With World Sleep Day approaching on March 15, there’s never been a better time to make sleep a priority and take steps to ensure you get the shuteye you need to feel your best.
Hosted by the World Sleep Society, this annual event is “intended to be a celebration of sleep and a call to action on important issues related to sleep, including medicine, education, social aspects, and driving.”
The group hopes that through better prevention and management of sleep disorders, sleep problems will no longer be such a huge issue in our society. Poor sleep is estimated to cost $400 billion per year in productivity loss, to say nothing of its contribution to more serious health problems.
The theme for this year’s World Sleep Day is “Sleep Equity for Global Health.” To mark the occasion, we’re sharing 10 tried-and-true tips to help you improve your sleep so you can experience the stress-relieving benefits for years to come.
World Sleep Day 2024 sleep tips
Take a nap
Capitalize on the afternoon lull with a little siesta. Research finds you only need about 20 minutes to reap the benefits of napping, which include a lower risk of heart disease and stroke, healthier blood pressure, and a brain health boost. Learn how to work naps into your schedule.
Sniff lavender
Before hitting the sack, take a whiff of lavender. This purple plant has some serious sleep-promoting properties. One study reports inhaling lavender before bed increases the amount of deep sleep you can experience. If you want to venture outside of lavender, try one of these other effective essential oils for sleep.
Drink a glass of tart cherry juice
Downing a glass of merlot before bed? Not such a hot idea, as alcohol can wreck your sleep. A glass of tart cherry juice on the other hand? That’s a much better choice. Studies show tart cherries are an excellent natural sleep aid. Here’s exactly how much tart cherry juice you need for better sleep. Cheers!
Enjoy a nighttime bath
One of the best pre-bedtime activities you can do is take a warm bath. Here’s why: Your body temperature naturally dips at night, helping you fall asleep. A warm bath raises your temperature, but the cooldown you experience once you’re out of the tub primes you for sleep. Here’s how to enhance your bath for maximum sleepiness.
Try a five-minute meditation
Meditation relieves anxiety stress, fatigue, and pain. Research finds it can even help you catch Z’s and curb insomnia. You don’t need to dedicate a ton of time to meditation to see the results—as little as five minutes of mindfulness will do the trick. Here’s how to make meditation part of your bedtime routine.
Tidy up your bedroom
World Sleep Day falls smack-dab in the middle of spring cleaning season—so now’s the perfect time to get serious about decluttering. Clutter can cause stress, which makes it harder to get shuteye. One study even shows people who are at risk of hoarding disorder suffer from poor sleep. Here’s how to use the KonMari decluttering method for a neater bedroom.
Stretch your body
A nightly stretching practice can help your body understand it’s time for bed. Gentle stretches like child’s pose and seated twist will get you in the mood for sleep and help prevent you from waking up in pain. Here are step-by-step instructions for relaxing nighttime stretches.
Give your phone a break
The bright blue light emitted by your phone can keep you up at night. If you’re addicted to the pre-bed scroll through Instagram, Facebook, and work emails (guilty!), it’s time to clean up your sleep hygiene. Instead of scrolling through social media from bed, listen to a relaxing podcast or a guided meditation—and use Bluetooth headphones so you can keep your phone in another room. Here are more ways to break up with your phone before bed.
Eat a late-night snack
Late-night snacks have a bad reputation when it comes to sleep. Eating too close to bedtime can keep you awake or disrupt your sleep with indigestion and acid reflux. But some foods, like avocados and oatmeal, actually promote sleep—so if you’re feeling hungry before bed, a little (non-spicy) guacamole could be just the ticket. Here are the best late-night snacks to eat before bed.
Upgrade your mattress and bedding
The right mattress and bedding can make it easier to get a good night’s sleep. So this World Sleep Day, invest in quality shuteye with a comfortable new mattress and cozy sheets and pillows. Saatva has everything you need to improve your sleep. Check out our selection of high-quality mattresses and bedding, and take our mattress quiz, to find your perfect match. All of our mattresses come with a 365-night trial so you can test one out at home before deciding if it’s right for you.
Improve your sleep with these Saatva mattresses
Saatva Classic Innerspring Mattress
Our flagship luxury mattress is expertly engineered with coil-on-coil construction for durability, a layer of memory foam for enhanced back support, and a cushiony Euro pillow top for extra comfort.
Loom and Leaf Memory Foam Mattress
Premium memory foam, handcrafted in the U.S. with eco-friendly materials. Breathable organic cotton, cooling spinal gel, and layers of high-density support foam assure a cool, comfortable night's sleep.
Zenhaven Latex Mattress
Natural latex responds to every curve for pressure-free support and responsive comfort. Natural latex is supple, resilient, and durable, for the ultimate in elevated sleep. (It's naturally hypoallergenic too.)
FAQs
What day is World Sleep Day?
World Sleep Day takes place on the Friday before the March Equinox. This year, World Sleep Day falls on March 15, 2024.
Why is World Sleep Day celebrated?
While sleep is incredibly important for your physical and mental health, not everyone prioritizes getting adequate shuteye. The World Sleep Society created World Sleep Day as a way to raise awareness about sleep and promote how vital it is to your health.
How do we celebrate World Sleep Day?
The World Sleep Society hosts a variety of activities around the world to celebrate World Sleep Day. You can search their website to find an activity near you. You can also celebrate by making sleep a priority in your life! Taking a nap, doing a five-minute meditation, and giving your phone a break are all great ways to mark the occasion and improve your sleep in the process.
Could keeping a sleep diary help you sleep better? Learn about the benefits of sleep diaries here.
