Dr. Matt Walker

I'll explain the answer so people understand why it's important.

So as I said, there are probably five things that you can start doing tonight to try to improve your sleep.

The first we've spoken a little bit about in that first episode, it's part of the four macros of good sleep.

First piece of advice, regularity.

go to bed at the same time and wake up at the same time, no matter whether it's the weekday or the weekend.

Regularity is king.

And the reason is because when you feed your brain the signals of timed regularity for your sleep,

it will anchor your sleep and improve the quantity and the quality of that sleep.

Because part of that signal of regularity going into your brain in terms of that repeated behavior night after night, sleep, in other words, helps train that central 24-hour circadian clock that we also spoke about in the first episode.

So that's the first piece of advice.

Try to keep it as regular as you possibly can.

The second piece of advice is darkness.

In my view, we are a dark, deprived society in this modern era, and we need darkness at night, as well you've spoken about, to release a hormone called melatonin.

And melatonin will help time the regular onset of your sleep.

So that sounds great, but boots on the ground, Matt, what does that mean?

I would suggest the following.

In the last hour before bed, try to dim down 50%, if not more, of your lights in your home.

And you will be quite surprised at how sleepy and soporific that will make you feel.

I will do this in a regimented way.

A little reminder that pops up and tells me now is the time to dim the lights based on your bedtime.