CNET Wellness Editors Reveal Their Favorite Ways to Get Quality Sleep

There’s a reason experts recommend getting eight hours of quality sleep every night; it’s crucial for our physical and mental health.

In the short term, a good night’s sleep can help improve mood, decision-making, knowledge retention, and memory. In the long term, endless restless nights and poor sleep can lead to health risks such as high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, depression and a weakened immune system.

If you struggle to get quality rest, you’re not alone. In 2022, sleep problems appear to be affecting 50 to 70 million people across America, regardless of age or gender. The good news is that you can improve your sleep habits by practicing good sleep hygiene and promoting a sleepy atmosphere. Just ask CNET’s health and wellness editors.

To help you get better at sleep, we’ve rounded up our favorite sleep tips that we swear by and incorporate into our own bedtime routines. Stay tuned to see the tricks we use to fall asleep.

9 New Ways to Sleep Better

1. Sleeping lotion – it really works

Every night before bed, CNET senior editor Nasha Addarich likes to slather on LUSH’s Sleepy lavender lotion to help her fall asleep. Before any skeptics turn their noses up at this tip, there’s actual science behind using aromatherapy for sleep. Lavender, in particular, has been shown to ability to improve sleep and can even make you feel fresher in the morning.

2. Spend a few minutes on this every night in bed

Author and sleep scientist Taylor Leamey shared that her sleep tip is to read in bed every night before bed. She describes it as her secret sleep weapon, admitting that it “turns her off like a light.” According to a 2009 study from the University of Sussex, reading for just six minutes a night can help increase relaxation and improve sleep quality. Taylor is also a keen witness to this.

Plus, reading is much more helpful than scrolling through your phone before bed. Devices like your iPhone or Android emit a blue light that disrupts your body’s natural melatonin production and prevents your body from recognizing that it’s time to go to sleep.

3. Throw away your phone in the morning

Besides helping us fall asleep, reading in the morning also helps us feel more rested.

CNET Contributing Editor Kim Wong-Shing explains: “I do a lot of the usual things (noise machine, regular routine, CBD, etc.), but there’s one more helpful thing I haven’t heard of anywhere else: reading a book as soon as I wake up.”

She continues: “Otherwise, the first thing I do is grab my phone, and between social media and work messages and whatnot, it immediately ruins any sense of calm I might have gotten from sleeping. Whereas reading on my Kindle helps me wake up slowly and at a more natural pace.”

It turns out that waking up more peacefully, without looking at your phone, is good for your anxiety and your sleep. A study Research from the National Library of Medicine shows a link between heavy phone use and increased sleep problems, stress and depressive symptoms.

4. Two duvets are better than one

Managing health and wellness editor Sarah Mitroff cosleeps with her boyfriend and claims this sleep trick helped put an end to their blanket intake. She explained, “One of my least favorite parts of sharing a bed with a partner is the inevitable tug-of-war that occurs over the covers during the night.”

“I came across a TikTok a year ago that offered a solution: use two duvets instead of one. That way everyone has their own blanket and no one can steal yours. I haven’t regretted it since,” she said.

“There are a few ways to put the covers on your bed: overlapping or folded, with or without a bedspread/quilt. I currently have a queen bed and two matching twin duvets that are overlapped and tucked into the bottom of the bed. In the winter, we add a thin bedspread for extra warmth and to hide the two duvets.”

“Another way to do this is to leave your duvets un-tucked and just use them at night. Then, to make your bed, fold the two duvets in half so they fit on top of the bed, without hanging down the sides, and cover them with a quilt for that seamless look.”

5. Cool your bedroom with a window fan

Sarah also recommends keeping your room at an ideal sleeping temperature. She said, “Temperature is essential for a good night’s sleep, but if you don’t have central air conditioning, it can be tough to get your room to the 60-67 degree Fahrenheit range that’s ideal for rest. Enter the humble window fan.”

Of all the things I’ve bought to help me sleep better, this is my favorite. My bedroom window faces a covered walkway between my house and the house next door, with no airflow. I could feel the cold air outside, but it had no way to naturally blow into the room.

With the window fan facing inward, it pulls that cool air from outside and forces it in, cooling my bedroom faster and better than my ceiling fan and two tower fans combined. I have the Holmes Dual Blade Digital Window Fan ($40) and I highly recommend it.

6. Consider stretching before bed

Jessica Rendall, a wellness news writer, likes to ground herself before bed — literally.

Jessica says, “I like to spend two to five minutes stretching every night right before I go to bed. I find that laying on the floor to stretch not only relaxes tense muscles, but it also grounds me and connects me to my body, which makes me feel less nervous when I’m lying down.”

“I’ve tried doing an all-night yoga routine, but that’s not reasonable for me. I find that a few minutes of stretching has similar benefits if you focus on your breathing and relaxing while you do it. I usually focus on stretching my lower back and legs, as that’s where I tend to be the most tense, but you can mix it up as needed.”

If doing yoga during your bedtime routine isn’t your thing, like Jessica said, gentle stretching can do the trick. Stretching helps loosen the body and promote relaxation before bed. This can be especially helpful for people who work at a desk all day, helping to relieve tension in the shoulders, neck and back.

7. Drink this before bed to promote sleep

Editor and sleep science coach Caroline Igo likes to drink herbal teas like chamomile, mint, or sleepytime tea as a nightcap an hour and a half before bed. Herbal tea (it’s caffeine-free) is not only delicious, but it also has a calming effect and can help promote calmness and reduce anxiety before bed. In addition to tea, there are other natural remedies that are just as good at making you feel sleepier at night, including CBD oil, tart cherry juice, and dried passion flower.

8. Make sure your environment is perfect for sleeping

Fitness author Giselle Castro-Slaboda’s sleep tip is simple. She says, “I used to use a sleep mask when I was having trouble sleeping last year, and I found it helped! Same goes for blackout curtains and keeping the room cool. I’m one of those people who wants the room pitch black and cold to sleep well.”

• Sleep masks help block out light from external sources such as windows, tech devices or other rooms in your home. Light and darkness help regulate our internal clock, also known as our circadian rhythm. When it is dark, it signals our body that it is time to go to sleep and increases the production of melatonin, the hormone that promotes sleepiness.
• Blackout curtains offer the same benefit, and they also keep heat from seeping into your bedroom and making it warmer. Speaking of heat, keeping your bedroom cool is also beneficial for your sleep. Experts recommend setting your thermostat around 60 to 67 degrees Fahrenheit to maintain your body’s optimal sleep temperature and avoid middle-of-the-night disruptions.

9. Early out of the lights

As a sleep editor and sleep science coach, my favorite sleep tip is to turn off most of the lights in your house about an hour and a half before bed. I leave a small lamp on in my front room so I can still see, but the goal is to use dim or dark lighting to kick-start your body’s melatonin production and promote sleepiness.

For even more help improving sleep quality, read our article on how to sleep cool next to someone who’s hot and how to avoid tossing and turning.