If it feels like everyone is tired these days, you're not imagining it. According to the National Sleep Foundation, six out of ten adults don't get enough sleep, and half would give their sleep satisfaction a failing grade.[1]
Getting enough sleep—and good, quality sleep, to be specific—is important for maintaining overall health and helping your body function at its best. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, optimizing your sleep can help boost your immune system, support a healthy weight, reduce stress, and improve attention and memory. It can also help lower your risk of chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and stroke.[2]
For some, good sleep seems to come naturally. For others, it seems like a complex code that they can’t seem to crack. The reality is that many aspects affect sleep, including many factors outside your control. While you can’t always control what disrupts your sleep, you can control how you respond to those disruptions. The good news is that there are many sleep aids that work, along with healthy habits, that can help you fall asleep, stay asleep, and wake up feeling more rested.
Whether you have a racing mind at bedtime, wake up easily to noise or light, travel frequently, or wake up feeling tired, there are practical steps you can take to improve your health.
If you can’t fall asleep or your mind races
For many people, their minds don’t easily shut down just because they climb into bed. Stress, anxiety, late-night screen time, racing thoughts, and tomorrow’s to-do list can keep the brain active when it should be preparing for sleep.
Solution: Meditation and sleep apps can help calm the mind before bed. Sleep journals can help you unload thoughts that keep you awake and identify patterns, triggers, or habits that may be affecting your sleep. Swap late-night scrolling for a book right before bedtime, and consider using blue-light-blocking glasses if you use screens in the evening, as blue light from screens can suppress melatonin production. Create a consistent bedtime routine you will follow every night to help your brain recognize when it’s time to start winding down.
If you wake up to minor sounds or light, or your partner snores
Even quiet sounds or minor light exposure can disrupt sleep for some people. If your challenge isn’t falling asleep but staying asleep, your environment may be contributing more than you realize. For example, even one night of sleep with moderate light exposure can increase nighttime heart rate, decrease heart rate variability, and increase insulin resistance the following morning.[3]
Solution: Some of the most effective sleep aids that work are also the simplest. Reduce background noise with earplugs or a white noise machine. If streetlights, early sunrises, or other light sources affect your sleep, try a sleep mask to create a darker environment and help minimize disruptions.
If you sleep hot or wake up feeling warm
Overheating at night is a surprisingly common sleep complaint. Creating a cooler environment helps lower your body temperature, which alerts your body that it’s time to sleep and supports better sleep quality throughout the night.
Solution: Keep your bedroom cool and comfortable. Cooling bedsheets and lightweight blankets may help. Running a fan can improve airflow while providing a soft, soothing background noise that many find relaxing.
If you travel frequently and struggle to sleep well away from home
Travel can affect not only sleep schedules—especially if you’re crossing multiple time zones—but the quality of sleep you get. Whether on a plane or in a hotel, there are many environmental factors you can’t control.
Solution: Create a sleep travel kit with sleep aids that work for you. Earplugs, a sleep mask, a portable white noise machine or app, and a small journal can help you recreate a more familiar sleep environment no matter where you are.
If you wake up feeling tired
Even if you’re getting enough hours of sleep, you may still wake up feeling exhausted. Poor sleep quality, waking up frequently throughout the night, an inconsistent sleep schedule, or sleep disorders may play a role.
Solution: Many wearable fitness devices include sleep-tracking features that monitor sleep duration, sleep stages, and sleeping heart rate. These insights can help you better understand your sleep patterns and provide useful information to discuss with your healthcare provider, if needed.
Another tool worth considering is a sunrise alarm clock. These devices gradually increase light in the morning to mimic a natural sunrise and can make waking up feel less abrupt. They can be especially helpful if you use blackout curtains to block outside light while sleeping.
Quality matters as much as quantity
Many busy adults feel like they simply don’t have enough time for sleep. While getting enough sleep is important, the quality of your sleep matters, too. Make sleep a priority by creating a realistic bedtime routine and focusing on habits that improve the quality of your sleep—no matter how much time you’re actually able to spend sleeping.
It can also help to track the changes you make. Before implementing a new sleep habit or tool, note how you feel. Then continue to track your energy, sleep quality, and mood when you wake up each morning. This way, you can track what’s actually working best for you.
Improving your sleep doesn’t have to be complicated. You don’t have to incorporate all of the above solutions at once. Start by identifying where your sleep challenges begin, then make small adjustments over time. Good habits and simple sleep aids that work can make a meaningful difference.
Remember that everyone’s sleep challenges are different; what works for your spouse or friend may not work for you. Know that better sleep is achievable, even with a busy schedule. Focus on consistency rather than perfection, and remember that small changes often lead to big improvements. You’ll sleep better, feel more rested, and improve your overall health.
References
1. National Sleep Foundation National Sleep Foundation’s 2025 Sleep in America Poll. https://www.thensf.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/NSF_SIA_2025-Report_final.pdf
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention About Sleep. https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about/index.html
3. National Library of Medicine Light exposure during sleep impairs cardiometabolic function. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8944904/
