I am a self-proclaimed night owl. I know it’s bad for me, yet I still find myself awake at 3 am – phone in hand – working on projects, answering emails, or scrolling endlessly. Or more often than not, lying awake with a head full of thoughts. There’s something oddly enticing about staying awake while the world sleeps, but the version of me waking up tomorrow (or sleeping through alarms) won’t find it nearly as enjoyable.
Decades of research confirm what we already know but often ignore: sleep is the foundation of a healthy brain, a strong heart, and a better quality of life. Yet, despite overwhelming evidence, so many of us remain sleep-deprived. Why do we resist rest, and more importantly, how do we fix it?
With a new semester beginning and sleepless exam weeks behind us, maybe it’s time to ditch the caffeine, stop doom-scrolling, and trade it all for a calming bedtime routine.
Historically, many societies operated within biphasic or polyphasic sleep patterns, meaning sleep was segmented into multiple phases between socialising, eating or communal working, often influenced by seasons and sunlight. However, industrialisation forced a shift to monophasic sleep, dictated not by biological need but by economic efficiency. Capitalism’s relentless push for productivity further eroded natural sleep patterns, with the invention of artificial lighting extending work hours and technology keeping us hooked 24/7. Our rest became, and continues to be, an economic hostage.
Today, sleep deprivation has become normal, fueling industries that both exploit and proclaim an attempt to ‘fix’ the problem. Wellness apps, sleep aids, and caffeine-fueled products all exist because modern work culture undermines our natural ability to rest. The expectation to always be available has led to chronic exhaustion, making sleep feel like a luxury rather than a necessity.
So what can we do, in the face of this, to do better? Below, there are some top tips and the science behind them.
Prioritise sleep hygiene – that means a consistent bedtime, avoiding nasty blue light from screens (or screens altogether), and creating cool, dark and quiet environments for yourself. Your circadian rhythm is regulated by the hormone melatonin, produced by the pineal gland in your brain, and the production of melatonin is dictated by light exposure and hormonal balance. When blue light enters the eye, it is detected by cells in the retina, which contain a light-sensitive protein called melanopsin. These cells send signals to your suprachiasmatic nucleus to keep you awake, as it’s daytime through their perceived lens. This seemingly simple process is what leaves us wired when we try to reach a sleep deep enough to keep us sustained the next day. So if you can, turn it all off an hour beforehand, but if you can’t, invest in some blue light-blocking glasses or switch on night mode to expel some of the impact.
Expose yourself to natural light when you wake up. Spending time outdoors, or even in front of a well-lit window, for a short period of time enhances your suprachiasmatic nucleus’ ability to gauge the time of day. It helps trigger a reduction in melatonin, and anchors what is known as the sleep-wake cycle within your circadian rhythm.
Reduce stimulants and stressors. Caffeine acts as a stimulant by blocking the adenosine receptors in the brain, delaying natural sleepiness. Since caffeine has a half-life of 5 to 6 hours, consuming it late in the day can keep your nervous system stimulated, and reduce overall sleep quality throughout the night. Similarly, alcohol, although perceived to make people tired, disrupts sleep by fragmenting the body’s ability to fall into deep sleep and suppressing REM. Limiting both of these stimulants can lead to a healthier rhythm, and general bodily response to sleep.
Relax, even if just a little. Engaging in stressful or pressurised activities late into the night triggers the release of cortisol, a stress hormone that keeps the body alert. When cortisol levels are high, the body struggles to wind down. Long-term heightened cortisol levels can lead to the body existing in permanent ‘fight or flight’ causing more serious issues such as insomnia and Cushing’s disease. To counteract a stressful day, incorporate relaxation techniques into your bedtime routine. Whether you do a full yoga routine, meditate for 10 minutes, or practice deep breathing just before closing your eyes, all of the above reduce cortisol levels in the body.
Sometimes these things aren’t possible, and when life comes calling, who are we to put the phone down, literally. However, incorporating even a few of these habits could significantly improve sleep quality. In a world that prioritises productivity and exploitation over well-being, rest is an act of both self-care and resistance. By reclaiming sleep, we prioritise ourselves in a system that often doesn’t.
