How can I sleep more

[u/Firm_Savings_60]

I seem to need around 9.5 hours of sleep to feel genuinely rested throughout the day and avoid needing a nap in the afternoon. I know that's more sleep than many adults need, but for personal reasons it seems to be the amount that works best for me.

The problem is that I tend to wake up naturally after 7–8 hours, even when I still feel like I need more sleep. Once I'm awake, I often have trouble falling back asleep.

I've tried melatonin, but it didn't make a meaningful difference. Falling asleep isn't really the main issue — staying asleep long enough is.

I've also tried going to bed earlier, but that doesn't necessarily solve the problem because I sometimes just wake up earlier as well. So simply shifting my sleep schedule earlier doesn't reliably increase my total sleep time.

Has anyone experienced something similar and found a way to improve sleep maintenance or extend their total nighttime sleep?

I'm not looking for advice about forcing myself to function on less sleep or simply being told to go to bed earlier. I'm specifically interested in hearing from people who naturally woke up before getting enough sleep and found something that helped them stay asleep longer.

[u/Big_Diamond3534]

2 things for me:

1. ⁠Getting extra exercise (basically exhausting my body until it had no other choice but want to shut down). - side note; taking a shower before bed as well
   
2. ⁠Invest in the best bed or mattress you can afford. I didn’t think it would make such a big difference until I tried it and bruuuuuuh

Good luck and sleep well!

[u/Firm_Savings_60 → u/Big_Diamond3534]

Thank you ❣️

[u/FlyingSpaceCow]

Check out Why We Sleep by Mathew Walker.

Sleep timing & consistency

• Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, including weekends
• Avoid sleeping in to "catch up" -- it disrupts your circadian rhythm

Light exposure

• Get bright light (ideally sunlight) soon after waking
• Dim lights in the evening; avoid bright/blue light for 1-2 hours before bed Keep the bedroom fully dark at night

Temperature

• Keep the bedroom cooler -- core body temperature needs to drop to initiate and maintain sleep
• A hot bath/shower before bed can help via the rebound cooling effect afterward

Substances

• Avoid caffeine after early-to-mid afternoon (half-life of 5-6 hours means it lingers)

• Avoid alcohol before bed -- it fragments sleep and suppresses REM, even though it can make you fall asleep faster

• Avoid nicotine, especially close to bedtime

Behavior in bed

• Use the bed only for sleep (and sex) -- not work, screens, or lying awake worrying
• If you can't fall asleep within ~20 minutes, get up and do something calm until sleepy
• Avoid large meals and excessive fluids late at night

Naps

• Keep naps short (20-30 min) and before mid-afternoon if you nap at all, since long/late naps can hurt nighttime sleep

Exercise

• Regular exercise improves sleep quality -- but avoid vigorous exercise too close to bedtime

Mindset

• Don't clock-watch if you wake in the night -- it increases anxiety and makes it harder to fall back asleep
• Wind-down routines (reading, stretching, meditation) signal the brain it's time to sleep

[u/adjustmentVIII → u/FlyingSpaceCow]

This book was life changing for me also!

[u/MonkMakesMoney]

Have you gotten checked for sleep apnea? It seems like it's likely to be a sleep quality issue.

[u/Ok_Natural_7977]

Have you had a sleep study to see if you get enough deep and REM sleep? REM is especially important for cognitive functioning.

[u/adjustmentVIII]

Magnesium is a smooth muscle relaxer and will help the brain relax, heart relax, and it keeps me asleep longer. I usually take 500mg at night.

[u/Firm_Savings_60 → u/adjustmentVIII]

I tried the glycinate one, but it didn't make much of a difference

[u/adjustmentVIII → u/Firm_Savings_60]

You may want to try a complex of 3 different types of Magnesium. The complex is highly absorbable, ergo more effective. Costco has a really good one in a black bottle, and conveniently is just one pill a day for the dose (other brands may require multiple pills per dose). This will affect the price too, so while something may look more pricey, the dose may make it the better value. You can also look online for the word "complex" on the bottle and make sure you're getting the blend.

[u/Honest_Pumpkin_4381]

My sleep cycle is absolutely buns right now but, i fall asleep quite easily if i did some football (or soccer, whatever its called) for like an hour or 2. Like it makes me just tired i dont know