Reading time: about 4 minutes
To be a truly productive writer you need plenty of shut-eye. The absence of sleep will not only negatively affect your health, but it will also hurt your writing… Here’s how to get more sleep:
I think a lot about sleep. A trip I once took to Italy left me with three legacies: Many fond memories. A few extra pounds from all the excellent food I ate. And a thoroughly messed up sleep schedule that had me falling into bed at 9:30 p.m. and awakening at 12:30 a.m., ready to work or party.
But sleep isn’t just about being a functioning human being. It also has a lot to do with writing. That’s because sleep affects executive function: the area of the brain responsible for creative thinking, decision-making, memory and reaction time.
The first factor is crucial for writing, the latter three for editing. Writing coaches often recommend that people get up early to write before their regular day begins. I never recommend this until I know the person is already getting enough sleep.
So here is my 13-step primer on how to catch better ZZZZZs.
1. Be sure to understand how much sleep you really need.
Everyone is different, but the typical minimum recommendation is seven hours. And some people need as many as 10. Note that the current average in the U.S. is only six hours and 27 minutes. (It’s even worse in Belgium, the U.K., Canada, Italy, Norway and Japan. But it’s slightly better in Australia, Spain, New Zealand and China. See stats for more countries.) A 2015 study suggests that researchers may have overestimated the amount of time we need for sleeping, but here’s what I say: You know when you’re tired. If you’re dragging yourself through each day, you need more sleep.
2. Set a regular bedtime and (more important) a regular waking-up time.
This time should be consistent seven days of the week, which I know flies against the societal norm of “sleeping in” on weekends. It also makes it difficult to go to parties or special events. I don’t want to ruin your social life, so let me share a tip that a sleep doctor once gave me: If you have to change your bedtime, so be it. But don’t change your waking-up time. Force yourself to get out of bed at the same time every day, no matter how little sleep you’ve had. “This is the single most important tip for improving your sleep,” the doctor told me.
3. If you need to make up for lost sleep, have a daytime nap instead.
And know that daytime naps don’t always mean falling asleep. Relaxing and lying down is often just as helpful. Napping is easier if you’re in the dark and if you’re lying down. The best time to nap is midafternoon (between 2 and 4 p.m. when many of us are naturally sleepy) and timing is important, so set yourself an alarm. A short nap of 10 to 20 minutes can make you more alert and improve your concentration. A nap of 45 to 90 minutes may get you into slow wave and REM sleep, which enhances creativity.
4. Turn off all backlit screens at least one hour before bedtime.
This means TVs, computers, smart phones and e-readers (unless, like some Kindle models, they’re not backlit). The “blue light” emitted by screens disrupts our bodies’ ability to produce melatonin, a sleep hormone. Here’s my cheat: I’ve bought myself a pair of blue-light-blocking glasses. Now, if I ever have to work at my computer close to bedtime, I wear these glasses and have no difficulty sleeping. They’re cheap. Get yourself a pair! This is particularly important if you’re obliged to check your cellphone just before going to sleep.
5. Make sure you’re warm — wear socks if necessary — but that your bedroom is cool, dark and quiet.
The ideal temperature for sleeping is 65 degrees F (18 C), which you can often control — in fall and winter at least — by the degree to which you open your windows. Research suggests that our penchant for heavily controlled temperatures (with central heating and air conditioning) may actually disrupt our sleep. Turns out our bodies seem to be programmed to become sleepy when the temperature drops. Getting rid of unnecessary light is another issue. Even the light from a clock radio can disrupt your sleep. I pile books in front of mine, and I have tinfoil on top of the security box in our room. Even the light from a smoke alarm can be disruptive, so put some tinfoil over that as well. If you can’t make your room utterly dark, then buy an inexpensive mask to wear over your eyes.
6. Don’t allow your sleeping time to be taken over by worrying.
Somehow, when we lie down in a dark room, it’s easy to let our brains gyre and gimble on problems, disagreements and everything else that’s going wrong in our lives. But bedtime is not the right time for this! Instead, schedule other times when you can do that sort of reflecting. Go for a walk or run. Talk to a friend. Or keep a journal in which you can document your concerns and get them off your mind.
7. Eliminate caffeine shortly after lunch.
Don’t drink coffee, tea or colas after 2 p.m. Caffeine can mess with your metabolism long after you’ve taken it. Also be aware of some of the unexpected sources of caffeine: chocolate and some over-the-counter cold medications.
8. Avoid alcohol at least three hours before bedtime.
I know some people think a nightcap helps them fall asleep more easily. It does. But it wrecks the quality of your sleep. If you’re at a party, keep your drinking modest and do it early in the evening to give yourself a chance to sober up before you go to bed.
9. Avoid sugar before bedtime.
Sugar also messes with your metabolism. Try to keep desserts modest at dinnertime and, if you need a snack before bed, make it something like low-sugar cereal with milk, cheese and crackers or a piece of toast.
10. Get exercise.
Some studies suggest that moderate-intensity exercise, such as walking, significantly reduces the time it takes to fall asleep and increases the length of sleep in people with chronic insomnia. Experts don’t fully understand the reasons for this, but they suppose that exercise releases serotonin and dopamine — neurotransmitters that are involved in the sleep production hormone melatonin. Just note that you shouldn’t do vigorous exercise close to bedtime — that’s more likely to rev you up than relax you.
11. Avoid drinking too many liquids in the evening.
The more you drink, the more you’ll have to pee. My husband likes to call me a “camel” because I can hold a lot of liquid, but if I’m more careful about how much water I drink at dinnertime (and thereafter), I’m less likely to wake up in the middle of the night.
12. Quit smoking.
Nicotine is a stimulant. If you’re a smoker, it’s going to be harder for you to sleep. Yet another reason to think about butting out!
13. Wake up to light.
If I didn’t share a bedroom with my husband, I’d invest in one of those fancy lights that awakens you by turning itself on at the time you’ve set it for. (That won’t work for us because my husband usually goes to bed later and sleeps later than I do.) But to wake up, expose your body to light. This resets your circadian rhythm. In winter, turn on lots of bright lights. (And if you suffer from seasonal affective disorder, as I do, invest in an inexpensive SAD light.) In summer, open your blinds and go for a morning walk if you can.
These tips should help you improve your sleep, perhaps dramatically. Know, however, that if you snore loudly, with frequent pauses in breathing, or have frequent morning headaches, you may suffer from sleep apnea. If that’s the case, go see a doctor. Sleep apnea can shorten your life.
But any sleep problems can interfere with your writing life.
An earlier version of this post first appeared on my blog on Oct. 23/15.
If you liked this post, you’ll also like 5 reasons to make sleep a top priority.
*
Need some help developing a better, more sustainable writing or editing routine? Learn about my three-month accountability program called Get It Done. There is turn-over each month, and priority will go to those who have applied first. You can go directly to the application form and you’ll hear back from me within 24 hours.
*
My video podcast last week addressed whether teachers should assess research diaries. You can watch the video or read the transcript, and you can also subscribe to my YouTube channel.
*
Do you know how to get more sleep? We can all learn from each other, so please, share your thoughts with my readers and me in the comments section, below. If you comment on today’s post (or any others) by Feb. 28/25 , I’ll put you in a draw for a digital copy of my first book, 8 1/2 Steps to Writing Faster, Better. To enter, please scroll down to the “comments,” directly underneath the “related posts” links, below. You don’t have to join Disqus to post! Read my tutorial to learn how to post as a guest. (It’s easy!)
