Focus
✓Explore all 891 studies in Sleep →
The full evidence base behind this focus area, every study with its grade and DOI.40 blocks
ASleep · overview
Sleep: Why It Matters for Health
An orientation to how much sleep adults need and why sleep quality, timing, and regularity affect nearly every system of the body.
better sleepenergylongevity
ASleep · concept
CBT-I: What It Is and Why It Is First Line
Cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia is the best-supported treatment for persistent insomnia, and it is something you get from a professional rather than something you assemble yourself.
Know that persistent insomnia has a well-evidenced treatmentKnow what CBT-I involves before seeking itAsk for it by name
ASleep · concept
Chronotype: Larks and Owls
Why people differ in their natural timing preference and how chronotype interacts with schedules.
better sleepenergyfocus
ASleep · concept
Exercise and Sleep
How regular physical activity supports better sleep, and how timing of exercise can matter.
better sleeprecoveryenergy
ASleep · concept
Light, Darkness, and Melatonin
How light exposure suppresses melatonin and shifts the clock, and why evening darkness supports sleep timing.
better sleepenergymood
ASleep · concept
Napping: Benefits and Trade-offs
How short naps can boost alertness while long or late naps may reduce night-time sleep drive.
energyfocusrecovery
ASleep · concept
Sleep Duration and Health Outcomes
Why both too little and too much habitual sleep track with higher risk across mortality, heart, and metabolic outcomes.
longevitybetter sleepenergy
ASleep · concept
Sleep Regularity and Consistency
Why keeping consistent sleep and wake times may matter for health beyond total hours slept.
better sleeplongevityenergy
ASleep · concept
Sleep and Heart Health
Why both short and long sleep are associated with higher cardiovascular risk.
longevitybetter sleep
ASleep · concept
Sleep and Metabolic Health
Why short or disrupted sleep is linked with higher risk of type 2 diabetes, obesity, and impaired glucose control.
longevitybetter sleepenergy
ASleep · concept
Sleep and Mood
How sleep and emotional well-being interact, and why poor sleep tracks with worse mood.
moodbetter sleepenergy
ASleep · concept
The Circadian Rhythm and Your Body Clock
How an internal ~24-hour clock, entrained mainly by light, governs the timing of sleepiness and alertness.
better sleepenergymood
ASleep · concept
What Sleep Loss Does to Daytime Function
How acute and chronic sleep loss impair alertness, reaction time, safety, and mood the next day.
energyfocusbetter sleep
BSleep · concept
Alcohol and Sleep
Why alcohol may speed sleep onset but fragments sleep and suppresses REM later in the night.
better sleeprecovery
BSleep · concept
Caffeine and Sleep
How caffeine blocks the sleepiness signal for hours, and why its timing and dose affect sleep.
better sleepenergy
BSleep · concept
How Sleep Changes with Age
Why sleep timing, depth, and continuity shift across the lifespan, especially in older adulthood.
better sleeplongevityrecovery
BSleep · concept
Melatonin: Small, Real, and Usually Mistimed
Melatonin's effect on falling asleep is small but real, and timing matters more than dose.
Read melatonin claims accuratelyUnderstand it as a timing signal rather than a sleeping pill
BSleep · concept
Screens and Evening Light
How evening screen use and light exposure can delay sleep timing and reduce sleep.
better sleepenergy
BSleep · concept
Sleep Architecture and Stages
How a night of sleep cycles through light, deep (slow-wave), and REM stages, and why the mix matters.
better sleeprecoveryfocus
BSleep · concept
Sleep Pressure and Homeostasis
How the drive to sleep builds the longer you are awake and dissipates during sleep, working alongside the body clock.
better sleepenergyfocus
BSleep · concept
Sleep, Cognition, and Memory
How sleep duration tracks with cognitive outcomes, and where the popular memory-consolidation story sits.
focusbetter sleepenergy
BSleep · concept
Sleep, Immunity, and Inflammation
How sleep disturbance and extremes of duration are linked with markers of inflammation.
longevityrecoverybetter sleep
BSleep · concept
Why Sleep Hygiene Alone Falls Short
The familiar sleep-hygiene advice helps a little, and much less than the structured programme it is often mistaken for.
Set accurate expectations for hygiene adviceKnow when to escalate to a professional
BSleep · practice
Build a Pre-Sleep Wind-Down Routine
Use a consistent, calming 30–60 minute routine before bed to signal the body it is time to sleep.
better sleepmoodrecovery
BSleep · practice
Dim Lights in the Evening
Lower indoor light in the hours before bed to protect melatonin release and sleep timing.
better sleepenergy
BSleep · practice
Get Bright Light in the Morning
Seek daylight or bright light soon after waking to anchor your body clock and daytime alertness.
better sleepenergymood
BSleep · practice
Keep a Consistent Sleep–Wake Schedule
Go to bed and, especially, wake up at about the same time every day, including weekends.
better sleepenergylongevity
BSleep · practice
Moderate Alcohol to Protect Sleep
Avoid alcohol close to bedtime because it fragments sleep and reduces its restorative quality.
better sleeprecovery
BSleep · practice
Move Regularly for Better Sleep
Get regular physical activity, ideally not too late at night, to support sleep quality.
better sleeprecoveryenergy
BSleep · practice
Nap Short and Early
If you nap, keep it brief and early in the afternoon to gain alertness without harming night sleep.
energyfocusrecovery
BSleep · practice
Protect a Full 7–9 Hour Sleep Window
Schedule enough time in bed, about 7–9 hours, so you can consistently get adequate sleep.
better sleepenergylongevity
BSleep · practice
Reserve the Bed for Sleep
Use the bed mainly for sleep, and get up if you are awake and frustrated, to strengthen the bed–sleep association.
better sleep
BSleep · practice
Set an Evening Screen Curfew
Stop stimulating screen use in the last hour before bed, or dim and reduce engagement.
better sleepenergy
BSleep · practice
Time Your Last Caffeine Earlier
Avoid caffeine in the late afternoon and evening so it does not interfere with falling asleep.
better sleepenergy
BSleep · practice
Use Relaxation or Slow Breathing to Wind Down
Practice a simple relaxation or slow-breathing technique before bed to lower arousal and ease into sleep.
better sleepmoodrecovery
CSleep · concept
Temperature and Sleep
Why the body cools to initiate sleep and how ambient temperature influences sleep quality.
better sleeprecovery
CSleep · practice
Be Skeptical of Sleep Shortcuts
Approach supplements, gadgets, and “miracle” sleep aids critically; prioritize proven habits first.
better sleep
CSleep · practice
Make the Bedroom Cool, Dark, and Quiet
Optimize the sleep environment: a cool temperature, darkness, and low noise support better sleep.
better sleeprecovery
CSleep · practice
Offload Worries Before Bed
Write down tomorrow’s tasks or lingering worries earlier in the evening to quiet a racing mind at bedtime.
better sleepmood
CSleep · practice
Stop Watching the Clock
Turn the clock away and avoid checking the time during the night to reduce sleep-related anxiety.
better sleep