The Importance of Sleep
After reading Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker, I started taking my sleep habits seriously. This book opened my eyes to how crucial sleep is for overall health—from weight loss and increased creativity to improved mood. I highly recommend reading (or listening to) this book to learn more about the benefits of high quality sleep. To track my progress, I bought an Oura ring back in 2022. Since then, I’ve seen significant improvements and have identified both positive and negative factors affecting my sleep. In this edition, I’ll share my struggles, the changes I’ve made, insights from my Oura ring, and tips for better sleep.
How My Sleep Was Before
When I first began paying attention to my sleep, I realized it took me a long time to fall asleep after getting into bed. I would try to get in bed earlier to account for the extra time it usually took me to fall asleep, which felt like wasted time. I also frequently woke up in the middle of the night because I was too hot or uncomfortable and would sometimes struggle to fall back asleep. After realizing that my sleep could be improved, I made a few changes to my sleep habits.
Changes I Made
Investing in a Mattress: Right around the time I started paying attention to sleep, I moved to a new house. I took the opportunity to splurge on a king-sized mattress. I always wanted a giant bed so I could roll over to a cooler spot throughout the night. I also did some research about the types of mattresses that are best for side sleepers and people who get hot at night.
Temperature Control: I also took advantage of the smart thermostat in the new house. I started making the house really cold at night. More specifically, I set it to the coldest temperature in the middle of the night and gradually warmer toward morning. This was something that was suggested from the book mentioned above.
Darkening the Room: I made my room pitch dark with blackout curtains on top of the blinds I already had, and I covered any small lights in the room. I might have gone a little to the extreme, but when I go to hotels, I find I struggle to sleep when there are night lights or electronics with lights, so that makes me think that this helps.
Reducing Light Exposure After Sunset: Initially, I would turn off lights in my house when the sun set and would wear blue light blocking glasses. While I’ve become less strict about this, it made a noticeable difference. Avoiding light at night and going outside during the natural sunlight is a good way to regulate circadian rhythm.
Electronics Ban in Bed: I disallowed electronics in bed. Although I’ve been less consistent lately, I still avoid using my phone in bed before sleep. The idea is to associate the bed only with sleep.
Biggest Improvements and Insights from the Oura Ring
For those unfamiliar, the Oura ring is a sleep tracking device that measures heart rate, blood oxygen, temperature, motion, and more. It determines when you’re asleep and the type of sleep stage you’re in (light, deep, REM). Based on these measurements, it provides a daily sleep score, as well as readiness and activity scores from 0 to 100. Scores above 85 are considered excellent. Here are the biggest improvements I have noticed along with metrics and screenshots from my Oura ring app:
Sleep Score Improvement: My average sleep score increased from 78 to 82 between 2022 and 2024.
Efficiency Gains: Sleep efficiency is calculated by dividing the amount of time asleep by the amount of time in bed. My sleep efficiency improved by 6%, from 84% to 90%. Although my total sleep time hasn’t changed much (7h51m in 2022 vs. 7h42m now), the time spent in bed decreased from 9h21m to 8h34m. That’s almost an extra hour each day! Over a year, that’s 365 hours, or 15 extra days worth of time to do stuff!
I believe improving my sleep efficiency was the most significant improvement, but I also think that my sleep quality has improved. This is harder to measure with a metric, but I feel that I toss and turn a lot less and definitely wake up less frequently in the middle of the night. Overall, I think that the changes I have made have had positive results, but I do think I can do even better!
Future Plans and Tips for Better Sleep
Bed Cooling System: When I do wake up in the middle of the night, it is usually because I am too hot. I’m considering buying a bed cooling system, as I believe it will help me sleep better through the night. After a good night’s sleep, I feel much better, and if a product can improve my daily well-being, it’s worth the investment in my opinion.
Breaking Bad Habits: While I’ve improved my phone and laptop habits, I still use them in bed sometimes. I’m considering buying a regular alarm clock and moving my phone charger to keep my phone out of the bedroom.
Consistent Wake-Up Time: I believe waking up at the same time each day is beneficial. It’s challenging for young people with social activities at night, but I try to keep a consistent schedule when possible. Thanks to James and Hilda for organizing morning volleyball, which motivates me not to sleep in (at least on Sundays)!
Exercise Routine: After starting a 9-5 job, my exercise habits declined. Regular exercise significantly improves sleep quality, and I’m working on balancing work and physical activity. I used to have lacrosse practice and played basketball for hours, but now I sometimes struggle to hit my activity goal. I do enjoy my job, but I am still figuring out the balance of exercising and working a 9 to 5 (future newsletter)! Exercising is crucial for quality sleep.
Alcohol Consumption: Alcohol negatively impacts sleep. Although it might feel like it helps you sleep through the night, your heart rate is likely higher, and sleep quality is worse. Drinking earlier and staying hydrated helps, but minimizing alcohol is the best approach. This one may also be a balancing act between health and social life.
Fighting Jet Lag: I have been traveling a lot lately and actually wrote most of this while I was on a plane, so I wanted to add a few tips about jet lag. I have learned that my body really struggles with jet lag. I think melatonin can help, but I do try to avoid it if I can. I think the best thing you can do is to try to start adjusting before your trip. If you are going to Europe from America, try to shift your schedule by 30 minutes each day during the week before. You may be sleeping and waking up earlier than usual leading up to your trip, but then you will feel that much better while you are on vacation.
Final Thoughts
I hope my sleep journey inspires you to prioritize sleep and make necessary changes. Quality sleep is crucial for a healthier and happier life. If you have any questions or want to know more about sleep tracking with the Oura ring, feel free to reach out!