How To Stop Waking Up Feeling Tired: 7 Tips From a Harvard Researcher

In today’s episode, you’ll learn the real reason why you’re always tired – and how to fix it. 

If you want to wake up every morning feeling refreshed, energized, focused, and in control, you need to get the best sleep of your life – every night.

Today, you’ll learn 7 easy, accessible, science-backed tips that will help you (and the people you love) perfect your sleep and as a result give you (almost) limitless energy.

Joining Mel on the podcast today is the renowned Harvard sleep scientist Dr. Rebecca Robbins, PhD. 

Dr. Robbins is a Research Investigator in the Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders and the Departments of Medicine and Neurology at Brigham and Women's Hospital, and an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School.

You’ll love the simple, free, and evidence-backed tips that Dr. Robbins shares. These easy habits will boost morning energy, make you feel incredible, and best of all: you can easily add them into your life today.

For more resources, including links to Dr. Rebecca Robbins research, website, and social media, click here for the podcast episode page. 

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Want to know what to listen to next? Mel shared Dr. Rebecca Robbins’ research on an episode about evening routines: 4 Easy Nighttime Habits to Feel Energized & Sleep Better.

And, you’ll also love this hit episode, which also cites Dr. Robbin’s work: 3 Small Decisions That Make You Feel Incredible: Do This Every Morning After Waking Up. 

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In this episode:

• 6:10: The SHOCKING number of Americans who aren’t getting the sleep they need.
• 9:35: The most effective way to improve your sleep starting tonight. 
• 10:09: What our brain actually does while we are sleeping.
• 13:56: Renowned sleep researcher, Dr. Robbins’ favorite tips for a great night’s sleep.
• 15:34: The bedtime routine of Dr. Robbins, a world-renowned Harvard sleep expert.
• 19:23: The REAL amount of time it takes most people to fall asleep. 
• 22:32: The wind-down routine that everyone should do before going to bed.
• 25:19: Is getting consistent sleep more important than getting 8 hours a night? 
• 28:13: Find what works best for you and your partner: co-sleeping or sleep divorce?
• 33:05: What is a circadian rhythm?
• 35:34: The reason you should start every morning by stepping into the sunlight.
• 38:52: How to get the benefits of sunlight if you are a shift worker.  
• 40:46: The key to resetting your circadian rhythm.
• 43:14: The CRITICAL advice that you need to hear for a better night’s sleep.
• 46:20: How to ease into time away from your phone before bed. 
• 52:56: What about people who fall asleep watching TV?
• 54:10: The effects of bluelight exposure immediately upon waking up.
• 56:07: When to get OUT of bed if you’re tossing and turning in the night.
• 59:42: The impact of temperature on getting a good night’s sleep.
• 1:01:54: What is the perfect temperature to set your thermostat to for optimal sleep?
• 1:05:58: The impact alcohol has on your quality of sleep.
• 1:08:36: Caffeine's impact on your ability to sleep and the best time to stop drinking it.
• 1:11:58: How long before bed should you stop eating?
• 1:16:04: Dr. Robbins’ recommended daily habits for getting better sleep.
• 1:21:15: If you take ONE action to improve your sleep, let it be this.
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Dr. Rebecca Robbins:  

• Dr. Robbins’ book, Sleep for Success
• Dr. Robbins’ Harvard profile, Division of Sleep Medicine
• Dr. Robbins at Mass General Brigham and Women’s Hospital
• Dr Robbins’ Published Scientific Research 
• Dr. Robbins’ website ‍
• Dr. Robbins’ Instagram

Resources:

• Harvard University Division of Sleep Medicine Research
• CDC: Current recommendations for the amount of sleep you need, by age.
• National Inst. of Neurological Disorders: What happens when you sleep.
• Sleep Foundation: How sleep works.
• National Inst. of General Medical Sciences: What are circadian rhythms?
• National Institutes of Health: The extraordinary importance of sleep
• National Library of Medicine: How people wake up is associated with previous night’s sleep together with physical activity and food intake
• The Lancet: Sleep deprivation and growth-hormone secretion.
• Columbia University: How sleep deprivation impacts mental health.
• National Institutes of Medicine: Effects of light on human circadian rhythms, sleep and mood 
• Oregon Health & Science: Sleep may help to heal traumatic brain injuries.
• ABC News: How sleep eases emotional trauma.
• National Ctr. for Integrative Health: What you need to know about melatonin.
• UCLA Health: Sleep problems in teens.
• New York Times: How light affects your sleep 
• Johns Hopkins Medicine: Teens and sleep, how much is enough?‍
• Henry Ford Health: Lack of sleep can impact gut health.

If you enjoyed this episode, check these out:

• Listen to: 4 Easy Nighttime Habits to Feel Energized & Sleep Better.
• Listen to: 3 Small Decisions That Make You Feel Incredible: Do This Every Morning After Waking Up.