The habit of sleep that is as important as sleeping 7 hours a night

Nwhat concerns a good night's sleep, experts always recommended between 7/8 hours of sleep.

Well, even though enough sleep is important, the time when you go to bed is equally crucial. 

As a Real Simple article highlights, our body depends on an internal clock known as circadian rhythm, which helps regulate everything from sleep and alertness to other essential bodily functions.

When bedtimes and wakings vary widely from one day to the next, the internal clock may be deregulated, even if it can sleep enough throughout the week. That is, sleeping late on weekends is not enough to compensate.

How can one have a consistent sleep routine?

If your sleep routine consists of going to bed, scrolling on social media and then falling asleep, know that you are not alone.

According to Justin Hai, co-founder and CEO of Rebalance Health and author of STRESS NATION: Escape the Technology Trap, Elimate Stress, and Reclaim Rest, the goal is to go to bed and wake up at approximately the same time every day as the schedule allows.

The expert notes that the body loves “predictability”, because our internal biological clock helps to “coordinate everything, from hormone production, to metabolism and cell repair”.

This means consistency has to do with establishing a rhythm at which your body can trust and not with going to bed at the same time every day.

Why is the regularity of sleep as important as duration?

Hai highlights that studies have found that “sleep regulation was a stronger predictor of mortality risk than sleep duration alone”.

This does not mean you can sleep only four or five hours a night as long as you lie down at the same time. As the expert explains, “consistency deserves a prominent place along with the duration and quality of sleep”.

Our circadian rhythm helps to determine “when we feel alert, when we get sleep, when hormones are released and how efficiently our body needs energy”.

So when the hours of sleeping and waking constantly change we can create a kind of internal misalignment known as social jet lag, in which biological times and clocks are not synchronized.

“Cortisol naturally increases in the morning to help us wake up, while melatonin signals that it is time to prepare for sleep,” says Hai.

Irregular times can interrupt the timing of these signals. Over time, irregular sleep has been associated with increased risks to cardiovascular and metabolic health, including problems with blood pressure and glucose regulation.

Realistic ways of creating a more consistent sleep routine

Start with the time you wake up

If setting a consistent time to sleep seems impossible with your routine, Hai recommends setting “a consistent time to wake up whenever your schedule allows.” Sunbathing in the morning can also help to “synchronize your biological clock”.

Choose a moment to relax

Make an effort to create a simple routine 30 minutes before bedtime.

Decrease the lights, fix the phone and give your brain time to “disconnect from the constant stimulation of the day” is an effective way to relax, says Hai.

This may mean reading some chapters, taking a hot bath or listening to music instead of watching videos.

Pay attention to caffeine and screens

The coffee you drink at the end of the afternoon or the habit of using your phone at night may interfere with your sleep more than you realize. The ideal thing is to be weighted in the number of coffees you drink and try to store your phone at night.

Don't worry too much about consistency

If you have to choose between resting enough and waking up at the usual time, Hai advises you to prioritize proper sleep. Uncomplicate, the routine doesn't have to be perfect, just consistent.