Sleep doctor shares 2 rules to fix sleep routine and rest better: ‘When you go to bed at 10…’

If your sleep is not restful or restorative enough, leaving you groggy, then consider these 2 rules to fix your sleep cycle.

Sleep is the bedrock of overall wellbeing, responsible for various facets such as mental clairty, physical health and emotional balance. Yet most of the general discourse around sleep often focuses on how many hours one sleeps. While that is essential, it is only one pillar of quality rest.

Unpredictable sleeping habits can interrupt quality rest. (Unsplash)

For a comprehensive approach to enhanced sleep, one needs to take a closer look at their sleep routine. Dr Christopher J Allen, a physician in sleep medicine and pediatric neurology with 20 years of experience in the medical field, shared a practical and realistic sleep routine in an Instagram post on December 22. He explained that to improve your sleep, two major factors play an integral role: consistent sleep and wake times.

Going to sleep whenever you want or have time can throw you down the rabbit hole of health problems later on. (Shutterstock)

“Your body likes predictable patterns. When you go to bed at 10 one night and 1 am the next, your internal clock gets confused,” Dr Chris explained, suggesting that the human body operates on regularity. If your sleep pattern is inconsistent, you may find it harder to fall asleep, experience frequent night awakenings, and feel sluggish the next day.

To rectify your unstable sleep habits, Dr Chris shared a set of simple rules that, when followed consistently for a couple of weeks, can lead to improvements in sleep quality and, in general, the overall restfulness.

Rule 1

The first rule the sleep doctor suggested was to ensure you wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends. He especially pointed out weekends, as many people generally sleep in late. However, when your wake-up time remains the same daily, you train your body to feel more alert at the designated time, which subsequently lowers the chances of morning grogginess and improves overall sleep quality.

Rule 2

The second rule is to avoid drastic differences in sleep time. “Don't vary bed or wake times by more than 30 minutes,” Dr Chris suggested. Any large variations in your bedtime or wake-up time can disturb the internal clock. As he explained before, going to bed one night at 10 pm and then at 1 am would relay mixed signals, making it very difficult for your body to understand if it's the time to stay alert or sleepy.

Note to readers: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them. This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice.