant professor of medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, lists drinking caffeine and alcohol, doing strenuous exercise, being on your phone or computer, or eating a heavy meal right before bedtime as things that can throw off your sleep schedule. She also says that certain medications can have effects that cause you to sleep less or more than you normally would, causing a disruption in your regular sleep hours.
Something sneaky that can really throw off your sleep schedule is varying your sleeping habits — even in the slightest way. Q. Afifa Shamim-Uzzaman MD, a clinical associate professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Michigan and Director of the Sleep Disorders Center, explains that shifting your bed or wake time can make it hard for you to stick to a sleep routine.
"If you let yourself sleep in as late as you want on the weekends or flip your sleep schedule around (for example, sleeping nights on the weekends if you work the night shift during the week), it will be really hard to fall asleep early enough when it is time to go back to work," she says. “Then you may be sleepy all week trying to catch up on sleep again."
So what gives? How much sleep do we actually need? Are the supplements and things we do to catch some zzz's helping or making things worse? To settle the debate once and for all, we turned to the experts for tips on finding the perfect sleep schedule for you and your body.
Tailor your seven to nine hours of sleep into a schedule that actually works for you.
Both Dr. Shamin-Uzzaman and Dr. Wang say that most adults need anywhere from seven to nine hours of quality sleep each night to be fully well-rested.
"In general, most adults need seven to nine hours of sleep in a 24-hour period," says Dr. Shamin-Uzzaman. "Some people naturally need more or fewer hours of sleep — they are just wired to do so."
But when exactly to take that seven to nine hours of sleep is dependent on each person. Choosing your perfect sleep window involves considering a lot of factors such as your lifestyle, work, and daily habits (more on that later).
She adds that if you find that sleep varies from time to time, that's totally normal. You just have to listen to your body and pick up on cues when your body might need those extra hours of rest. For example, you might find yourself sleeping more when you're sick. It also depends on your age; she says that younger children need more sleep than adults.
If sleep is good quality and sufficient, Dr. Wang says you should be able to feel it. This means you shouldn't be feeling any significant sleepiness or drowsiness during the day. If you find that you are still tired after getting seven to nine hours of sleep, it might be a sign of a bigger health issue that requires professional help.
Don't assume you have insomnia.
Dr. Shamin-Uzzaman also cautions against just self-diagnosing your inability to get enough sleep as insomnia. Insomnia is known to cause difficulty concentrating, memory problems, moodiness, not being able to function during the day, and overall tiredness, so it's easy to confuse not getting enough sleep with having this particular sleep condition. But there is one major difference.
"Insomnia is difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, despite adequate opportunity to sleep," she says. "So while patients with insomnia may wake up feeling unrested, the hallmark of insomnia is not being able to fall asleep or stay asleep — even when they have the opportunity to do so." A doctor can help you determine whether or not you have insomnia and figure out a treatment plan.
Doctor-approved supplements can help — but only if used correctly.
Yes, you can take supplements to help keep your sleep schedule on track, but there are a few caveats. Let's start with the popular sleep supplement melatonin. The CDC says that melatonin is known to shift the body's biological clock — which is defined by the National Institute of General Medicine Sciences as a group of proteins that regulate your circadian rhythm (a.k.a. the 24-hour internal process that wakes you up in the morning and later helps you fall asleep) — to help you get some rest. But it adds that it must be taken at the right time for it to be helpful, as taking melatonin at the wrong time can shift your clock the wrong way. Studies show that melatonin takes up to two hours to work, so you'll want to take it about two hours before you want to go to bed.
But while Dr. Shamin-Uzzaman agrees that melatonin can help regulate sleep when used correctly, she says it is best used under the supervision of a sleep physician as they can use it to realign your biological clock the right way. According to the Mayo Clinic, common side effects of melatonin intake include headache, nausea, and dizziness. Because melatonin causes drowsiness, it says you'll also want to be careful taking it in the middle of the day if you're only planning a short nap. Plus, using melatonin as a cover-all sleeping pill for insomnia is not a good idea, Dr. Shamin-Uzzaman says.
CBD gummies, oils, and tinctures have become popular solutions for falling or staying asleep. Some research shows that CBD can help with certain sleep disorders, like insomnia and REM sleep disorder behavior, and it is also known for helping ease anxiety (which is super helpful if you're prone to feeling anxious often before bed.) Of note: The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) currently doesn't approve any CBD drug made specifically for sleep.
"Different chemicals can affect sleep in different ways, but we still have much to learn about the effects of supplements and drugs, such as cannabis, on sleep," she says. "Some strains of cannabinoids may promote sleep while others have the opposite effect of promoting alertness."
Studies have also shown that magnesium can help the body relax and improve your ability to fall asleep, but Dr. Shamin-Uzzamin says more studies need to be done. Dr. Shamin-Uzzaman adds that because the FDA doesn't regulate over-the-counter supplements, there may be variable quantities of the actual ingredient in each pill.
Nap sparingly.
When it comes to napping to help you catch up on rest, there is good news and bad news. The good news is that it can be helpful if you're dealing with sleep deprivation, which is defined as not getting sufficient hours of sleep to feel well-rested, which can result after having one too many late nights out, doom scrolling before bed, or dealing with sleep disorders. The bad news is that napping for too long can actually make it harder for you to sleep at night.
Dr. Shamin-Uzzaman explains that napping during the day decreases your sleep drive, which you need to fall asleep at night. Basically, the higher your sleep drive is, the easier it is for you to fall asleep. "It's sort of like snacking all afternoon can ruin your dinner because you won’t be as hungry," she says. "So, if you wake up in the morning and stay awake all day, it will be easier to fall asleep at night than if you took a nap during the day."
Dr. Wang adds that when naps are taken later in the day, it might adversely affect your ability to maintain a normal bedtime. She says that naps are most beneficial when you limit them to 30 minutes or less.
"It's important to understand the needs of your body and how naps affect you individually," says Dr. Shamin-Uzzaman. "If you find that napping during the day makes it hard for you to sleep at night, then avoid naps. If you find yourself struggling to stay awake because of insufficient sleep the night before, then a scheduled 30-minute nap no later than early afternoon may help."
Evaluate your life and plan accordingly.
Unfortunately, there is no "one-size-fits-all" approach to finding a sleep schedule that is fool-proof; it's dependent on each person. Dr. Shamin-Uzzaman explains that everyone's circadian clock tells them when they should be asleep and when they should be awake and that everyone's circadian clock is just different.
Dr. Wang suggests evaluating your daily life and work responsibilities and time commitments and finding a sleep schedule that works best (and is sustainable) to fit around that. When you find something that works for you, she says to maintain the same bed and wake-up time whenever possible to get into a good sleep schedule rhythm.
While keeping a sleep journal may make sense to help you keep track of these habits, she says to be wary of depending on it. "Sometimes perseverating too much on sleep can itself disrupt sleep," Dr. Shamin-Uzzaman says. “For example, lying in bed closely watching the clock to see how long it is taking to fall asleep can itself affect one’s ability to fall asleep." If you want to go down this route, she strongly advises doing so under the guidance of sleep health professionals.
If you need more help, she says that going to a sleep physician can help re-align your sleep clock and provide personalized strategies to help you sleep better and stick to a sleep schedule.
See a doctor if you still can't sleep.
If you've done all of the above (and possibly more) and still can't seem to feel well-rested, both Dr. Shammin-Uzzaman and Dr. Wang agree that it might be time to see a doctor. Both experts say that while there are many things that can make you feel tired even after getting the recommended amount of sleep, seeing a physician will help see if there is an underlying cause that can be treated.
"Depending on the chronicity, this may mean that the sleep was insufficient (some people may require longer sleep periods) or it could be a sign that there is an associated sleep disorder that warrants further evaluation by a health-care provider/sleep specialist," says Dr. Wang.
"Sleep is a normal bodily function (like breathing) and you should not need to be reliant on supplements or pills to fall asleep or stay asleep," adds Dr. Shamin-Uzzaman. "You should talk to your doctor if you feel like you can't sleep without supplements or sleeping pills."
More info about sleep:
Now, check out Yasmeen Fletcher's 10-Minute Beauty Routine:
