Sleep occurs naturally when your circadian rhythms for melatonin coincide with the amount of fatigue you’ve accumulated throughout the day. Melatonin is the natural sleepiness hormone that encourages sleep. As you alter your circadian rhythms, the time when your melatonin rises and falls also changes.
We know that light is one of the most important factors in your circadian rhythms. To sleep better, pay attention to the timing of your light throughout the day.
If you are in a likely circadian state to fall asleep, sleep is likely to come within 15 minutes. To make sure you don’t stop that from happening, make sure to block as much light as possible in your environment.
If you don’t fall asleep right away, avoid scrolling on your phone. Instead put on a podcast or music (preferably something not too interesting) and try not to focus on any one thought.
The good news is that if your circadian state is ready for sleep, it’ll come as long as you stay in darkness and avoid triggering your body to think it’s time to be awake. Arcashift lets you know when your body is ready for sleep with its sleep window. Check it each day for when you’re most likely able to sleep.