Sleep Science and Healthy Sleep Hygiene
6/26/25
I often hear stories from clients who are having difficulties with sleep, fatigue, low energy, and exhaustion. Over the years, I have attended multiple presentations on sleep science and healthy sleep hygiene, and I’ve found the information helpful for many of my clients, and my family. Here are some recommendations including tips for quantity of sleep, caffeine, screen time, and other lifestyle changes for healthy sleep.
Amounts of sleep - Getting 7-8 hours of sleep is critical for adults. Teens often need 8-10 hours of sleep and younger children need more as indicated in the infographic above. When adults consistently get less then 7 hours of sleep, there are increased risks of Alzheimer’s and dementia, impulsive behavior, negative emotions, weight gain, symptoms of anxiety and depression, and other mental health conditions. I’ve worked with many clients who have seen improvement in their relationships, productivity at work, grades, sobriety, and other areas of life as they prioritize 7-8 hours of sleep.
Caffeine - Several presentations and resources on sleep science encourage cutting off caffeine around lunchtime or the early afternoon, typically within 8–10 hours of bedtime. As someone who used to work at a coffee shop in college, I was quite surprised at first to hear this information, but noticed the benefits as I made changes. Some people may say that they still fall asleep well after drinking caffeine at night, but the quality of their sleep is impacted.
Screen Time - Several years ago, I was hanging out with a friend and watching SportsCenter, and he put on some strange looking orange glasses. He told me they were his blue light lenses, and that if he didn’t wear them while watching TV in the evening, it was hard to fall asleep. Limiting screen time at night is incredibly important for healthy sleep, and it can be helpful to turn off the phone and other screens at least 30 minutes to an hour before bedtime. Wearing lenses with blue light filters, and using night mode on phones can be helpful in the evening as well. Some clients that I’ve worked have found it helpful to charge their phones outside of their bedroom at night, both for healthy sleep and for purity.
Sleep Hygiene - Having consistent times when people go to bed and wake up can be very beneficial. It is recommended to get regular exercise for healthy sleep, and morning exercise is preferred. It can be helpful to avoid exercising within 3-4 hours of bedtime. Having a regular bedtime routine can be helpful such as reading, listening to soothing music, prayer, etc. Relaxation techniques, mindfulness, and deep breathing can be helpful before bedtime as well. If people are tired during the day, it can be helpful to limit naps to 20 minutes, and to take naps earlier in the day.
If people wake up at night and have a hard time falling asleep, it can be helpful to go to a different part of the room or house and do a quiet activity such as reading a book, before going back to bed. In terms of other lifestyle changes, it can be helpful to limit alcohol at night, along with staying away from eating large meals close to bedtime.
When working with clients who are struggling with anxiety or depression, I have noticed that emotional regulation, mindfulness, journaling, CBT, and other treatment modalities often help improve their sleep. Outside of counseling sessions, when clients open up about their worries and struggles to close friends, small groups and spiritual directors, there can be an improvement with emotional regulation and healthy sleep. I have heard counselors and physicians recommend supplements for healthy sleep including magnesium glycenate and melatonin, which can be helpful. Several clients have benefitted from sleep studies through their physicians, and sleep medications as well.
If you would like to meet with one of our counselors to improve sleep, anxiety, depression, or other mental health conditions, please book a session with us online. We recently added several counselors to our team, and we have openings to meet with you, your family members, and friends!
Sam Meier, MA, LCPC