3 Takeaways Three Science-Backed Changes That Will Help You Sleep Better - Starting Tonight (#278)
Dec 2, 2025
In this enlightening discussion, Dr. Elizabeth Klerman, a sleep scientist from Harvard Medical School, highlights the crucial role of sleep in our overall health. She shares three simple changes to enhance sleep quality, like avoiding caffeine before bed and creating a relaxing environment. Dr. Klerman debunks prevalent myths about sleep adaptation and explains the detrimental effects of chronic sleep loss on cognition and health. With insights on how circadian rhythms influence our sleep patterns, she offers valuable strategies to combat insomnia and improve overall well-being.
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Sleep Loss Impacts Every Body System
- Chronic sleep loss harms nearly every physiologic function, from cognition to immune response.
- Sleep deprivation experiments show broad effects including worse vaccine response and higher blood pressure.
Create A Bedtime Routine And Limit Screens
- Stop bright-screen use before bed and prefer paper books to reduce alerting light exposure.
- Establish a consistent pre-sleep routine like a bath and reading to cue your body it's time for sleep.
Use Melatonin Strategically
- Use melatonin plus morning light strategically to shift a late circadian clock earlier.
- Avoid melatonin when your body clock already thinks it's the right bedtime, since it won't help then.
