Guidelines
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Who we are
National Sleep Foundation is an independent nonprofit, dedicated to improving overall health and well-being by advancing sleep health.
Be your
Best
Slept
Self®
What we do
As the leading authority in sleep health, our promise to the public is to help anyone and everyone be their Best Slept Self ®.
We seek out the latest scientific insights about sleep and turn our findings into simple-to-understand resources that help people get enough of the healthy, restorative sleep they need. And we’ve been doing it for over 30 years.
Research
We conduct groundbreaking research and use proven methods to investigate how cultural behavior and the latest trends are impacting the state of our sleep.
Guidelines
We work with panels of experts to create evidence-based guidelines and easy-to-follow, actionable tips that lead to healthier sleep.
Education and Advocacy
We spread the word about sleep health and the crucial role it plays in our overall health and well-being. We’re committed to making sleep science simple to understand—it’s the reason we’re the go-to source for healthy sleep habits and routines.
What is your best slept self?
A renewed you after taking small steps each day and night that make a big difference in your sleep health.
Practice these six small steps for healthy sleep.
Daytime
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1. Light
Spend time in bright light during the day, natural light or equivalent brightness.
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2. Exercise
Exercise regularly for a deeper sleep. Aim for 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week.
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3. Mealtimes
Eat your meals at consistent times day after day.
Nighttime
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4. Avoid…
Avoid heavy meals, nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol before bedtime.
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5. Wind-down
Use a consistent routine with a relaxing wind-down to help get the sleep you need each night (7-9 hours for most adults, with same sleep and wake times).
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6. Environment
Put your devices away an hour before bed and sleep in a quiet, cool, and dark environment.
Healthy
sleep for
everyone
DISCOVER OUR PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES
Explore how we can help you improve your sleep health and your overall well-being. We’ve gathered our resources here to help you get started.
Sleep Health Topics
Explore our blog
We break down our research results and translate all the scientific stuff into knowledge and advice you can apply to your daily sleep routine. You can start by reading some of our articles.
A Healthy Night’s Sleep Starts the Moment You Wake Up
Did you know that a good night’s sleep starts with what you do during the day? In fact, from the moment you wake up, you’re affecting your sleep […]
Healthy Sleep Starts Before You Hit the Sheets
When you aren’t sleeping well, you aren’t your best. A bad night of sleep leaves you with that head-in-the-clouds feeling the next day—fatigued, unfocused, […]
Get Healthy Sleep by Eating Right on Schedule
Did you know that creating a consistent mealtime schedule can improve the quality of your sleep? Your appetite and metabolism are an important part of your […]
The American Heart Association includes NSF's recommendation for sleep duration on their Life's Essential 8 checklist for good health.
Announcing a new collaboration: NSF and the American Heart Assocation team up to share the connection between sleep disorders and heart disease.
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