By Dr. Emily Parker, Sleep Specialist at Serapis
If you’ve ever spent the night tossing and turning, staring at the ceiling, or scrolling through your phone hoping to get sleepy — you’re definitely not alone. At Serapis, we’ve worked with thousands of people who struggle with sleep, and we’ve found something important: improving your sleep doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, the most effective strategies are often the simplest ones.
Let’s walk through a few evidence-based ways you can adjust your sleep habits and environment to get the restful sleep your body and mind crave.
1. Stick to a Consistent Sleep Schedule
Your body runs on a natural rhythm called the circadian clock. When you go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, you help that clock stay steady. That means falling asleep becomes easier — and staying asleep does too.
📌 Expert Tip: Even on weekends, try to wake up and go to bed within an hour of your usual schedule. Yes, sleeping in feels good — but a consistent rhythm feels even better long-term.
2. Create a Wind-Down Routine
Think of your brain like a busy office: it doesn’t just shut off instantly at 10 p.m. You need to close the tabs, turn off the lights, and let the systems power down. A bedtime routine helps signal your brain that it’s time to shift gears.
Try:
- Dimming the lights an hour before bed
- Reading a physical book
- Gentle stretching or deep breathing
- A warm (not hot) shower
Avoid screens if you can — the blue light from phones and TVs can trick your brain into staying alert.
3. Cool, Dark, and Quiet — Your Ideal Sleep Environment
Your bedroom should feel like a cave — quiet, dark, and slightly cool. Research shows we sleep best in temperatures between 60–68°F (16–20°C).
What helps:
- Blackout curtains or an eye mask
- White noise or a calming sound machine
- A fan or open window for airflow
- Keeping clutter out of sight
A calming bedroom makes it easier for your nervous system to relax and let go of the day.
4. Rethink What You Eat and Drink
Caffeine, alcohol, and heavy meals — all of them can mess with your sleep.
🔸 Skip caffeine after 2–3 PM.
🔸 Avoid alcohol close to bedtime. It may make you sleepy at first, but it fragments your sleep later in the night.
🔸 Don’t go to bed stuffed — or starving. A light snack is okay if you’re hungry.
5. Move More During the Day
Regular movement improves deep sleep, mood, and energy — all of which feed into better rest at night. Just be careful not to exercise too late.
🚶♀️ A morning jog or an evening walk? Great.
🏋️♂️ A late-night spin class? Not so great.
High-intensity workouts raise your body temperature and cortisol levels, which can delay sleep.
6. Let Tech Work With You, Not Against You
At Serapis, we believe in keeping technology simple. Our sleep device was designed to support your body’s natural wind-down — not fight against it.
Things like white noise, soft lighting, and gentle soundscapes can help create a calming environment. But they only work when paired with good habits, not as replacements.
7. Train Your Brain to Think: “Bed = Sleep”
If you’re doing everything in bed — watching shows, answering emails, doom-scrolling — your brain gets confused. It stops associating your bed with sleep.
Train it back:
- Use your bed only for sleep and intimacy
- If you can’t sleep, get up and do something quiet in dim light until you feel drowsy again
This helps rebuild the right mental connection over time.
8. Track What Works
You don’t need a fancy app to understand your sleep patterns. A simple notebook works just fine.
Jot down:
- What time you go to bed and wake up
- How long it took to fall asleep
- How rested you felt
- What you did before bed
After a few weeks, you’ll start seeing patterns—and know what to tweak.
Final Thoughts from Serapis
Better sleep isn’t about hacks. It’s about habits. And the good news is, these habits are absolutely doable.
As sleep experts, we designed the Serapis sleep device to support everything we’ve shared here:
✔️ A gentle soundscape, based on natural frequencies
✔️ Warm, subtle lighting that doesn’t disrupt melatonin
✔️ No app, no distractions — just science-backed calm
We believe everyone deserves restful sleep. And it starts with smarter choices, night after night.
Sleep well,
Dr. Emily Parker
Sleep Medicine Specialist, Serapis