Sleep Optimisation: The Highest-Return Habit You Can Build

Sleep optimisation starts with the unglamorous basics, and they are the part with the best evidence: adults need 7 to 9 hours, according to the NHS; go to bed and get up at similar times every day; keep the bedroom quiet, dark and cool; put phones, tablets and laptops away for an hour before bed; and avoid alcohol and nicotine for an hour or two before sleep. Only then do the luxuries earn their place: a mattress made of natural materials, good linen, blackout curtains, a tracker that shows you patterns. If poor sleep lasts for months despite all of this, see a doctor: the recommended first treatment for chronic insomnia is a form of cognitive behavioural therapy, not a supplement. This is general information, not medical advice.

On retiring the hustle narrative in favour of high-performance unconsciousness.

There is a particular brand of masochism among the executive class. It appears around eleven at night in a hotel bar, where two people compete over who functions on the least rest. "Four hours," one says, "and I'd closed the deal before the first espresso." It is a relic of an ethos that confused sleep deprivation with ambition.

We spend money on cold plunges, supplements and glucose monitors, yet treat the hours spent horizontal as a debt to be minimised. If there were a drug that made you sharper, calmer and better company at breakfast, you would pay any price. There is no drug. There is a bedtime.

How we lost sleep

Historians of sleep have found references in older European writing to a "first sleep" and "second sleep", with a waking interval in between; artificial light, from gas to the electric bulb, then let the day run on into the night. The numbers since are stark. In a Gallup poll published in December 2013, Americans averaged 6.8 hours of sleep a night, down more than an hour from 1942; 59% met the seven-to-nine-hour standard, against 84% in 1942.

The basics, as the NHS puts them

None of it is exciting. All of it costs nothing. Do these for a fortnight before buying anything.

The hardware: what you sleep on

Sleep is partly an architectural project. Natural materials matter because they breathe: wool and horsehair move moisture and help regulate temperature better than dense synthetic foam, which many people find holds heat.

At the top of the market, two houses show what handcrafted sleep looks like. Hästens, established in 1852 and based in Köping, Sweden, makes beds from cotton, horsehair, wool and flax, and was named purveyor to the Swedish Royal Court in 1952. Savoir began in 1905 when the Savoy Hotel in London commissioned a bed of its own; its mattresses use natural materials such as curled horsetail, cashmere, lambswool and cotton. Neither is necessary to sleep well, but both illustrate the principle: support is not the same as firmness, and natural fillings help the bed stay at a comfortable temperature.

Whatever the mattress, linen matters too: cotton or linen sheets that breathe make a cool bedroom easier. A maker such as GroundLuxe is a sensible upgrade from whatever came with the bed.

The software: tracking without obsessing

Sleep trackers, rings and watches that estimate heart rate, heart rate variability, temperature and sleep stages, are useful for one thing: showing you patterns you would otherwise deny. Most people who track for a month see what an evening drink or a late meal does to their numbers. Treat the stage estimates as approximate, and if checking the score each morning makes you anxious, stop; worrying about sleep is a reliable way to sleep worse.

Temperature-controlled mattress covers, which circulate water to cool or warm the bed, help people who sleep hot, and good ventilation matters more than most realise in a sealed modern flat. An air purifier filters particles; only fresh air lowers carbon dioxide, so open a window if you can.

The protocol: darkness, temperature, light

Darkness. If you can see your hand in front of your face, the room is too bright for many sleepers. Blackout curtains at home and a contoured eye mask for travel cover most cases.

Temperature. A cool room helps the body's natural night-time drop in temperature. Many homes are overheated in winter; turn the bedroom radiator down or open the window a crack.

Screens. The NHS advice is an hour without phones, tablets and computers before bed. A paper book or an e-ink reader without a bright backlight is the classic substitute.

Morning light. Bright light soon after waking helps set the body clock for the following night. In northern winters, when daylight is scarce, a bright light box is worth considering; see our Nordic wellness routine for how we approach the dark months.

The chemical question

Sleeping pills are a matter for a doctor, and the NHS notes they are only prescribed for a few days, or weeks at most, when insomnia is very bad or other treatments have not worked. Pharmacy sleep aids with valerian, lavender or an antihistamine are meant for one to two weeks, after checking with a doctor.

Supplements are a weaker story than social media suggests. Magnesium, apigenin and L-theanine stacks are popular on podcasts; the evidence in people without a deficiency or a sleep disorder is thin, and they are no substitute for the basics. CBD is the most fashionable of all, but evidence that it improves sleep in healthy adults is limited, and it can interact with prescription medicines and with alcohol or other sedatives, so check with a pharmacist or doctor if you take anything else. Melatonin is prescription-only in some countries and sold as a supplement in others; ask before using it regularly.

If sleep problems last for months, the NHS route is a GP, who may offer cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia, face to face or as an online programme. It is the treatment with the strongest evidence, and it does not come in a bottle.

The economics of rest

There is an irony in the fact that the more successful people become, the more they sacrifice the thing that fuels their success. You would not skip servicing a car you cared about, yet many people skip two hours of sleep to answer emails that could wait until morning. A well-rested person makes better decisions, regulates emotion better and has the headroom to think rather than react. The truly elite are the ones quietly leaving the dinner party at ten. As they say in Copenhagen: sov godt. Sleep well.

The takeaway

• Do the free things first. 7 to 9 hours, a fixed wake time, a dark, cool, quiet room, no screens for an hour, no alcohol or nicotine in the last hour or two.
• Then invest in the surface. Natural fillings and breathable linen help with temperature.
• Use light deliberately. Bright light in the morning, dim light at night.
• Track to learn, not to worry. Look for patterns, not perfect scores.
• See a doctor for persistent insomnia. CBT for insomnia beats any supplement.

For how sleep fits into a longer, healthier life, see longevity in 2026 and what is worth doing, building a refined daily ritual and digital detox retreats worth the trip.

Related reading: the sauna renaissance and considered home textiles.

Frequently asked questions

How much sleep do adults need?

The NHS says adults need 7 to 9 hours. In a 2013 Gallup poll, Americans averaged 6.8 hours a night, and only 59% met the seven-to-nine-hour standard, compared with 84% in 1942.

What is the single most effective change for better sleep?

A consistent schedule: going to bed and getting up at similar times every day, including weekends. Combined with a quiet, dark, cool bedroom and an hour without screens before bed, it covers most of what the NHS recommends.

Do sleep supplements like magnesium or CBD work?

The evidence in healthy adults is limited. CBD can interact with prescription medicines and with alcohol or other sedatives. Supplements are no substitute for the basics, and persistent insomnia should be discussed with a doctor, who may offer cognitive behavioural therapy.

When should I see a doctor about sleep?

If changing your habits has not helped, or you have had trouble sleeping for months. A GP may offer cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia; sleeping pills are only prescribed for a few days or weeks at most.