A good night’s sleep doesn’t just begin at bedtime. It starts the moment you wake up.
Sleep expert Dr. Nerina Ramlakhan shares her hour-by-hour plan to help you achieve calm, restorative rest at night.
4AM – Return to sleep
Cortisol, the body’s stress hormone, rises around 4AM and can make sleep lighter.
Instead of checking the clock, Dr. Nerina Ramlakhan uses a weighted eye pillow to settle back into another sleep phase.
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7AM – Wake up the right way
Avoid the jolt of an alarm if possible and try to wake naturally. Step outside for a few seconds of daylight without glass in between to help regulate your circadian rhythm.
8AM – Balanced breakfast
Skip the sugary pastry, which overstimulates the nervous system and harms sleep later.
Instead, choose protein, fats and healthy carbs such as yogurt with seeds to stabilize blood sugar and support melatonin production later in the day.
9AM – Coffee with care
Caffeine is fine in moderation, but timing matters. Have it with or after breakfast and avoid it later in the day.
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Even if you don’t feel wired, caffeine in the afternoon can reduce sleep quality.
11AM – Exercise early
Working out lowers stress and uses up energy, but doing it too late can interfere with sleep.
Dr. Nerina Ramlakhan prefers strength training or swimming in the morning to avoid overstimulating the nervous system in the evening.
1PM – Gut-friendly lunch
A healthy gut supports better sleep. Skip heavy carbs that spike blood sugar and instead try an omelet with salad and fermented foods like sauerkraut for balance.
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5PM – Dinner and fasting window
A light meal of fish, vegetables and rice is ideal.
Avoid eating too late, and try intermittent fasting a few days a week by finishing your last meal at 5PM or no later than 7PM.
8PM – Dim the lights
Bright lighting signals wakefulness, so switch off overhead lights and use lamps instead.
Keep your bedroom cool, switch off devices, and consider a magnesium supplement to relax muscles and nerves.
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9PM – Evening wind down
Put your phone outside the bedroom and give your body a calm environment for rest. Dr. Nerina Ramlakhan usually goes to bed at 9PM with minimal distractions.
10PM – If sleep won’t come
It should take about 15 minutes to fall asleep. If not, try box breathing to relax.
When stress lingers, spend ten minutes journaling before turning off the light. It can shorten the time it takes to drift off.
This article is based on information from The Sun.
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