World Sleep Day: 7 Science-Backed Ways to Improve Your Sleep

World Sleep Day: From ancient sleep habits to modern brain science, here are seven research-supported ways to get deeper, more restorative rest.

Around the world, millions of people struggle with insufficient or poor-quality sleep. In the United States alone, tens of millions are estimated to suffer from sleep disorders, and globally sleep deprivation has been described as a public health epidemic.

As we mark World Sleep Day, experts say improving sleep doesn’t necessarily require drastic change — but rather small, informed adjustments rooted in science and history.

World Sleep Day

Here are seven evidence-based ways to improve your slumber.

1. Don’t Panic If You Wake at Night

Modern advice often promotes eight uninterrupted hours of sleep. But historically, humans commonly slept in two segments — a “first sleep” and a “second sleep.”

Historian Roger Ekirch of Virginia Tech uncovered centuries of references to this biphasic pattern. People would wake for an hour or two in the middle of the night to pray, reflect, talk quietly or complete small tasks before returning to bed.

Understanding that broken sleep was once normal may reduce anxiety when you wake during the night. Instead of clock-watching, try staying calm in dim light and engaging in a relaxing activity until you feel sleepy again.

2. Adjust Sleep With the Seasons

Sleep needs can shift throughout the year. Research suggests people experience longer REM and deep sleep during winter months compared to summer.

REM sleep — when dreaming occurs — plays a role in emotional regulation and memory, while deep sleep supports tissue repair and immune function. Darker winter days may naturally increase the body’s need for rest.

Rather than rigidly sticking to one sleep schedule year-round, allowing slight seasonal flexibility may help you feel more refreshed.

3. Take Smart, Short Naps

In many cultures, napping is part of daily life — and science supports it. Studies suggest habitual short naps may help preserve brain volume and potentially delay aspects of brain ageing.

A power nap of 10–15 minutes can immediately boost concentration and cognitive performance, with benefits lasting up to three hours. The key is timing and duration:

• Keep naps under 20 minutes
• Nap in mid-afternoon
• Avoid evening naps

Long naps can interfere with nighttime sleep, so moderation matters.

4. Beware of Microsleeps

Not all naps are beneficial. Microsleeps — involuntary sleep episodes lasting just seconds — can be dangerous, especially while driving.

Research has shown that people restricted to six hours of sleep per night for two weeks experienced cognitive impairment and microsleeps similar to those who stayed awake for 24 hours straight. Microsleeps are also more common in individuals with conditions like narcolepsy.

If you’re dozing off unintentionally during the day, it’s a clear sign you’re chronically sleep-deprived and need more consistent rest.

5. Prioritise Sleep Quality Over Quantity

Seven to nine hours is often recommended, but sleep quality may matter even more than total duration.

During sleep, the brain activates the glymphatic system — a waste-clearance process that flushes toxins and metabolic debris via cerebrospinal fluid. This system works most efficiently when sleep aligns with your circadian rhythm, the body’s internal 24-hour clock.

Going to bed and waking up at consistent times, reducing late-night screen exposure, and getting morning sunlight can strengthen this rhythm and improve restorative sleep stages.

6. Create a Sense of Warmth and Security

For most of history, sleeping alone was unusual. Until the 19th century, communal sleeping was common, with people sharing beds for warmth and companionship.

While modern privacy offers comfort, research shows that emotional security and physical warmth contribute significantly to better sleep. Sharing a bed with a trusted partner, using a weighted blanket, or creating a cosy, temperature-controlled environment can mimic that sense of safety.

Sleep thrives when the body feels relaxed and protected.

7. Optimise Your Sleep Environment

We often underestimate the impact of our surroundings. In medieval times, people slept in enclosed “box beds” to retain warmth, and later on straw-filled mattresses that harboured pests.

Today, comfortable mattresses, breathable bedding, proper ventilation and temperature control are powerful tools for better sleep. A cool, dark and quiet room (typically around 16–19°C or 60–67°F) supports deeper sleep cycles.

Reducing noise, blocking light and investing in supportive bedding can significantly improve rest without changing anything else in your routine.

The Takeaway

Better sleep doesn’t necessarily mean chasing perfection. It may involve:

• Accepting natural night waking
• Sleeping slightly longer in winter
• Taking strategic power naps
• Avoiding chronic sleep restriction
• Aligning with your circadian rhythm
• Creating warmth and emotional security
• Improving your sleep environment

While no method guarantees you’ll leap out of bed joyfully on a Monday morning, combining these seven approaches can move you closer to deeper, more restorative rest — and better overall health.

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