05/12/2026
Neuroscientist Matthew Walker has spent his career studying what we lose when we stop sleeping well. In his book Why We Sleep, he makes one thing clear: sleep is not something we can afford to overlook.
Walker links chronic sleep loss to heart disease, diabetes, weakened immunity, even DNA damage. The target: 7 to 8 hours a night.
12 tips for better sleep, shaped like a proper evening:
1. Keep the same hours. Same bedtime, same wake time, every day. Walker calls this the one that matters most.
2. Move early, not late. 30 minutes on most days, finishing 2 to 3 hours before bed.
3. No caffeine after noon. No ni****ne either.
4. No alcohol before bed. It steals REM sleep.
5. Keep dinner early and light.
6. Watch medications. Some drugs for the heart, blood pressure, asthma, colds and allergies disrupt sleep. Talk to your doctor.
7. No naps after 3 p.m.
8. Build a wind-down.
9. Take a hot bath about an hour out.
10. Keep the bedroom dark, cool and free of gadgets.
11. Get sunlight early. 30 minutes outside in the morning sets the rhythm for the day.
12. Can't sleep after 20 minutes? Get up. Read until tired. Anxiety in bed only deepens the problem.
Good sleep isn't a luxury. It's a discipline worth keeping.
