How to Sleep Better: Follow the Laws of Nature for an Optimal Night’s Sleep
Discover how light and other factors affect your sleep and follow three simple rules to sleep better: fall asleep quickly, sleep deeply and uninterrupted, and wake up refreshed.
Importance of Sleep
Sleep is nature’s restorer. It has a major effect on your health.
Good sleep determines the quality of your daily life. It enables you to stay alert and focused throughout the day.
Your whole body, including your brain, detoxifies and heals itself during sleep.
The hormone melatonin makes you sleepy and keeps you asleep. But it is also a powerful protector, the strongest antioxidant for your brain.
Your brain stays active during the night. Only when you are asleep does your brain process the impressions and information it has collected during the day, and it changes (neural plasticity takes place).
These neural processes enable you to learn and adapt effectively to your ever-changing environment.
Ideally, you want to fall asleep quickly, sleep deeply and uninterruptedly, and wake up feeling rested.
Sleep Issues
When we do not get enough or adequate sleep, all the aforementioned processes are disrupted, affecting our well-being and health.
Different issues can cause sleep problems. One of the most significant is the disturbance of the inner rhythm.
Inner Rhythms and Light
The Role of Light
Our lives follow certain rhythms.
Sleep-wake alternation is just one of your inner rhythms. Likewise, blood pressure, body temperature, appetite, digestion, mental alertness, and focus follow their own daily patterns.
Your brain orchestrates all your inner rhythms. The primary external factor that regulates them is light.
Sunlight enters your eyes and directly influences your brain.
Your brain recognizes daytime by light intensity and spectrum, setting your inner clock.
Primarily, it reacts to the morning and evening light. This differs from daylight because of a more pronounced yellow tint.
Artificial Lights and Sleep Disturbances
Although electricity and artificial lights expand our possibilities, they unfortunately disrupt our natural daily rhythms.
It was shown that the eyes become very sensitive to light at night.
Excessive screen use (mobile devices, tablets, computers, and TVs) can delay your circadian rhythm and sleep time.
The bright screen light at night not only knocks down the internal clock, but also activates the habenula – the part of the brain that is responsible for your cognitive and motivational functions.
Excessive habenula activation can cause:
- dissatisfaction
- poor cognitive function
- lack of motivation
- anxiety and depression
It has been demonstrated that exposure to light during sleep impairs cardiometabolic function.
Therefore, keeping your sleeping room as dark as possible is crucial.
3 Easy Rules for Restoring Sleep-Wake Rhythm
To restore healthy sleep, we need to give our brain the correct information about the daytime using its language – sunlight. For this:
- Go out before 10 a.m. and expose yourself to the morning light for at least 10 minutes.
Even on a cloudy day, the light outside is brighter than inside. - Dim all the lights in the house when it gets dark outside.
Use low, soft lights instead of ceiling lights—bright light from above signals our brain to stay awake and alert. Also, keep your sleeping room as dark as possible. - Stop using screens (TV, phone, tablet, computer) for 2 hours before bed.
Blue light from screens disrupts your melatonin production and delays your sleep time.
Follow these simple yet essential rules consistently, and you will soon notice the benefits.
Natural Sleep Pattern Research
Experiments have been conducted in which individuals with disrupted circadian rhythms went camping without artificial light.
The results showed that the natural wake-sleep rhythm can be fully restored in a couple of days (just one weekend).
Your inner clock adjusts completely if you expose yourself only to natural light.
Shiftwork
If you are a shift worker, it is beneficial to maintain the same wake-sleep rhythm for at least 14 days. Consistency is vital because it helps your body to adjust.
The rules about the lights stay valid:
- See as much light as you can when you need to be alert. Of course, take care of your eyes’ safety.
- Stop using screens and dim the lights two hours before going to bed.
Morning and evening light can help:
- The yellow light of the sunset can serve as a wake-up signal.
- The yellow light of sunrise can serve as the end-of-day signal.
Use Your Morning Cortisol to Sleep Better at Night
Sunlight sets your circadian clock from the outside. Physical movement in the morning reinforces the same signal from within.
Your body produces a natural cortisol surge in the first 30 to 45 minutes after waking. Researchers call this the cortisol awakening response. It is not a sign of stress. It is your body mobilising energy, sharpening alertness, and priming every system for the day ahead.
Many people with sleep difficulties report feeling exhausted in the morning and staying in bed longer than necessary. Some start the day by scrolling on their phone. This is the worst possible time to stay passive. Your physiology has already prepared itself for movement.
Morning physical activity works with this cortisol peak. A systematic review and meta-analysis of 10 intervention trials found that physical activity reduced overall cortisol levels and improved sleep quality, with small but significant effects in adults (De Nys et al., 2022). A separate meta-analysis found that higher physical activity is associated with a steeper daily decline in cortisol, meaning cortisol drops more quickly as the day progresses (Moyers and Hagger, 2023). By evening, your cortisol is lower, melatonin rises more reliably, and core body temperature begins its natural descent. These are precisely the conditions your brain needs to fall and stay asleep.
The timing matters. Among university students with poor sleep, morning exercise improved sleep quality in 71.4% of participants, compared with 44.1% for evening exercise and even lower for no exercise (Chahine et al., 2022). In older adults with insomnia, a single morning session reduced night awakenings and cut overall wake time, particularly in those with difficulty falling asleep (Morita et al., 2017).
The intensity does not need to be high. A brisk walk outside covers both morning levers at once: the light exposure resets your circadian clock, and the movement aligns with your cortisol peak. This is the simplest, most evidence-supported morning combination for better sleep.
Other Causes of Poor Sleep
Of course, your diet also plays a crucial role, as your brain requires nutritious food to perform its complex activities. Certain supplements can help improve the quality of your sleep.
Hormonal changes, mostly in menopause, are well-known as sleep disrupters.
Sleep issues can also have psychological reasons, especially in cases when they are combined with anxiety or depression.
Those reasons are deeply rooted in your subconscious mind but can be effectively treated with hypnotherapy.
Hypnotherapy offers a fast and permanent solution to sleep issues by treating the very root cause of the problem.
How much sleep do you need?
An adult requires about 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night.
Additionally, the quality and structure of sleep cycles are just as important as the total amount of sleep time. Each sleep cycle consists of:
- light non-REM
- deeper non-REM
- deep non-REM
- REM (rapid-eye movement) sleep
A complete sleep cycle typically lasts about 90 minutes, and a full night’s sleep should consist of 4 to 6 cycles.
It is difficult to wake up during the deep sleep phase, whereas the brain in the REM phase is active, and you can wake up more easily.
Best Time to Sleep
Not only the length, but also the timing of your sleep, plays an important role.
Even people who consider themselves night owls admit they feel better rested when they go to bed earlier. This is because our circadian rhythm is tied to daylight, as discussed above.
Therefore, rest and sleep should ideally occur between sunset and sunrise.
Moreover, the sleep times need to be consistent.
Why the First Sleep Cycle is Important
Your sleep consists of repeating cycles that are not identical to one another. The first sleep cycle differs from all following ones in:
- the longest deep non-REM sleep stage and the shortest REM stage
- with a spike in growth hormone levels and
- an intensive clean-up (detoxification) of the neurons
During the first sleep cycle, a large amount of growth hormone is released. This is essential for the renewal and repair of cells, tissues, and organs.
Deep brain cleansing:
During the first sleep cycle, neurons remove protein debris that has misfolded or unfolded due to brain activity. A thorough clean-up of the debris is crucial for the brain’s normal functioning the next day.
Important: The growth hormone release and brain cleanup occur only when you go to bed at the usual time.
If you go to bed later, they do not shift to the later time, but do not take place. Therefore, your brain and body will not function optimally the next day.
The best temperature to sleep
Your body temperature follows the circadian rhythm:
- decreases in the evening
- reaches its minimum during sleep
- rises towards the end of sleep
- reaches the maximum during the day
As our body temperature drops during sleep, sleeping in a cool environment (17-19°C) promotes sound sleep.
If you wake up during the night and have difficulty falling asleep, you can lower your body temperature by:
- Drink some cold water
- Cool down your hands with cold water
- Stick out your feet or hands from the blanket – both palms and soles of your feet are rich in blood vessels and play a role in your body’s thermal regulation. You can quickly reduce your body temperature by cooling down your feet or hands.
- even using a programmable temperature-regulating mattress cover
Healthy Wake-Sleep Rhythm
Circadian rhythm dysregulation can cause various health problems, including:
cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular risks, obesity, mood disorders, and age-related macular degeneration.
Restoring healthy circadian rhythms by regulating light exposure brings you multiple benefits for well-being and health in the short- to long-term.
In the short term, you will experience an excellent sleep-wake rhythm, improved sleep quality, and increased focus.
In the mid-term, you will improve your mood, memory, productivity, and symptoms of mood disorders like major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and schizophrenia.
In the long term, you will secure healthy aging and longevity by preventing aging-related diseases.
Restoring and supporting a healthy circadian rhythm can be accelerated by maintaining regular eating and exercise times.
Conclusions
A good night’s sleep determines the quality of your daily life.
Ideal sleep rhythm is:
- fall asleep quickly
- sleep deeply and uninterrupted
- wake up rested
Your brain sets your inner clock, i.e., the sleep-wake rhythm, in response to sunlight, especially sunrise and sunset.
Follow three simple rules to restore your sleep:
- Go out before 10 am for 10 minutes
- Dim all artificial lights after sunset
- Stop using screens 2 hours before going to bed
Hypnotherapy can be an excellent solution for sleep issues caused by psychological reasons.
Sleep Better FAQ
Does melatonin work?
Melatonin supplements make it easier to fall asleep but do not improve sleep quality. You may also wake up in the middle of the night when the melatonin supplement stops working. Therefore, identifying the root causes of sleep issues and addressing them is more effective.
How can I increase my melatonin levels to improve my sleep quality?
Being outside and viewing the evening sunlight will additionally influence your inner rhythms. Like the morning sunlight, the evening sunlight is more yellow. Viewing it will stimulate melatonin release in the evening.
Regular sleeping times will support the sleep-wake rhythm and melatonin release in the evening.
Can I have better sleep after meditation?
A relaxing guided meditation can help calm you and improve your sleep. Other options are breathing exercises or (self-)hypnosis.
Does daily exercise promote better sleep?
Your body is meant to be active in the morning and during the day. Daily exercise during this part of the day will align with your daily rhythm, tire your body, and promote better sleep at night.
What is one small change that helped you get better sleep?
Learning self-hypnosis for sleep helped me get better sleep—falling asleep more easily and sleeping through the night.
What is the best dinner for better sleep?
Foods that support brain activity and health will also promote better sleep. A nutrient-rich protocol, such as the modern hunter-gatherer protocol, is well-suited to promoting overall well-being and sound sleep. It includes:
* a wide variety of vegetables, mushrooms, seeds, and nuts
* quality meats or vegetarian sources of protein
* low in carbohydrates, especially sugar avoidance
Vitamin D and magnesium supplements may be helpful.
Consult your doctor before taking any supplements.
What is the cortisol awakening response?
Cortisol rises naturally in the 30 to 45 minutes after waking.
This is called the cortisol awakening response, and it is a normal, healthy signal. It mobilises energy, sharpens focus, and primes the body for activity. Aligning morning movement to this peak supports healthier cortisol regulation throughout the rest of the day.
Why do I feel so tired in the morning even after a full night of sleep?
Morning fatigue despite adequate sleep is often a sign of disrupted circadian rhythm or poor sleep quality rather than insufficient sleep hours. Inconsistent wake times, late light exposure, and low morning activity can all contribute. Consistent sunlight exposure and morning movement help re-establish the rhythm that makes waking feel natural.
Is it bad to stay in bed after waking up?
Your body produces its highest cortisol of the day in the first 30 to 45 minutes after waking. Lying in bed past this window delays the physiological signals that set your energy and alertness for the day. Getting up and moving outside early aligns you with this natural peak and improves how you feel by evening.
What is the best time of day to exercise for better sleep?
Morning is consistently shown to produce the greatest sleep benefits.
In studies comparing morning and evening training, morning exercise is associated with higher sleep efficiency, fewer nighttime awakenings, and better overall sleep quality. Evening exercise, particularly intense exercise close to bedtime, can delay melatonin release and keep cortisol elevated when it should be falling.
Does morning exercise reduce stress during the day?
Yes, through the cortisol pathway. Regular morning physical activity supports a steeper cortisol decline across the day, meaning stress hormone levels fall more efficiently by the afternoon and evening. This makes it easier to feel calm and relaxed in the hours before sleep, rather than carrying the day’s tension into bed.
References
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