Sleep Smarter: 5 Tips You May Not Have Tried Yet
By Lily Olsen
Sleep science is everywhere. You’ve heard the usual advice – keep your bedroom dark, avoid screens, stick to a schedule. But what if you’re missing the key ingredient? Emerging research reveals that great sleep is about so much more than we realise.
Recently, the internet has been buzzing about “sleep maxxing”. Rooted in biohacking, this trend has people obsessively optimising every aspect of their sleep [see more here]. But in a world that is already overstimulating, the pressure to perfect our sleep often becomes just another stressor, ironically pushing a good night’s rest further out of reach.
As a qualified counsellor with a keen interest in sleep wellbeing, I have worked with many clients struggling with their sleep. Many come to me after trying every trick in the book, only to find themselves back where they started. When it comes to sleep, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all fix. It’s about finding what actually works for you.
I get it – with so much advice out there, it can quickly feel overwhelming. But the sleep you’re dreaming of doesn’t come from overcomplicating it. It comes from small, practical shifts that make good sleep effortless.
Although this is one of the most well-known sleep tips, I have to mention it because it really does matter. That classic “nightcap” isn’t actually effective. Sure, a drink (or a couple) might help you doze off faster, but the trade-off? A sleep that leaves you feeling like you haven’t slept at all. Unfortunately, alcohol disrupts your sleep, throwing off its natural rhythm and fragmenting the deep, restorative stages that help you wake up feeling refreshed. This is why you can sleep a full eight hours after drinking and still feel groggy. If winding down with a drink is part of your routine, try swapping it for a non-alcoholic alternative – especially one infused with calming terpenes – to help you relax naturally without compromising your sleep quality.
And with that shameless plug out of the way, here are five simple ways you can start today for better rest tonight.
1. Understand and Identify Your Sleep Needs
If sleep hygiene feels like old news, you’ve probably tried all the usual advice. “Coffee only in the morning, chamomile at night” (if only it were that simple). But if those tricks haven’t worked for you, you’re not alone. When it comes to sleep, there’s no universal solution (if there were, I’d probably be out of a job!). What helps one person drift off might leave someone else wide awake, staring at the ceiling.
Science explains why. Research shows that our chronotype (whether you’re naturally a night owl or an early bird), genetics, and lifestyle factors all play a role in how and when we sleep best. Some people thrive on six hours, while others need a solid nine to function. The key is to stop forcing yourself into someone else’s sleep routine and figure out what yours should be.
Practical Tip: Keep a Sleep Diary
Tracking your sleep quality can help you spot patterns and make meaningful changes. For at least a week, jot down:
When you go to bed and wake up
How long it takes to fall asleep
How many times you wake up during the night
How you feel in the morning (groggy, refreshed, somewhere in between?)
If pen and paper isn’t your thing, try an app like Sleep Cycle or Rise Science, which track your sleep and help you understand your patterns. The more you learn about your sleep habits, the easier it is to find the ones that have a lasting impact.
2. Optimise Light Exposure
You’ve probably heard that blue light at night is bad for deep sleep – but do you know why? Blue light suppresses melatonin, the hormone that tells our body it’s time to wind down. But here’s something that doesn’t get talked about enough: melatonin levels don’t just depend on what you avoid at night; they’re also influenced by what you do in the morning. Getting sunlight early in the day helps set your internal clock (your circadian rhythm) making it easier to fall asleep later.
Morning Light: Try to get outside within an hour of waking, even if it’s just for a few minutes. Sunlight (yes, even on a cloudy or rainy day) signals to your body that it’s time to be alert, helping regulate your sleep-wake cycle. If stepping outside isn’t an option, sitting by a bright window is the next best thing.
Evening Light: As the day winds down, start dimming the lights and cutting back on screens. If scrolling before bed is a non-negotiable (no judgment), try using blue light filters or wearing blue light-blocking glasses. Most smart TVs have a “night mode,” and you can even buy amber light bulbs to create a sleep-friendly environment.
Practical Tip: Make it a Habit
What’s the first thing you do when you wake up? Coffee? Brush your teeth? Whatever it is, try doing it outside instead. Research shows that even just two minutes of morning light can help. Someone once asked me, ‘What if the first thing I do is use the toilet?’ If this is you, too… well, maybe keep that one indoors.
3. Rethink How You Wake Up
We've all seen the hilarious video comparing the way Android users wake up vs. Apple users. One is gently roused by a soft symphony, the other jolted awake by a blaring alarm. (If you haven’t, take a break from all this reading and have a laugh: [View here]).
Most sleep advice focuses on winding down before bed, but how you start your day also plays a huge role in your sleep quality. A chaotic morning filled with stress and rushing can spike cortisol, the body's primary stress hormone, disrupting your natural rhythms and making it harder to unwind at night.
The way you wake up sets the tone for the rest of your day - and your night. So instead of jolting awake to a harsh alarm and immediately reaching for your phone, try easing into your morning with intention.
Practical Tip: Swap Your Alarm
If needed, update your alarm sound. Something gentle that starts quiet and slowly builds in volume is ideal. Sunrise alarm clocks are another practical option. They gradually brighten to mimic natural daylight. Otherwise, simply open your blinds a little before bed to let in morning sunlight. These options help regulate your circadian rhythm and nervous system, making waking up feel more natural.
4. Sound Therapy: Tuning Your Brain for Sleep
You’ve probably heard of white noise machines, but did you know certain sounds can actually help train your brain for better sleep? Neuroacoustic sound therapy uses specific frequencies to promote relaxation and synchronize brainwave activity, making it easier to drift off and stay asleep.
Binaural beats, for example, play slightly different tones in each ear, which can encourage your brain into a more relaxed state. Research suggests that beats in the delta (0.5–4 Hz) or theta (4–8 Hz) range may support deep sleep. Then there’s pink noise (think steady rain or rustling leaves) which has been shown to improve slow-wave sleep (the kind that leaves you feeling truly refreshed). Even low-frequency delta waves can sync with your brain’s natural rhythms, helping to quiet your mind and ease you into rest.
Practical Tip: Find Your Sleepy Soundtrack
Try listening to binaural beats or pink noise (using headphones for the full effect) as you drift off. You can find these on sleep apps like Endel, Sleep Cycle, Insight Timer or even on YouTube (but be mindful of ads ruining the flow!). Experiment with different sounds to see what works best for your sleep hygiene – your perfect sleep soundtrack might not be what you expect!
5. Rethink Your Relationship with Sleep (CBT-I Techniques)
We’ve all been here: lying in bed, doing the math on how much sleep we’ll get if we just fell asleep right now. Then, of course, we don’t. The more we stress about sleep, the harder it is to actually get it.
The thing is: chasing the perfect night’s sleep can backfire. Here’s where Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) comes in. CBT-I is a research-backed approach that helps improve sleep by changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviours around rest. It focuses on aligning with your body's natural rhythms rather than fixating on specific sleep durations.
Some nights, sleep just isn’t great – and that’s normal. Stress, lifestyle changes, and even just being human mean sleep will naturally fluctuate. The key lies in valuing balance over perfection, and compassion over pressure. CBT-I helps us do this by shifting the way we think about sleep. Instead of spiralling into thoughts like, “I’m going to be exhausted tomorrow because my brain won’t shut up,” this technique asks us to respond with a fact-based reframe: “My brain is just trying to help by planning for tomorrow. I don’t need to solve everything right now. I give myself permission to rest.” A small shift like this can make a big difference in how you approach sleep.
Practical Tip: Tracking to Reframe Your Sleep Story
Pick Your Tool: Use a notebook, phone notes, or an app like CBT Thought Diary or Day One to track your sleep-related thoughts.
Set a Habit: Jot down sleep-related worries before bed or in the morning.
Notice Patterns: After a few days, look for recurring thoughts like “I am just a bad sleeper” or “I need 8 hours to function.”
Reframe Gently: Swap anxious thoughts for neutral, fact-based ones: “Some nights are better than others, and that’s all part of being human.”
Keep It Simple: A single note each night is enough to increase awareness and ease sleep anxiety.
Final Thoughts
As we wrap up, I want to leave you with this: great sleep isn’t about perfection. It’s about creating the right conditions and letting your body do the rest (pun intended). And if you have a rough night? That doesn’t mean you’re failing. I say this as someone who has spent years studying sleep and still has nights where I toss and turn. Sleep isn’t something to control; it’s something to trust. Wherever you are right now – waking up, powering through the day, or winding down for the night – give yourself permission to let go. Let go of the pressure, the overthinking, the chase for perfect sleep.
Tonight, instead of striving for perfection, try something different. Trust that rest will come. Trust that you’ll be okay, even if it’s not perfect. Sleep isn’t a test to pass or an obstacle to conquer. When you stop chasing it, sleep has a way of finding you.
About the Author: Lily Olsen, Qualified Therapist (MNZAC)
Lily is a qualified counsellor and mental health professional with over a decade of experience in the field. She brings a trauma-informed, evidence-based, and holistic approach to both her therapy work and facilitation. In addition to delivering wellbeing training, she provides therapy to individuals and couples, drawing on psychodynamic principles to help clients explore how past experiences shape present behaviours and relationships. Lily is passionate about creating a supportive space where people can navigate challenges, uncover inner strengths, and move toward meaningful growth.
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