Sleeping better without pills: what actually works

A short, useful read for the HubCage community.

The habits that improve sleep are boring and effective: the same wake-up time every day including weekends, daylight within an hour of waking, no caffeine after early afternoon, and a cool, dark bedroom. Screens are a problem less for the light than for the content, which keeps the mind alert; a paper book or a podcast is a better last hour.

If you lie awake for more than twenty minutes, get up, do something dull in dim light and return when sleepy. Staying in bed teaches the brain that the bed is a place for worrying. Keep this up for three weeks before judging the results, and talk to a doctor if snoring, breathing pauses or persistent daytime exhaustion are part of the picture.