Good sleep is the basis for health, mental performance and physical regeneration. However, many people struggle with sleep problems - according to surveys, around 25% of the population complain of sleep disorders and around 10% often experience their sleep as non-restorative. This ranges from difficulty falling asleep(insomnia) to waking up frequently and feeling groggy in the morning. In this article, you will find out how you can improve your sleep. From proven sleep hygiene to natural sleep aids such as melatonin or magnesium to relaxation techniques (e.g. breathing exercises, meditation), we present strategies that will help you get a good night's sleep and more energy during the day. Please note: everyone is different - what helps one person may not work as well for another. However, it is worth trying out different approaches to find your personal evening routine to optimize your sleep. (Important legal notice: Health-related information on sleep aids has been carefully researched. Melatonin, for example, officially helps to shorten the time it takes to fall asleep - EFSA claim. Other active ingredients such as herbs do not have an EFSA-recognized claim; here reference is made to studies and traditional use).
Sleep hygiene: the basis for better sleep
Sleep hygiene refers to habits and environmental factors that promote good sleep. Often, simple measures can make a big difference. Here are the most important factors for a restful night:
- Rhythm: If possible, get up at the same time every day and go to bed at the same time - even at weekends. A constant sleep-wake rhythm stabilizes your internal clock and helps your body to adjust to fixed bedtimes.
- Sleeping environment: Make sure your bedroom is dark, quiet and cool. A slightly lower room temperature (ideally around 16-19 °C) supports the natural lowering of the body's core temperature and helps you fall asleep【10】. Light - especially blue screen light - inhibits melatonin production in the evening and makes it more difficult to fall asleep. Use a sleep mask or blackout curtains if necessary. Earplugs or background noise (e.g. soft white noise) can help against noise.
- Only use the bed for sleeping: Train your brain to associate the bed mainly with sleep (and relaxation). Avoid working, playing, surfing or watching TV in bed. If you often toss and turn in bed at night, get up briefly (in another dark room) and read something monotonous - only return to bed when you feel tired again. This is how you condition yourself in the long term: bed = sleeping place.
- Relaxation in the evening: Create an evening ritual that brings you to rest (a fixed sleep routine). This can be a warm bath, quiet reading, gentle stretching exercises or meditation. A bath about 1-2 hours before going to bed can make it easier to fall asleep, as the body temperature drops afterwards - an important signal for the body to become tired【10】. Avoid intense physical or mental activity in the last hour before going to bed.
- No caffeine & heavy food late at night: You should avoid coffee, black tea, cola etc. for 4-6 hours before going to bed if possible. Large, greasy meals late in the evening also put a strain on your digestion and can disturb your sleep. It is better to have a light, carbohydrate-rich snack about 1 hour before going to bed (e.g. a banana or warm milk with honey) - this can make it easier for some people to fall asleep.
- Alcohol is not the solution: a "nightcap" may help you fall asleep, but it drastically impairs the quality of your sleep. Alcohol reduces restful deep sleep and often leads to early awakening. It is therefore better to avoid it or only enjoy it in moderation.
If you consistently maintain good sleep hygiene, mild sleep problems often disappear into thin air. In a study with older adults, sleep hygiene advice alone improved the quality of sleep somewhat【2】. However, an active relaxation exercise (mindfulness meditation) was even more effective in this study【2】. This shows: It's all in the mix - adjust habits and actively reduce stress to sleep better.
A few particular aspects of sleep hygiene are worth looking at individually:
Reduce snoring
Snoring can not only disturb your bed partner, it can also make your own sleep less restful - especially if you experience breathing interruptions(sleep apnoea). Losing weight (being overweight promotes snoring) and sleeping on your side instead of on your back often helps to reduce snoring. You should avoid alcohol in the evening as it causes the throat muscles to relax. There are also special anti-snoring pillows or nasal strips that are worth a try for mild snoring. If snoring is very severe with pronounced daytime sleepiness, you should consult a doctor to rule out sleep apnoea. This is because untreated sleep apnoea increases the risk of high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.
Use a sleep tracker?
Modern fitness wristbands and sleep apps promise to measure sleep quality. In fact, they can record sleep duration and nocturnal movements quite well; some devices even estimate deep sleep phases. This is interesting, but should be interpreted with caution - these trackers are not 100% accurate. Above all, too much worrying about the "right" sleep phases can paradoxically have the effect of inhibiting sleep. If you like collecting data, a tracker can be helpful in recognizing patterns (e.g. that you sleep worse after alcohol). Ultimately, however, what counts is how you feel in the morning: do you feel refreshed? This subjective assessment is more important than perfect diagrams in an app.
Natural sleep aids and supplements
Many people resort to over-the-counter sleep aids from the pharmacy or drugstore when they have problems sleeping. However, not all remedies are safe or even effective. Here is an overview of common natural sleep aids and what you should know about them:
- Melatonin: The sleep hormone melatonin is released in our brain in the evening and signals to the body that it is night time. As a supplement (usually 1-5 mg), it can help to regulate the sleep-wake rhythm. Melatonin is particularly useful for jet lag or shift work. In the EU, it is available over the counter in low doses (up to 1 mg). Officially, melatonin helps to shorten the time it takes to fall asleep (approved health claim at 1 mg before bedtime). Studies show that melatonin primarily makes it easier to fall asleep【5】. The effect on sleep quality (depth of sleep, sleep through the night), on the other hand, is rather moderate【5】. Interesting: With increasing age, the body's own melatonin production often decreases【8】. Older people are therefore more likely to have sleep disorders - a careful intake of melatonin can also help to stabilize the rhythm. Important: Melatonin does not make you "high" and has no dependency potential. However, it can trigger vivid dreams or - if the dose is too high - lead to drowsiness in the morning. We recommend starting with 0.5-1 mg about 30 minutes before going to bed; if necessary, you can increase to ~3 mg. Higher doses usually have no additional benefit. A meta-analysis found the optimal range to be around 2-5 mg - no more was better【6】.
- Magnesium: The mineral magnesium relaxes muscles and the nervous system. A deficiency can contribute to inner restlessness, calf cramps and poor sleep. In fact, in a small study of older people with insomnia, magnesium slightly improved the time it took to fall asleep and the duration of sleep. However, the significance of the study was limited. Nevertheless, magnesium is an important mineral and supplementation (e.g. 200-400 mg magnesium citrate) can be particularly helpful in the evening - especially as magnesium also helps to reduce tiredness and fatigue during the day (approved EFSA claim). Those who suffer from nocturnal calf cramps often also benefit. Please do not overdose - too much magnesium has a laxative effect (diarrhea is a sign that you have taken too much).
- Herbal sleep teas and remedies: Herbal classics for better sleep are valerian root, hops, lemon balm, passion flower or lavender. Available in tea blends or as drops/tablets, they are said to calm you down and help you switch off. The study situation here is mixed - valerian showed slight positive effects on sleep quality in some studies and no effect in others. As these plants are well tolerated, you can definitely give them a try. For lavender oil (as aromatherapy or in capsule form), for example, there is evidence of an anxiolytic effect, which can indirectly improve sleep. However, there are no official health claims for any of these plants, so: possible support yes, miracles no. The links between the herbs mentioned and improved sleep quality have not yet been confirmed by the EFSA; further studies are required.
- Ashwagandha & adaptogens: Ashwagandha, an Ayurvedic medicinal plant, is traditionally used as a stress reducer. A recent randomized study showed that 6 weeks of ashwagandha extract significantly improved sleep quality【3】. The test subjects also subjectively felt more rested. Other adaptogens such as the reishi mushroom or rhodiola (rose root) are also advertised as "sleep aids", but the evidence for this is limited. If stress is the main factor in your sleep problems, ashwagandha or passionflower may have a calming effect. However, the links between ashwagandha and sleep quality have not yet been confirmed by EFSA; further studies are needed. *(If you are taking medication, please consult your doctor before taking such products)*.
- Tryptophan & Co.: L-tryptophan is an amino acid that the body converts to serotonin and ultimately to melatonin. Studies have shown that 1 g of pure tryptophan in the evening can shorten the time it takes to fall asleep in cases of mild insomnia. Similarly, 5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan, a serotonin precursor) or combination preparations of melatonin + magnesium + zinc are used - in a small study, the latter mixture improved sleep in elderly people in a nursing home【7】 (a special application). As a general rule, you can get enough tryptophan with a protein-rich diet; additional supplements are only useful in individual cases. The correlation between L-tryptophan and sleep quality has not yet been confirmed by the EFSA; further studies are required.
Important for all supplements: they can be a help, but are no substitute for basic sleep hygiene and stress reduction. In addition, natural remedies usually have a subtle effect - they don't have the "punch" of a prescription sleep aid (which is a good thing, as there is no risk of addiction). Give your body time to adjust and don't expect instant miracles. Natural aids can make the transition to sleep easier - your body will then take over the actual "sleep craft" on its own.
Relaxation techniques for better sleep
Not every sleep problem has to be solved with pills. Often the cause lies in an "overexcited" psyche - brooding in bed, stress, tension. This is where relaxation techniques come into play to calm the mind and body:
- Breathing exercises: Conscious, slow breathing signals to the nervous system: "Relaxation is the order of the day." A simple exercise is the 4-7-8 method: inhale deeply through your nose for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 7 seconds, exhale slowly through your mouth for 8 seconds. Repeat this about 5-7 times. This exercise can lower your pulse rate and makes you pleasantly sleepy.
- Progressive muscle relaxation: Tense different muscle groups one after the other for approx. 5 seconds and then relax - from your toes to your face. This conscious tensing and relaxing helps to reduce physical restlessness. You can do this technique while lying down, but it is also suitable before going to bed to wind down the body.
- Meditation & mindfulness: Numerous studies have shown that regular meditation reduces stress. Meditation before bedtime in particular can break through circles of rumination. In a clinical study, older adults who practiced mindfulness meditation in the evening for 6 weeks fell asleep and slept through the night significantly better than those who had only received sleep hygiene advice【2】. Just 10 minutes of meditation in the evening (e.g. with a guided meditation app) can help. It's important to do it without any pressure to perform - even if your mind wanders, that's okay. Just gently guide them back to breathing.
- Autogenic training or yoga nidra: These techniques work with self-suggestion or a conscious state of suspension between wakefulness and sleep (yoga nidra is also known as "yogic sleep"). They lead to deep relaxation, which often opens the door to actually falling asleep. There are many CDs, apps or YouTube tutorials to try this out.
- Create a sleep ritual: Have a set, soothing routine every night. For example: have a cup of herbal tea (chamomile, valerian or lavender), listen to soft relaxing music and perhaps write in a diary to clear your mind of any brooding thoughts. A fixed sequence of calm activities signals to your body and mind that it's time to go to sleep.
Tip: If you lie awake for a long time despite good sleep hygiene and relaxation techniques, it is better to get up again briefly. Go into another darkened room and do something monotonous (e.g. leaf through an unspectacular textbook). Important: don't turn on any bright lights and don't reach for your cell phone! As soon as you feel tired again, go back to bed. This procedure (also known as "stimulus control") conditions your brain to really only associate the bed with sleep.
Frequently asked questions about sleep
How much sleep do you really need?
The often mentioned "eight hours" is a rough guide. Most adults manage optimally with around 7-8 hours of sleep per night. However, there are individual differences: some people feel fit after just 6 hours, while others need 9 hours. The most important thing is that you feel alert and productive during the day. However, consistently sleeping less than 5-6 hours per night has been proven to increase health risks【1】【9】. As a guide, sleep doctors recommend around 7-9 hours of sleep for adults. Younger people generally need more sleep (teenagers around 8-10 hours), while older people often need slightly less sleep than when they were younger - although seniors should also sleep around 7 hours if they can.
Can you catch up on sleep if you sleep too little during the week?
Occasional nights of sleep deprivation (e.g. due to work or parties) can be compensated for by the body to a certain extent. If you have slept too little for a few nights, you will often sleep longer the following weekend - so the body recovers some of the missing sleep. However, you cannot completely "save up" or compensate for chronic sleep deprivation. If you constantly sleep only 5 hours during the week, you will not achieve the same level of recovery as someone who sleeps 7-8 hours every night, despite sleeping in at the weekend. In the long term, it is therefore better to make sure you get enough sleep all the time instead of regularly falling into the "debt trap". Sleeping in at the weekend is okay, but it shouldn't go beyond midday - otherwise the sleep-wake rhythm will be disrupted.
Are naps during the day (power naps) useful or harmful?
A short nap during the day can be very useful. A so-called power nap of 10 to a maximum of 20 minutes (ideally sometime in the early afternoon) can significantly increase concentration and performance without having a major impact on night-time sleep. It is important that the nap does not take place too late in the day - it is better to avoid it after 4 p.m. so that you are tired again in the evening. It should also not be too long: If you slip into deeper sleep phases (often after >30 minutes), you tend to feel groggy when you wake up and your sleep pressure for the night is reduced. For most people, a short power nap in between is harmless and can even help to bridge a midday slump. However, anyone who has problems falling asleep in the evening should avoid longer naps late in the day.
Does herbal tea really help you fall asleep?
A warm, caffeine-free tea in the evening can definitely help you to calm down. Many people swear by herbal teas with valerian, lemon balm, hops or lavender. Although the scientific evidence for a strong sleep-promoting effect of these herbs is limited (see above), a herbal tea as part of the sleep ritual can still be useful. For one thing, the ritual alone - drinking a warm cup of tea in peace - has a relaxing effect. Secondly, some of the herbs mentioned have mild calming properties that can help you switch off. There is no harm: these teas are generally well tolerated. The only important thing is not to drink gallons just before going to bed so that you don't have to get up at night with a full bladder!
When to see a doctor? - Take sleep disorders seriously
If you have persistent sleep disorders - i.e. you hardly feel rested for weeks - you should consider seeking professional help. GPs or sleep physicians can clarify organic causes, e.g. hyperthyroidism, restless legs syndrome, sleep apnoea or even depression as a background. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) often helps: This involves identifying and changing thought patterns and habits that prevent sleep. Studies have shown that such non-pharmacological therapies can be very successful in the long term - in some cases more successful than sleeping pills.
Speaking of sleeping pills: Prescription sleeping pills or tranquillizers (such as benzodiazepines or so-called Z-drugs, modern sleeping pills with a similar effect) should really only be used in the short term and with caution. These substances can create dependencies and change the natural sleep architecture (the structure of the sleep phases). Natural remedies and sleep hygiene are always the better first step. Over-the-counter antihistamines (e.g. diphenhydramine in some "sleep lozenges") also make you tired, but have many side effects (dry mouth, drowsiness the following day) and lose their effect with long-term use. Such drugs should only be used occasionally - it is better to avoid them altogether.
Sleep and health: Finally, as a motivation: Sufficient, deep sleep is a real fountain of health. Those who get about 7-8 hours of quality sleep every night have a stronger immune system, a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, more stable mental health and even a lower risk of obesity and diabetes. Conversely, chronic sleep deprivation significantly increases susceptibility to infections - in a well-known study, the likelihood of catching a cold was around four times higher with less than 6 hours of sleep per night than with 7 hours【1】. The effectiveness of vaccinations also suffers: If sleep is regularly less than 6 hours around the time of vaccination, the antibody response is significantly weaker【11】. Lack of sleep also unbalances the immune system and increases the level of inflammatory messenger substances in the body【9】. In short: good sleep is not wasted time, but active health care! Many people also immediately notice how much more energy and good mood they have when they have a good night's sleep. Concentration, memory, athletic performance - everything benefits from a good night's sleep.
So don't hesitate to make sleep a top priority. It is not a sign of industriousness to sleep too little - on the contrary: those who are rested achieve more during the day. With the tips presented here, you can improve your sleep step by step. Be patient with yourself - sleep patterns and habits don't change overnight. But even small changes (e.g. switching off the screen half an hour earlier in the evening or taking a short evening walk every day) can have a noticeable effect. Find out which rituals are good for you and make them a habit. Your body will thank you with deep, sound sleep - and you will wake up in the morning with much more energy, ready to conquer the day.
**Disclaimer:** This article provides an overview of ways to improve your sleep. Not all of the measures mentioned work equally well for everyone, and many effects vary from person to person. Unless otherwise stated, health claims - particularly those relating to herbs or dietary supplements - have not been confirmed by EFSA; if in doubt, further studies are required. In case of severe or chronic sleep disorders, please consult a doctor or sleep physician.
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