{"id":51,"date":"2026-05-21T08:07:57","date_gmt":"2026-05-21T08:07:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=51"},"modified":"2026-05-21T08:07:57","modified_gmt":"2026-05-21T08:07:57","slug":"the-ultimate-guide-to-sleep-hacks-which-ones-really-work-and-what-to-skip","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=51","title":{"rendered":"The ultimate guide to sleep hacks: Which ones really work \u2014 and what to skip"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<p>Experts have long said the key to amazing sleep is a steady schedule, morning sunlight exposure and a calming wind-down routine.<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=49\">Florida duo gloated about killing off-duty firefighter for his phone, sneakers in front of resort: witness<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Then, there are the social media users pushing shortcuts to shuteye \u2014 tweaks here and there that could unlock our best rest yet.<\/p>\n<p>It can be difficult to know which sleep tips are worth trying \u2014 and which are the stuff of nightmares.<\/p>\n<p>Enter David\u00a0Warkentin, Catholic Health system director for sleep service.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSleep is really about consistency. It\u2019s about your biology. It\u2019s about behavior, so the basics are going to work better than anything that\u2019s trendy,\u201d Warkentin said.<\/p>\n<p>Still, there are some popular practices you shouldn\u2019t sleep on. Warkentin reviews four of the most celebrated so-called bedtime boosts \u2014 and provides tricks of his own.<\/p>\n<h2>Mouth taping<\/h2>\n<p>Taping your mouth \u2014 a trend that has stuck around for the last few years \u2014 is supposed to promote nasal breathing to reduce snoring and improve sleep quality. The tape keeps the lips sealed overnight.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat one really scares me,\u201d Warkentin said, citing asphyxiation concerns.<\/p>\n<p>He\u2019s especially worried about sleep apnea sufferers who use CPAP machines. Mouth taping could create a safety risk, especially if the person needs to vomit during the night due to severe acid reflux.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI would stay away from the mouth taping,\u201d Warkentin advised. \u201cThere\u2019s very limited evidence that it\u2019s even helpful.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Try this instead:<\/strong> Warkentin\u2019s snooze strategies begin at the <em>start<\/em> of your day, not bedtime.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Stick to a consistent wake time, even on weekends \u2014 it\u2019s more important for setting our body clocks than a consistent bedtime, he said. \u201cYour brainloves predictability more than anything else.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>Get 10 to 30 minutes of natural light within the first hour of being awake. It anchors your biological clock and proves more powerful than a melatonin supplement.<\/li>\n<li>Exercise in the morning because that\u2019s when cortisol levels are the highest. Don\u2019t do strenuous activity right before bed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Fat-rich foods before bed<\/h2>\n<p>Social media users claim that eating certain fat-rich foods right before bed can keep you fuller for longer by stabilizing blood sugar.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe reality is, dietary fats are not absorbed \u2026 in any meaningful way\u201d when it comes to sleep, Warkentin said. \u201cThere\u2019s really no science behind\u201d the movement, he added.<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=47\">WWE star Ludwig Kaiser arrested on battery charge in Florida<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Try this instead:<\/strong> Be smart about your bedtime habits.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Practice a wind-down routine that involves reading, stretching or \u201clow-stimulation\u201d TV. Warkentin said it\u2019s more crucial to quell mental stimulation and engagement than blue light from screens.<\/li>\n<li>Create a dark, quiet and cool environment, ideally 65 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit. \u201cThe darkness is important because it helps with melatonin preservation.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>Ditch alcohol, which leads to poor sleep quality. A glass of red wine at dinner is fine, but avoid nightcaps. \u201cIt\u2019s going to suppress that final stage of sleep, that rapid eye movement (REM) phase of sleep.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Natural melatonin<\/h2>\n<p>There is a viral \u201csweet treat\u201d that some swear leads to sweet dreams. This evening mocktail consists of tart cherry juice (for natural melatonin) and magnesium powder (to relax muscles). The mixture is topped with prebiotic soda or sparkling water.<\/p>\n<p>Warkentin is on board with this bedtime beverage as long as there\u2019s not too much sugar in the soda and not too much cherry juice, because you don\u2019t want to overdo the melatonin.<\/p>\n<p>The slumber-promoting supplement is \u201cnot a blanket fix for insomnia,\u201d he advised. It\u2019s best used to combat jet lag or reset a circadian disorder.<\/p>\n<p>Overall, the fizzy fad is \u201cmore health-focused\u201d than some of the other trends, Warkentin laughed.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut I would check with your physician \u2026. you don\u2019t want to overdo it with any kind of ingredient [because] it can have other consequences.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Try this too: <\/strong>Even better than a mocktail is being realistic about what healthy sleep looks like \u2014\u00a0and not becoming obsessed with eight hours a night.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u201cThe amount of sleep that you need at night is totally based on your genetic makeup,\u201d Warkentin said. \u201cA more realistic range that I like to tell patients and friends and family [is] six to nine hours. It\u2019s all dependent on you.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>Sleep trackers can be helpful, unless you become obsessed with the data. \u201cReally, the biggest problem today isn\u2019t that people can\u2019t sleep,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s that they\u2019re doing everything except giving themselves the opportunity to sleep.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Nappuccino<\/h2>\n<p>This seemingly counterintuitive trend has you drinking a cup of coffee right before snoozing for 20 to 30 minutes. Since caffeine takes about 15 to 30 minutes to kick in, you wake up as it hits.<\/p>\n<p>Warkentin said the move is \u201cincorporating caffeine strategically,\u201dbut \u201cit\u2019s not a replacement for good sleep hygiene and consistency.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>If you decide to give nappuccinos a shot, Warkentin recommends scheduling one between noon and 1 p.m., because late afternoon java and siestas can mess with evening sleep.<\/p>\n<p>Cut off caffeine altogether six to eight hours before bedtime.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Try this too: <\/strong>If caffeine \u2014 or anything else \u2014 keeps you from going into dreamland, Warkentin has some counterintuitive but helpful advice.<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=45\">Exclusive | Concerned bystanders called 911 to report open NYC manhole near where Donike Gocaj fell into hatch \u2014 2 weeks before her horrific death<\/a><\/p>\n<div>\n<\/div>\n<ul>\n<li>Devise a 20-minute exit strategy from your bed if you can\u2019t sleep. \u201cWe want to prevent our brains from associating the bed with wakefulness,\u201d he said. \u201cGo do something for about 20 minutes. Come back, see if you can get to sleep then.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Catholic Health&#8217;s system director for sleep service reviews four of the most popular so-called bedtime boosts \u2014 and provides tricks of his own.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":50,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,10,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-51","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-presented-by-catholic-health","category-the-pursuit-of-wellness","category-wellness"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The ultimate guide to sleep hacks: Which ones really work \u2014 and what to skip - Metro Transit Review<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=51\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The ultimate guide to sleep hacks: Which ones really work \u2014 and what to skip - 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