A Sleep Expert’s Guide to a Good Night’s Sleep

Sleep can influence many aspects of life — your mood, your focus, your health. But in a world of packed schedules, constant stress, and late‑night scrolling, quality sleep has become harder to achieve.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one in three U.S. adults don't get enough sleep.

According to Michael Pippi, PA-C, physician assistant, UPMC ENT and Sleep Medicine, you can adopt simple habits to get better rest, starting tonight. Here, he shares his top tips for making small changes that can add up to better sleep.

Tip 1: Maintain a Regular Sleep Schedule

Light and darkness are the strongest signals that tell your body when to feel awake and when to feel sleepy. Bright daylight naturally boosts alertness, while nighttime darkness helps your body wind down.

This 24‑hour light–dark cycle sets our internal clock, known as our circadian rhythm.

“The body follows the circadian rhythm,” Michael says. “That’s sleeping when it’s dark and waking when it’s light.”

Staying with the natural circadian rhythm of day and night is the best way to keep regular sleep patterns. But what if you don’t work a typical nine-to-five job?

“Shift work has been shown to contribute to poor sleep quality,” he says. It can disrupt circadian rhythms, changing hormonal balance, modifying sleep patterns, and causing other issues, such as obesity.

To combat the side effects of poor sleep, Michael recommends keeping your bedtime consistent. That way, even if you must wake up at different times, you still get enough sleep.  

According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), the recommended amount of sleep you should get based on age is:

• Infants up to 1 year — 12 to 16 hours, including naps.
• Ages 1 to 2 — 11 to 14 hours, including naps.
• Ages 3 to 5 — 10 to 13 hours, including naps.
• Ages 6 to 12 — 9 to 12 hours.
• Ages 13 to 18 — 8 to 10 hours.
• Adults — Seven hours minimum.

To get the recommended hours of sleep each night, try to go to bed and wake up at a regular time. At times, you may burn the candle at both ends during the week and go into the weekend in a sleep deficit. It’s reasonable to sleep in to catch up on a few Zs when this happens, Michael says.

“But avoid daytime napping, especially within a few hours of bedtime,” he adds. And if you must nap, limit it to under 20 minutes.

If you need to change your sleep schedule to accommodate a different job or schedule, Michael advises changing it in half-hour or one-hour increments over several weeks. 

Tip 2: Avoid Screen Time Before Bed

Bright white light or blue light from a screen activates your brain and changes your pleasure center, both of which can affect sleep. Whether it’s from a smartphone, television, gaming console, tablet, or computer, avoid bright lights and screens in the hours before bedtime.

To fall asleep more easily, the AASM recommends you turn off all screens and devices at least 30 minutes before bedtime.

The best sleeping conditions call for no TVs in the bedroom and no charging cellphones on the bedside table, Michael says. If you must have your cellphone in the bedroom, he recommends putting it on a dresser away from the bed.

“Move it out of arm’s reach so you won’t be tempted to pick it up if you wake up in the middle of the night,” he says. 

Tip 3: Avoid Caffeine and Smoking in the Hours Before Bedtime

“Caffeine and smoking both disrupt the sleep cycle,” Michael says. He recommends avoiding both in the hours leading up to bedtime.

“For caffeine — a cup of coffee or tea with dinner is fine," he says. "But stop drinking it at least three to four hours before bedtime."

The same goes for smoking. "It is best to avoid smoking for a few hours before bedtime,” he adds.

Another thing to avoid in the hours just before bedtime is exercise, which also raises your heart rate. Michael recommends getting your workout in at least four hours before bedtime.

Tip 4: Don’t Eat Within Two Hours of Bedtime

Eat your dinner early enough that you don’t go to bed right after dinner. Reflux, indigestion, and other stomach issues all get worse if you lie down right after you've eaten a big meal.

If you're hungry at night, eat a light, healthy snack to hold you over until morning. Aim for a snack that’s about 150 calories and high in nutrients.

A few good snacks to prepare yourself for sleep and keep you full overnight include:

• Banana with almond butter.
• Fruit.
• Hot or cold oatmeal.
• Protein smoothie.
• Unsalted nuts and seeds.
• Yogurt.

Tip 5: Make Your Bedroom Cool, Dark, and Quiet

When it comes to sleeping conditions, think “hibernation,” and you’ll get the right idea.

Ideal sleeping conditions include cool temperatures, darkness, and quiet.

Cool temperatures

According to the Sleep Foundation, the ideal sleep temperature is between 65.0 and 68.0 F (18.3 and 20.0 C). Sleeping in a cool room may have benefits, such as:

• Boosting your mood.
• Decreasing menopausal night sweats.
• Helping your body produce melatonin, which promotes better sleep quality and can help you fall asleep more quickly.
• Lowering your risk of metabolic diseases, such as diabetes.
• Promoting healthy aging.
• Reducing symptoms of insomnia.

Darkness

Light is one of the strongest signals that sets your body’s circadian rhythm, shaping when you feel awake and when you feel sleepy. Healthy light habits help to support better sleep and overall well‑being. Getting bright, natural light during the day and dimming lights in the evening can help keep your circadian rhythm on track.

To prevent getting too much light at night:

• Invest in blackout or room-darkening blinds, curtains, or shades to block streetlights and other ambient lights.
• Get a comfortable, close-fitting eye mask if external light is unavoidable.
• Move charging cables and other glowing electronics off your nightstand.
• Use a low-intensity, warm-toned nightlight if needed for safety.

Quiet

Quiet is important for sleep because noise disrupts the brain’s ability to stay in stable, restorative sleep stages.

Even sounds that don’t fully awaken you — like traffic, appliances, or voices — can trigger brief arousals, lighter sleep, changes in heart rate, and stress responses. These interruptions reduce deep sleep and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which are essential for feeling rested.

A quiet environment helps the brain relax, stay asleep, and cycle normally through the stages of sleep that support health and recovery. Some tips for making your room quiet for sleep include:

• Decorating your bedroom with heavy curtains, carpeting, and upholstered furniture to absorb noise.
• Positioning your bed away from shared walls or street-facing windows.
• Silencing cell phone calls and nonessential alerts.
• Using a white-noise machine.
• Wearing earplugs.

Implementing a few of these simple changes can noticeably improve your sleep quality over time. “It sounds so simple, but it can seem daunting,” Michael says. “Just improve small things where you can. Better sleep will follow.”