One of the joys of the internet is the sharing of knowledge, and, while not all of it may be relevant or even accurate, some titbits of information can be life-changing… The 10-3-2-1-0 rule for sleeping is one of those rare gems that could actually make lives better, and it follows a very simple formula that will help you sleep better.
10 Hours of No Caffeine: The first step is to stop consuming caffeine 10 hours before hitting the sack. This doesn’t just mean drinking coffee, tea, and fizzy drinks like Coke, but also ingesting chocolate and some food supplements. The reasoning behind this is that, once consumed, caffeine takes up to an hour to take effect and can then last up to 10 hours in our system.
3 Hours of No Food & Alcohol: The second step is to stop eating any types of food, as well as consuming alcohol, at least three hours before bedtime. This helps with the digestion of food before we lie down to sleep, and stops the alcohol from affecting our REM sleep, which is the time when most dreams take place.
2 Hours of No Work: Working is stimulating to the brain, which means we’ll find it harder to sleep once we place our heads on our pillow. This also refers to studying.
1 Hour of No Screen Time: Mobile phones, television sets, and tablets should all be switched off one hour before getting into bed. This is to avoid the blue light they emit, which stimulates the brain and reduces the production of melatonin, the hormone that helps us sleep.
0 Times Hitting the Snooze Button: The last rule is for the morning after, which says that we shouldn’t hit the snooze button, not even once. See, the sleep between our alarms also disrupts our REM sleep and can make us feel tired and groggy.
Although some of this doesn’t sound easy, it may be worth it if you’re struggling to get a good night’s sleep, which is essential for our health and wellbeing. In fact, we’ll certainly be trying it out.
