Stick to a consistent sleep schedule and match bed time to your sleep needs (+5–10%).
Spending less time in bed builds sleep drive and improves sleep efficiency.
Avoid habits like forcing sleep, sleeping in, or napping after a bad night.
If you struggle with falling asleep or staying asleep through the night, you’re not alone—and there’s a chance you may be unintentionally making things harder by spending too much time in bed. It’s a common instinct: when sleep feels elusive, many people go to bed earlier or stay in bed longer, hoping that more time in bed will lead to more rest. But in reality, this can actually disrupt your body’s sleep-wake rhythm and make sleep problems worse over time.
That’s why today we’re exploring a powerful behavioral technique called sleep compression. Rather than trying to chase more hours in bed, sleep compression helps you gradually train your body to fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly by aligning your time in bed more closely with your actual sleep time. This approach strengthens your natural sleep drive, resets your internal clock, and reinforces the connection between your bed and restful sleep—especially if you’ve been spending long nights tossing and turning.
By learning how sleep compression works and applying it in a gradual, intentional way, you’ll start to build healthier sleep patterns, reduce nighttime awakenings, and wake up feeling more refreshed and energized. Let’s dive into how this simple, science-backed strategy can help you take meaningful steps toward better, more restorative sleep.
Stick to a consistent sleep schedule and match bed time to your sleep needs (+5–10%).
Spending less time in bed builds sleep drive and improves sleep efficiency.
Avoid habits like forcing sleep, sleeping in, or napping after a bad night.
If you struggle with falling asleep or staying asleep through the night, you’re not alone—and there’s a chance you may be unintentionally making things harder by spending too much time in bed. It’s a common instinct: when sleep feels elusive, many people go to bed earlier or stay in bed longer, hoping that more time in bed will lead to more rest. But in reality, this can actually disrupt your body’s sleep-wake rhythm and make sleep problems worse over time.
That’s why today we’re exploring a powerful behavioral technique called sleep compression. Rather than trying to chase more hours in bed, sleep compression helps you gradually train your body to fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly by aligning your time in bed more closely with your actual sleep time. This approach strengthens your natural sleep drive, resets your internal clock, and reinforces the connection between your bed and restful sleep—especially if you’ve been spending long nights tossing and turning.
By learning how sleep compression works and applying it in a gradual, intentional way, you’ll start to build healthier sleep patterns, reduce nighttime awakenings, and wake up feeling more refreshed and energized. Let’s dive into how this simple, science-backed strategy can help you take meaningful steps toward better, more restorative sleep.
When sleep problems occur, many people try to “fix” them by altering their habits in ways that seem helpful but may actually worsen the issue in the long run. Common examples include:
These habits can feel like they offer short-term relief, but in reality, they reinforce the problem, as your brain starts associating the bed with wakefulness. The key to better sleep lies in sleep compression, which involves shortening the amount of time you spend in bed to gradually build up your body’s sleep drive and ability to fall asleep quickly.
To improve your sleep with sleep compression, here’s a simple approach:
Find your ideal sleep duration. If you know you need about 7.5 hours of sleep, aim for around 8 hours in bed. Don’t spend excessive time in bed—this will only reinforce sleep problems.
Stick to your sleep schedule. Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day helps reinforce your natural sleep drive.
By compressing your sleep into a set schedule, you’ll gradually make your sleep more efficient, enabling you to fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.
THE DOCTORS BRAND™
America’s leading clinically proven nutraceutical brand for better sleep, less anxiety and less pain
*These statements have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Our product is not intended to cure or treat any disease.
MDbiowellness
Contact us
(805) 977-5709
M-F 9am-5pm PT
hello@MDbiowellness.com
© 2023 MDbiowellness