Go to Bed on Time — Every Time — with Sleep Syncing

<p>There’s almost nothing more vital to your short-, medium-, and long-term health than sleep, yet so many of us struggle to get enough of it. We wake up too frequently in the night, can’t get back to sleep, or just won’t fall asleep for hours in the first place. </p> <p>Frustratingly, it can be an unpredictable mess of having some nights where things work out — you fall asleep relatively fast and wake up at a normal hour feeling rested — and then others where you don’t get there till 3 a.m. and wake up exhausted. </p> <p>Sleep is a complicated engine that’s sensitive to all sorts of interference. From caffeine too late in the day to a mind wandering unsettled, getting sleep to cooperate and do its job can be its own nightmare.</p> <p>One wellness trend that’s taken off in 2023 is sleep syncing. There are many ways to improve sleep (some of which may require a doctor), and sleep syncing is a first-line defense that may help you figure it all out without popping a single pill. </p> <p>The gist of it is that you adhere to a strict sleeping schedule seven days a week — no exceptions. You go to sleep at the same time every night, and you wake up at the same time every day. That’s it.</p> <p>As much as we may be consistent on weekdays, mostly because of work obligations, a lot of us become lax on the weekend to stay out late or sleep in. The problem is that you are regularly interrupting your schedule, and your body can’t so easily snap back to the weekday routine you employ on Sunday night.</p> <p>Obviously, this is hardly a new idea, but it has taken off as a trend on TikTok and got people raving about it. Scientists can tell you that following your body’s “master clock” is the best practice for optimally regulating bodily functions. It regulates your circadian rhythm, which has a powerful effect on the quantity and quality of your sleep. This is nature’s way of keeping you in sync with day and night.</p> <p>The benefits extend well into the daytime too: greater alertness and focus, improved mood, increased productivity, and reduced risk of common sleep issues like insomnia or daytime fatigue. </p> <p>Not everyone is going to have the same rhythm with sleep syncing. Some people are night owls and others are morning larks by design, and, left to their own devices, they usually gravitate to these rhythms anyway. Lining up your sleep and wake times with your natural circadian rhythm should produce the best results.</p> <figure><img alt="" height="415" src="https://cdn.storymd.com/optimized/vAQna1u7o8/original.jpg" width="777" /> <figcaption>Improving Your Sleep <em>Source: TheVisualMD</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>Sleep syncing has such a simple premise but can reap real rewards, and it’s something most people could try. The schedule has to line up with your obligations, but if you stick with it, you should find yourself crashing at the same time each night. </p> <p>For anyone with even mild insomnia, that sounds like pure fantasy, but it’s possible.</p> <h2>Sleep syncing isn’t for everyone</h2> <p>There are some exceptions to who can fit in a sleep-syncing lifestyle, especially those who work unusual hours. If you regularly work the graveyard shift, it simply won’t be possible to follow your body’s natural inclinations with sleep. The same goes for frequent flyers traveling to different time zones for work.</p> <p>Shift work and jet lag can do a number on you by desynchronizing your circadian rhythm, making it impossible to consistently align sleep.</p> <p>Even if neither of those apply, some people struggle to sleep sync because they have a disorder. Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome (DSPS) is a condition in which there is a delayed timing of the sleep–wake cycle. People with DSPS may have difficulty falling asleep and waking up at a proper time, making it hard to align their sleep patterns. The opposite problem exists too in advanced sleep phase syndrome, which is characterized by an earlier sleep–wake cycle.</p> <h2>How to sleep sync</h2> <p>If you’re curious about sleep syncing, set yourself up for success by planning ahead:</p> <ul> <li><strong>Consider the sleep and wake time carefully</strong>. This has to apply across all seven days of your week. Whatever times you pick for these slots, they must make sense in relation to getting up for work with enough rest and time to get there, but also for activities on the weekend. Be prepared for not staying out later than your agreed bedtime on Saturday nights and planning social events accordingly.</li> <li><strong>Ease yourself into the pattern</strong>. Once you’ve established your sleep and wake times, start to gradually shift your current times by 15 or 30 minutes a night until you reach your target. </li> <li><strong>Create a routine</strong>. You can signal to your body that sleep is coming up by getting into a routine. This series of actions can be followed every night as a way to wind down. Read a book, wash your face, take a bath, practice relaxation techniques, or do whatever works for you.</li> <li><strong>Eliminate chemical distractions</strong>. Drinking caffeine less than eight hours before bedtime is a great way to fail. This stimulant lasts a lot longer than you may expect, so it’s preferable to only consume it in the morning. Alcohol also interferes with sleep quality so keep it to a minimum. </li> <li><strong>Avoid blue light.</strong> Blue light from tablets, phones, and laptops can interrupt our natural sleep–wake cycle, making it harder to fall asleep. Avoid screens before bedtime or use a blue light filter app instead.</li> <li><strong>Exercise during the day.</strong> Physical exertion during the daytime can help to improve the quality of your sleep.</li> <li><strong>Tailor your sleeping environment for a good night’s rest.</strong> Quiet, cool, and dark bedrooms are the key to an ideal sleeping environment. Some people use white noise machines as an aid.</li> </ul> <ul> <li><strong>Sleep tracker. </strong>This is an optional point, but you can track sleep with a monitoring app or device to provide insight into your sleep patterns. This can help to identify areas where you are lacking so you can adjust and improve.</li> </ul> <p>Getting into a lasting sleep sync cycle can take work and time, so be patient. There may be adjustments you have to make along the way as you find what times truly work best for you and your lifestyle. Remember that if you are thorough and diligent but still can’t pull off consistent sleep, it may be time to see a doctor.</p> <h2>More on Sleep</h2><ul><li><a href="https://soulivity.storymd.com/journal/mr7bavphzj-understanding-sleep" target="_blank">Understanding the Science of Sleep</a></li><li><a href="https://soulivity.storymd.com/journal/wxlrabqizw-wellness-and-sleep" target="_blank">The Importance of Sleep on Your Health</a></li><li><a href="https://soulivity.storymd.com/journal/xjnppk8irm-sleep-disorders" target="_blank">Sleep Disorders: Types, Diagnosis, Treatment</a></li></ul>