28 Essential Sleep Hacks: Research-Backed Tips That Work

Overview: This in-depth guide offers research-based, battle-tested, essential sleep hacks and strategies to help you have a more rejuvenating night’s rest.

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It’s easy to become accustomed to fatigue.

Perhaps that’s why over 1 billion cups of coffee are poured each day globally.

According to the CDC, 14.5% of adults have trouble falling asleep most, if not every day.¹

A few rejuvenating night’s sleep can be transformative.

Not only do we feel more awake and alert after a good sleep, but we also feel less anxious and more joyful.

Rejuvenation comes with a feeling of aliveness that many of us have forgotten.

In this in-depth guide, we’ll explore 28 essential sleep hacks that work based on best practices, scientific research, and my personal experience.

CONTENTS

28 Essential Hacks for Sleep

The essential sleep hacks discussed below are broken into the following seven categories:

Reduce Your Exposure to Blue Light
Reduce EMF Exposure in Your Bedroom
Quiet Your Mind Before Bedtime
Treat Your Sleeping Environment as Sacred
Detoxify Your Pineal Gland
Experiment with Relaxation Supplements
Pay Close Attention to Your Internal Terrain

Okay, now we’re ready to dive into some power sleep hacks…

Essential Sleep Hacks to Reduce Blue Light Exposure

All our modern devices—TVs, computer screens, smartphones, tablets, etc— emit artificial blue light.

This blue light can promote wakefulness during the day, but when we get too much blue light exposure in the evenings, it tricks our pineal gland into thinking it’s still daytime.

Artificial blue light throws off our circadian rhythm and we fall out of harmony with our natural environment.

This harmful blue light can, among other things:

Make your blood pressure rise (increased risk of diabetes),²
Promote obesity,³
Increase the risk of breast cancer,⁴ and
Even make your kids bipolar.⁵

Consequently, our pineal gland, which regulates the hormones for sleep, doesn’t produce sufficient melatonin. As a result, we can’t rejuvenate at night.

To combat the negative effects of blue light, here are a few sleep hacks you can try:

Tip #1: Reduce Screen Exposure at Night

Stop using all screens at least 2 hours before bed. This will help your brain calm down as your body produces less cortisol.

If this is difficult for you due to your current habits, start with 30 minutes and work your way to 2 hours.

Tip #2: Wear Blue Light-Blocking Glasses

Use blue light-blocking glasses in the evening. They work!

Blue light-blocking glasses look like regular sunglasses, but instead of blocking UV light rays, they reduce the exposure to blue light. This study demonstrated that these glasses work.⁶

I tested and experimented with about ten different pairs of blue light-blocking glasses a few years ago. In terms of the optimal blend of filtering ability, comfort, and affordability, Night Shades by Spectra479 topped my list. See my other recommendations for amber glasses here.

Tip #3: Eliminate Artificial Light Entering Your Bedroom

Reduce as much light from your bedroom as possible, including all your electronic devices. If you have streetlights coming into your bedroom, consider investing in blackout shades.

If you’re not ready to invest in blackout shades, get an eye mask. They are great for travel too.

In particular, avoid using LED bulbs.⁷ I realize they are the most energy-efficient bulbs, but they also produce the most “dirty electricity” (see below) and negatively affect the pineal gland.

This study found that white light from LEDs suppresses melatonin production more than any other light.⁸

You’ll be amazed at how much easier it is to fall asleep at night when you reduce your exposure to blue light.

Essential Sleep Hacks to Reduce Harmful EMF Exposure

EMF, or electromagnetic frequencies, are emitted by all our home electronic devices.

Numerous studies show these frequencies harm human and animal biology, including our sleep.⁹

If you’re curious, you can purchase an EMF test meter to determine which devices have the highest EMF levels.

I did this a few years ago and found that the biggest culprits are internet modems, WIFI routers, and smartphones. (I’m sure microwave ovens are bad too, but I don’t own one.)

Here are sleep hacks to reduce EMF exposure at night:

Tip #4: Keep Your Mobile Device FAR Away

Keep your mobile device off and out of the bedroom, or at least ten feet away from your bed.

For many people, this suggestion is sacrilegious. But it’s an essential sleep hack to improve your sleep—and not just for EMF reasons. (I’ll explain more on this below.)

Tip #5: Reduce “Dirty Electricity”

Unplug everything you possibly can from the outlets in your bedroom. If you need an alarm clock, consider using a battery-operated one.

You might consider investing in outlet shields. You can find EMF-resistant outlet plates online and outlet filters by companies like Greenwave and Stetzerizer. Both devices are designed to reduce dirty electricity in your home.

Tip #6: Invest in Grounding Sheets

Grounding sheets are like normal bedsheets threaded with silver. These sheets plug into the ground wire of an outlet near your bed.

They work! I review the best earthing sheets here.

Tip #7: Unplug Your Modem

Unplug the modem in your home at night. There’s no reason to have additional EMF flooding your home while you and your family sleep.

Unplug the router before bed and simply plug it back in the morning.

Tip #8: Get Additional EMF Shielding

You may want to take additional measures if you live in an apartment where EMF bombards you from other tenants.

You can find EMF shielding bed sheets, paint, and other materials to help reduce EMF exposure.

While some of the above recommendations may seem extreme, if you’re sensitive to EMF (and many people are but do not know it), these steps will greatly improve your sleep.

To better appreciate why the above sleep hacks are so important, see all of the peer-reviewed scientific studies related to EMF.¹⁰

Essential Sleep Hacks to Quiet Your Mind Before Bedtime

An overstimulated mind doesn’t want to drift off to sleep. An overactive mind ruminates, replaying scenarios over and over again.

What most of us don’t realize is that thinking consumes mental energy. Sleeping is designed to restore mental energy.

But if you’ve ever tried to meditate or stop thinking, you know it often doesn’t work: the more you try to stop thinking, the more the thoughts come.

So what’s the alternative?

Here are a few sleep hacks you can try before bed:

Tip #9: Write Down What’s Running in Your Mind

Capture all your ideas, concerns, and to-dos for the following day. These things will rotate in your mind until you capture them on paper. Often, doing this is sufficient to relax your mind.

Keep a journal or notepad and a pen by your bedside and add things as they come to mind.

Tip #10: Stretch and Loosen Your Muscles

Stretch for five to ten minutes before going to bed. Why? Although we often don’t make the connection, our physical tensions are directly related to our mental tensions (stress).

Stretching and relaxing your muscles and the fascia beneath them can help promote a more restful sleep. Be sure to relax your jaw.

If you know any qigong or yoga, try practicing it right before you get into bed.

This video illustrates a stretching routine you can try before going to sleep:

Tip #11: Breathe Consciously and Correctly

Training yourself to breathe properly can help quiet your mind.

Or, experiment with the 4-7-8 breathing technique: Inhale slowly and evenly for a count of four. Hold your breath for an even count of seven. And then slowly and evenly exhale from your mouth for a count of eight. Be sure not to push or force the air in or out as you exhale.

Dr. Andrew Weil calls it a “natural tranquilizer.” Use this breathing cycle three times before bed and you’ll likely notice the results. It’s a powerful sleep hack.

Tip #12: Stay Warm

While cold showers are a popular biohacking technique for improving mental performance during the day, to relax your body before bedtime, take a warm shower instead.

If you often find there are cold areas on your body (for example, around your knees), this is a sign of energetic blockage.

A jade stone heating pad can warm and relax areas of your body where you have excess tension. If your feet tend to get cold, consider wearing ankle socks.

Tip #13: Experiment with Various Meditative Practices

The challenge with meditation is that it can sometimes stimulate your mind instead of calming it down.

But the right meditation can help you relax your mind in minutes. Simply observing your breathing without trying to influence it is a great starting point.

If you’re interested, here’s a comprehensive guide on meditation training for beginners. Also, if you’d like additional support, I review the best meditation tools here.

All five of the above sleep hacks can dramatically improve your quality and enjoyment of sleep.

Tip #14: Toggle Down into the Low Alpha Range

Our brains operate on a range of brainwave patterns or frequencies. Each frequency establishes a particular state of consciousness.

For example, our normal waking state is associated with “low beta.” It’s in the frequency range of 14 to 22 hertz. Theta waves from 4 to 8 hertz are associated with REM sleep.

Isochronic tones and binaural beats are sound waves calibrated at specific brainwave frequencies.

Listening to these frequencies under the right conditions can help induce your brain into specific states of consciousness.

Generally, when you’re having trouble sleeping it’s because your brain is stuck in a Beta state. Find brainwave entrainment programs that target the alpha-theta level. There are many producers of these frequencies online.

You can download free sample tracks from iAwake Technologies here. One of them is from Profound Meditation 3.0. This is the most comprehensive, full-spectrum audio meditation program I’ve found on the market.

Essential Sleep Hacks for the Bedroom

Ancient cultures honored their sleep and dreams. They didn’t perceive the dream world as meaningless. In fact, the dream state was considered more real than our normal, waking state.

As modern people, however, we tend to have a conscious bias toward our waking life. Our general attitude toward sleep is that it’s necessary, but an unwanted disruption from our day-to-day lives.

In particular, “achiever types” have a skewed orientation toward sleep. “I’ll sleep when I’m dead,” is a common phrase.

Consider this:

What would happen if you changed your perspective or beliefs about sleeping?
What if you honored or cherished sleeping and dreaming as much as life itself?
Would you keep a television in your bedroom or stream movies on your laptop on your bed?

Here are some essential sleep hacks and tips to transform your bedroom into a sacred rejuvenation chamber.

Tip #15: Remove ALL Technology From the Bedroom

Remove all unnecessary technology from your bedroom including televisions, clocks, and everything else.

As we said above, the fewer things you have plugged in, the less EMF (electromagnetic frequency) radiation there is.

But more than that, these technological devices are symbols of our waking state. That is, they establish the wrong association with sleep time.

Try it as an experiment for a few weeks. See if you notice the difference.

Tip #16: Keep Your Smartphone Out of the Bedroom

In addition to more EMF exposure, our phones are associated with work, play, communication, and stimulation—none of which are desirable in your sacred sleeping chamber.

Yes, this means you can’t use any of our cool, “sleep hacking apps” on your phone. But if you follow the rest of the natural sleep hacks in this guide, you won’t need any apps to improve your sleep.

When you take your phone to bed with you, you’re sending a subconscious message that you’re still plugged into the waking world.

Tip #17: Invest in a New Mattress & Pillow

Most mattresses are made with harmful toxic chemicals that are released and inhaled as we sleep.

For example, most memory foam mattresses are made with polyurethane. This study demonstrates that polyurethane emits volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are toxic to our respiratory system.

Consider switching to a non-toxic mattress made of natural, certified organic fibers. Not only is it non-toxic, but it is also more eco-friendly.

If you’re not ready to upgrade your mattress, you can at least invest in a non-topic mattress topper to add an extra layer of comfort and protection.

Upgrade Your Pillow

Try using an organic buckwheat pillow. Why? Two reasons. First, it’s more firm, which is healthier for your neck and shoulders.

Second, the buckwheat hulls help redistribute heat so your pillow doesn’t overheat, which generally causes irritable sleep. (No more flipping over your pillow.)

Here’s the one I use. I found a noticeable difference once I started sleeping on it years ago.

Tip #18: Switch Out Your Lightbulbs

There are two reasons for doing this. First, most lighting in the bedroom is too bright. The closer you come to going to sleep in the evening, the dimmer the lighting should be. (On that note, avoid using dimmer switches or lamps with dimmers because they tend to emit more dirty electricity.)

Second, popular CFL and LED bulbs are filled with “dirty electricity” or “junk light.” It’s like eating pesticides or genetically-modified foods.

Instead, use low-wattage (40W), incandescent, or halogen bulbs for your nightstand. If possible, find amber bulbs that filter out blue light.

Tip #19: Clean and Declutter Your Bedroom

This essential sleep hack might seem obvious, but it’s easy to neglect following it. Layers of dust (and mold) will negatively impact your respiration while you sleep.

Piles of clothing and other clutter create a subtle sense of anxiety that will inhibit your subconscious mind’s ability to relax.

All of the above hacks for sleep can help transform your bedroom into a sleeping sanctum.

Essential Sleep Hacks to Detoxify Your Pineal Gland

The pineal gland plays an essential role in our sleep. When our pineal gland isn’t functioning properly, we can’t sleep well and we don’t perform effectively during the day either.

Many individuals have a calcified pineal gland. Due to various chemical compounds in many public water supplies and commercially-grown foods, calcification occurs throughout our bloodstream, affecting many organs, including the pineal gland (which is submerged in fluid).

A comprehensive pineal gland detox includes taking various supplements and eating certain foods that help chelate heavy metals and other toxins from our blood to reduce calcification in the body.

Tip #20: Drink Correctly Filtered Water

Avoid commercial brands of bottled water as they are filled with chemicals. Use a fluoride water filter at home.

See this in-depth guide on How to Decalcify the Pineal Gland. It includes a review of excellent water filter options.

Tip #21: Chelate heavy metals from your blood

Iodine chelates heavy metals such as mercury, aluminum, and lead. Raw apple cider vinegar is another natural metal detoxifier.

Eating green plants rich in chlorophyll can also help chelate heavy metals from your blood while nourishing it. Try, for example, Supergreens Powder from Optimally Organic.

I provide a comprehensive protocol for detoxing the blood and pineal gland here.

Experiment with Relaxation Supplements

Below are three sleep-hacking supplements you can experiment with.

Tip #22: Avoid Melatonin Supplements

Although melatonin and other sleep aids are incredibly popular, after doing extensive research on the pineal gland, I don’t recommend them.

Instead of taking a melatonin supplement, focus on restoring your circadian rhythm, decalcifying the pineal gland, and chelating heavy metals from your blood.

Get your pineal gland functioning properly and it will produce the right amount of melatonin for you.

Instead of using melatonin supplements, if you’re having trouble getting to bed at night and want to take a supplement, try taking something that relaxes your muscles. As I said above, relax your body and your mind relaxes too.

Tip #23: Experiment with L-theanine

L-theanine is an amino acid found in green tea leaves grown in the shade. The relaxing effects of L-Theanine are well-documented. This amino acid even slows down heart rate variability.

If you’re a coffee drinker, taking L-Theanine can mitigate many of the adverse effects of caffeine like jitteriness and increased blood pressure.

Test out Jarrow Formulas Theanine. Start with one capsule (100 mg) about 30 minutes before bedtime.

Tip #24: Experiment with Valerian Root

Valerian root is considered an herbal tranquilizer. Valerian root promotes relaxation and restful sleep. Research shows that low GABA levels are associated with chronic stress and poor sleeping habits.¹¹

Valerenic acid found in valerian root inhibits GABA breakdown in the brain.¹² The result is more calmness and tranquility akin to the effects of Valium and Xanax (hence, “herbal tranquilizer”).

I don’t have a favorite brand for valerian root, but here’s the brand I have used: Herb Pharm Certified Organic Valerian Root.

You just want one that’s minimally processed and derived from organic Valerian root. You can also buy it in bulk and drink it in tea form before bed.

Tip #25: Experiment with Vitamin D

Most individuals are vitamin D deficient. And most sleep disorders are linked to vitamin D deficiency.¹³ It may be useful to take a vitamin D supplement—especially in the winter months. If you’re looking for a good vitamin D supplement, I take Life Extension Vitamins D and K with Sea-Iodine when needed.

Tip #26: Increase Your Exposure to Sunlight

Although taking extra Vitamin D is advisable for many people, the best way to meet your daily vitamin D requirements is to spend more time in direct sunlight.

There are many documented health benefits of direct sunlight.¹⁴

For one, sunlight increases melanin, which supports pineal gland function. It also helps boost your mood and improve your sleep at night.

So get more sunlight exposure and ditch those sunglasses.

Additionally, you can use red and near-infrared (NIR) light therapy to counteract the harmful effects of artificial blue light.

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Note that no supplement is a magic pill that will have miraculous effects. If you want to experience the benefits of these supplements, combine them with other sleep hacks in this guide—especially those offered in, “Quiet Your Mind Before Bedtime.”

Pay Close Attention to Your Internal Terrain

Finally, we come to the primary reason we search for sleep hacks in the first place: repressed and unprocessed emotions.

Emotions that aren’t processed get stored in the body. Our unconscious does what it can to process these emotions during our sleep. This is one of the functions of dreaming. But we tend to stack the cards against our unconscious, by ignoring our emotions throughout the day.

Here are a few things you can do:

Tip #27: Reflect on the Day

Before going to sleep, review your day and see if any events triggered emotions left unresolved.

Even if you can’t fully process some of these emotional experiences, simply bringing them to consciousness can be beneficial.

Tip #28: Record Your Dreams

For most of us, our dreams are too complicated or abstract to analyze. Luckily, you don’t need to understand the symbolic meaning of your dreams to use them to improve your sleep.

Carl Jung saw dreams as a bridge from our unconscious to our conscious minds. He used inner work methods to help integrate the conscious and the unconscious to bring individuals to wholeness.

I cover the importance of dreams in this guide on restlessness. Even if you can’t understand the meaning of your dreams, recording them in your journal can somehow have a calming effect that promotes well-being and reduces restlessness at night.

Recent research suggests that taking Vitamin B6 before bed can improve your dream recall.¹⁵

A Quick Disclaimer About Sleep Hacks

I’m not a fan of the term “hacking.” It’s used most commonly in biohacking, short for biological hacking.

Biohacking communities prowl for ways to “upgrade” or “optimize” their brain, body, and health.

A lot of biohacking is about measuring results and taking evidence-based approaches, and that part I align with. But “hacking” also implies a shortcut. I’ve found that many sleep hacks might work temporarily, but they backfire in the long run.

One example would be establishing a rigid sleep schedule, where you go to sleep at the same time at night and wake up at the same time. Then, you track your results. (Below I’ll explain why this strategy isn’t advisable.)

Why Many Sleep Hacks Fail

Many sleep hacks fail because we’re trying to hack our unconscious (the body).

There’s an apt saying in psychoanalytic theory: whatever you resist grows stronger in the unconscious.

So the insights in this sleeping hacking guide are designed for the long-term in mind, where we work with our unconscious (body) instead of trying to shortchange it.

Avoid this Common Sleep Hacking Tip

I don’t recommend sleep hacks that involve going to sleep and waking up at a predetermined time. Why not?

Our bodies have a natural rhythm that ebbs and flows with the seasons. Plus, there are times when we need more sleep, for example, when we’re in emotional distress.

As a consequence, sometimes you may require 12 hours of sleep and other times 6 hours is sufficient.

By attempting to control your sleep cycle, you’re exerting your conscious mind/brain on your unconscious/body. Doing so always creates more trouble in the long run.

So instead of following a rigid sleep routine, start tuning in and listening to your body. If you follow the sleep hacking tips listed above, you’ll already be taking steps in this direction.

How to Use These Essential Sleep Hacks

There are 28 essential sleep hacks covered in this guide.

You don’t need to try all of them at once. If you’re looking for a place to start, I recommend focusing on reducing your blue light and EMF exposure first.

Pay attention to your sleeping environment. Then, begin to regulate your internal terrain with the tips offered in the “Quieting your Mind” and “Internal Terrain” sections.

Finally, let go of worrying about your quality of sleep. A lot of individuals create additional tension when they are having trouble sleeping. This anxiety further hijacks their sleep, putting them on a downward spiral.

Instead, be gentle and accepting of yourself and your current sleep habits. If you’re having trouble sleeping, remind yourself that it’s okay. It’s just a sign. Your body is trying to tell you something. Tune in and listen.

All the above sleep hacks can help you restore your natural sleep cycle to rejuvenate and recharge for the days ahead.

Sleep well!

What Do You Think?

Share your thoughts, questions, and experiences below:

Thank you I have an earthing half sheet but not sure how to set it up. Would a bio mat be a better investment?

Scott Jeffrey says:

June 2, 2020 at 9:58 am

Hi Thia,

With an earthing half sheet, you simply plug it into the third (rounded) prong in a nearby outlet. Be sure to test the ground on that outlet first. (Usually, earthing products come with a ground tester.)

I don’t know what a “bio mat” is, but if you mean a universal earthing mat, I certainly use one at my desk.

Hey Scott !!! I have read most of your documented work and I ask you … when will you do a document about testosterone for both men and women? Thanks!

Scott Jeffrey says:

July 29, 2020 at 5:05 pm

Hi Pedro,

I don’t have any plans to write a guide about testosterone.

This is excellent. Thank you for your work.

Scott Jeffrey says:

October 30, 2020 at 11:52 am

You’re welcome, Ezekiel.

Hi, the side effects that you list for blue light exposure are concerning (obesity, bipolar,…) What source did you use to include that info?

Scott Jeffrey says:

May 3, 2021 at 9:34 am

There’s a great deal of research being conducted on this topic. I link to numerous studies in this guide.

(Go to the subheading “The Dangers of Blue Light”)

Danny says:

November 2, 2021 at 8:21 pm

If you have an iMac computer, there is a setting in “System Preferences” then click on Display. It’s called Night Shift. You can turn off the blue light there or set a time when a warmer light is on your screen. Works well. I believe there is this option on other computers/laptops.