Sleep, from Structure
Slow down. Let your mind settle.
As you relax with your eyes closed, your brain shifts from busy beta waves into calmer alpha waves, the doorway to sleep. Lie back, breathe slowly and let the sound do the rest.
Sleep habits that actually help
Nothing here needs buying. Pick one or two and keep them up for a fortnight.
- Wake at the same time every day. Even at weekends. A steady wake time sets your body clock more than a set bedtime does.
- Get daylight early. Ten minutes outside in the morning tells your body clock it's daytime, so you feel sleepy at the right time tonight.
- Stop caffeine by early afternoon. It stays in your system for hours after the last cup, quietly keeping you alert.
- Dim the lights an hour before bed. Low, warm light and fewer screens help your brain start winding down.
- Keep the room cool, dark and quiet. If you can get quiet, choose quiet. Earplugs and an eye mask are cheap and effective.
- Go easy on alcohol. It can help you nod off, but it breaks up your sleep later in the night.
- Can't sleep? Get up. If you've been awake for around 20 minutes, sit somewhere dim and calm until you feel sleepy, then go back to bed.
- Park the worries. Write tomorrow's to-do list before bed so your mind doesn't have to hold on to it.
Want to go further?
Our sleep lab has eight free tools for sound, sleep cycles, caffeine, your body clock and wind-down. Nothing to sign up for.
If poor sleep has lasted more than a few weeks, you snore loudly or stop breathing in your sleep, or you're very sleepy in the day, please speak to your GP. Structure isn't a medical service.