{"id":3141,"date":"2018-04-19T17:12:23","date_gmt":"2018-04-19T17:12:23","guid":{"rendered":"\/blog\/?p=3141"},"modified":"2025-06-10T11:11:46","modified_gmt":"2025-06-10T11:11:46","slug":"science-backed-sleep-hacks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lemonade.com\/blog\/science-backed-sleep-hacks\/","title":{"rendered":"How to A\/B Test Your Way to Better Sleep"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If given the choice, would you rather meet a childhood friend for coffee, or get an extra hour of shut-eye? How about read a few more articles online, or go to bed a bit earlier? <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s all too easy to prioritize personal goals over a good night\u2019s sleep, but the fact of the matter is, sleep <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">isn\u2019t<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> overrated. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Adequate sleep makes us happier, healthier, and more productive. It also recharges our brain and improves our concentration, mood, and mental performance. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many of us don\u2019t realize what our full potential feels like, because we often don\u2019t take the time to recharge our brains. It\u2019s like we\u2019re living on 50% battery. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you Google \u2018How to Get Better Sleep,\u2019 you\u2019ll find <a href=\"\/blog\/productivity-tips\/\">science-backed productivity tips<\/a> far and wide. It can feel overwhelming (and tiring!), to say the least. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Which of these tips are most effective? Do we really have to do all of them, all the time, to achieve a better night\u2019s sleep? <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To get to the bottom of this, we asked our Chief Behavioral Officer Dan Ariely. His answer was simple, yet actionable: <\/span><\/p>\n\t<div class=\"tweet-block-container\">\r\n\t\t<div class=\"tweet-content\">\r\n\t\t\t<p><i class=\"fa fa-quote-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=If+we+want+to+learn+how+to+do+things+the+right+way%2C+we+have+to+try+different+versions%2C+and+only+then+will+we+figure+out+what+really+works+for+us.&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lemonade.com%2Fblog%2Fscience-backed-sleep-hacks%2F&via=Lemonade_Inc\" target=\"_blank\">If we want to learn how to do things the right way, we have to try different versions, and only then will we figure out what really works for us. <\/a><i class=\"fa fa-quote-right\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/p>\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t<div><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=If+we+want+to+learn+how+to+do+things+the+right+way%2C+we+have+to+try+different+versions%2C+and+only+then+will+we+figure+out+what+really+works+for+us.&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lemonade.com%2Fblog%2Fscience-backed-sleep-hacks%2F&via=Lemonade_Inc\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"tweet_now_link\"><i class=\"fa fa-lg fa-twitter\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><span>Tweet this!<\/span><\/a><\/div>\r\n\t<\/div>\r\n  \n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In other words, rather than stick to each and every tip sleep experts suggest, we should try them and see what works best for ourselves. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Think about it: We each have our own bodies, tendencies, and preferences, and just as a diet that works for your best friend may not work for you, your perfect sleep routine may not be the best method for your bestie. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But how can you figure out your perfect routine? The trick is to test out tips from experts, and figure out which ones work best for you and which don\u2019t.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This sounds like a lot of work, so we\u2019ve sourced the best of the best recs from sleep experts, created a simple series of sleep A\/B test, and even tried them out on our Lemonade team members.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Here&#8217;s the TL;DR of our science-backed tips:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3163\" src=\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/summary.png\" alt=\"9 Science-Backed Tips for Better Sleep - Lemonade Blog\" width=\"1489\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.lemonade.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/summary.png 1489w, https:\/\/www.lemonade.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/summary-300x206.png 300w, https:\/\/www.lemonade.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/summary-768x528.png 768w, https:\/\/www.lemonade.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/summary-1024x704.png 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1489px) 100vw, 1489px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Spoiler alert: Some tips worked and some didn\u2019t &#8211; and that\u2019s just the point! Even though sleep experts have figured out certain conditions that improved subjects\u2019 sleep, these individuals are just that &#8211; individual.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So without further adieu, here\u2019s how to A\/B test your sleep (and Team Lemonade\u2019s results!).<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Test 1: Rise and shine!\u2026 at the same time<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><b>The science:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When it comes to a sleep-wake schedule, turns out it\u2019s pretty tough to trick your brain. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Humans have a circadian rhythm, which is a 24-hour internal clock that tells our bodies when to sleep, and when to wake up (among other things). When we\u2019re in sync with our body\u2019s rhythm, we\u2019re awake during the hours our body expects us to be.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-3149 size-full\" src=\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/clock.png\" alt=\"Circadian Rhythm - Lemonade Blog\" width=\"815\" height=\"667\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.lemonade.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/clock.png 815w, https:\/\/www.lemonade.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/clock-300x246.png 300w, https:\/\/www.lemonade.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/clock-768x629.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 815px) 100vw, 815px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To sync up with your internal clock, you have to keep a consistent sleep schedule. You\u2019ll get better quality sleep, and feel much more energized than you would even if you slept the same number of hours at different times of the day.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>The test:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wake up and go to sleep at the same time every day, no matter what. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Choose a time that makes sense for you during the week and weekend (that means no more getting up at 11am, but I promise, you\u2019ll actually feel less tired!). Set an alarm each night, and stick to it for a week. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If this sounds too tough, you can create a half-hour range for yourself (I\u2019ll go to bed between 11-11:30pm, and wake up between 7-7:30am). <\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>The results:<\/b><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI was dreading this, but I stuck to a 11:15pm sleep and 7:15am wake schedule each day. After quite a few tries, I felt more energized during the day, because I felt like I was waking up when my body wanted me to.\u201d &#8211; Silvi S. (me), Content Writer<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3><strong>Test 2: Say no to the (traditional) snooze button<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><b>The science:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Have you ever gotten a full 8 hours of sleep, but feel tired the next day? It may be because you woke up during the wrong sleep stage. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When humans sleep, we go in and out of light, deep, and REM sleep. If you wake up during REM, you\u2019ll usually feel groggy and disoriented, which can last throughout the morning and even into the day. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That\u2019s is why alarms can be problematic. If they wake you during your REM stage, you\u2019ll be exhausted. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>The test:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wake up during your light stage of sleep. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To do this, download an app with an alarm that tracks your sleep (I suggest using the \u2018Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock\u2019 app), and use it to set your alarm rather than your traditional alarm app (or clock). <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This app will track your sleep cycle, and will wake you up only while you\u2019re in a light sleep stage. It sounds within a 30 minute range you set it &#8211; so if you set it for 7:15am, it\u2019ll ring between 6:45am and 7:15am. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>The results:<\/b><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cMost days, I woke up before the alarm started (more than a half hour before the deadline). I slept really well even before this study, so I think my body wanted to wake up naturally. I can\u2019t say there was an improvement in my sleep, but it certainly didn\u2019t downgrade my sleep quality.\u201d &#8211; Yael O., Office Manager<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3><strong>Test 3: Get physical<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><b>The science:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Countless studies show that exercise improves your sleep &#8211; it helps you fall asleep faster, increases your sleep quality, and decreases daytime sleepiness. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why? When you exercise, your body temperature goes up, and then drops afterwards. The cooler your body temperature is, the more likely you are to feel sleepy. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In fact, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">people who exercise frequently<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are <a href=\"https:\/\/sleepfoundation.org\/media-center\/national-sleep-foundation-poll-finds-exercise-key\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">more likely to report good sleep<\/a>, while people who don\u2019t exercise are the most sleepy, according to an experiment by the National Sleep Foundation. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>The test:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Try exercising 4-5 times this week, and note how it affects your sleep that night and energy the next day. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For best results, try out cardio, strength training, or yoga, as these are proven to bring you a better slumber.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Btw, most experts say that exercising in the morning is best, but others say that exercising at night brings similar benefits. If nighttime works best for your schedule, try to experiment and figure out what\u2019s best for you.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>The results:<\/b><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cEven though I exercised throughout the week, the sleep study didn\u2019t work out too well for me. Having a baby at home isn\u2019t good for controlling variables in your life, as it turns out. But I could definitely see how this would work for other people.\u201d &#8211; Dan K., API Team<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3><strong>Test 4: Invest in some natural remedies<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><b>The science:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shocking as it may be, certain scents can actually improve your sleep. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Science shows that the smell of lavender slows your heart rate, lowers anxiety, and makes you sleepy. That\u2019s because it increases your GABA levels, which are neurotransmitters that make you feel tired. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another sleep-inducing smell is jasmine: it\u2019s scientifically proven to improve your quality of sleep by helping you hit more cycles of REM sleep, and stay in this stage longer. That way, you\u2019ll wake up in the morning feeling more energized.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>The test:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Grab some lavender or jasmine essential oil. Put it on your pillow, or place it in a diffuser each night. Be sure to smell it right before bed! <\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>The results:<\/b><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI didn\u2019t use the oil, but I grow lavender on my kitchen window (they say it keeps mosquitos away!) so I cut off a few flowers each evening, crushed them slightly, and hung them above my head in the bedroom. A few things I noticed were that I fell asleep more easily &#8211; less tossing and turning &#8211; and in the morning, I didn\u2019t feel as groggy. Definitely going to keep this ritual going!\u201d &#8211; Caroline, Content Strategy &amp; SEO<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3><strong>Test 5: Do a cleanse<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><b>The science:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You know the phrase, \u2018you are what you eat\u2019? Turns out, the quality of your sleep is no exception. Certain foods (and drinks) can actually interfere with your sleep.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The first culprit? Coffee, or any caffeinated drink (shocker there). It blocks something called the adenosine receptor in your body, and therefore keeps you from feeling sleepy. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since caffeine stays in your system long after its intake, sleep experts say it\u2019s best to stop drinking caffeinated drinks by the early afternoon.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another troublemaker is alcohol &#8211; though it might help you fall asleep faster, it prevents you from fully going into your in REM cycle, which is where restful dreaming happens. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And finally, spicy and highly acidic foods can also harm sleep &#8211; since they\u2019re common causes of heartburn, they can interfere with your trip to dreamland. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>The test:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stop drinking caffeine (soda, coffee, caffeinated tea) after 2pm, and avoid alcohol, spicy foods, and acidic foods from 7pm on. Yes, you can do it!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-3150 size-full\" src=\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/avoid.png\" alt=\"Food and Drinks Interfere With Sleep - Lemonade Blog\" width=\"1200\" height=\"420\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.lemonade.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/avoid.png 1200w, https:\/\/www.lemonade.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/avoid-300x105.png 300w, https:\/\/www.lemonade.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/avoid-768x269.png 768w, https:\/\/www.lemonade.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/avoid-1024x358.png 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That means cutting out things like tabasco, Sriracha, hot pepper for the spice, and tomatoes, ketchup, and raw onions for the acidity. This doesn\u2019t mean you have to cut \u2018em out of your diet altogether &#8211; just don\u2019t consume these foods after the specified time. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>The results:<\/b><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI tend to drink a lot of caffeine in my day-to-day life, so my challenge was cutting out the caffeine. The mental aspect of depriving myself made me a bit restless, but on a physical level, it was much easier to for me to fall asleep. I took my blood pressure at night as I regularly do, and it was a few points lower than it usually is.&#8221;\u00a0 &#8211; Ashley D., Customer Service<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI tried to avoid drinking coffee after 2pm and paid attention to my sleep quality, but unfortunately I didn\u2019t notice a change.\u201d &#8211; Gal S., Designer<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3><strong>Test 6: Breathe in, breathe out, repeat.<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><b>The science:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Deep breathing is more than just a modern craze &#8211; it&#8217;s an ancient and powerful way to tell your body it\u2019s time to sleep.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why? When you inhale deeply and hold your breath, your body\u2019s oxygen levels increase, which creates a state of calm. You\u2019ll gradually feel your heart rate slow and your muscles relax as your blood pressure lowers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And as you exhale slowly, you\u2019ll begin mimicking the pace of breathing you adopt when you\u2019re falling asleep. That way, you\u2019ll nudge your body and mind towards dreamland, even before shuteye. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>The test: <\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the quickest, easiest, and most effective breathing exercises is called the \u20184-7-8.\u2019 Do this breathing exercise right before bed. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First, get in a comfortable position, and close your eyes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1. Inhale for <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">four<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> seconds.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2. Hold your breath for <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">seven<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> seconds.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3. Exhale slowly, for <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">eight<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> seconds.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4. Repeat several times.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>The results:<\/b><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cDoing the breathing technique helped me relax and calm down before sleep. I felt like I was meditating.\u201d &#8211; Eti P., Growth Specialist <\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3><strong>Test 7: <a href=\"\/blog\/easy-ways-to-destress\/\">Destress<\/a> before bed<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><b>The science:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/news.gallup.com\/poll\/224336\/eight-americans-afflicted-stress.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">8 in 10 Americans<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> experience stress \u2018sometimes\u2019 or \u2018frequently.\u2019 It\u2019s no coincidence we have such an issue with sleep. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why? When you\u2019re stressed, your body goes into a fight or flight response, and releases a hormone called cortisol. Cortisol creates a jolt of energy within you, leading your body to tense up and your heart to race. That makes it much harder for your body to relax. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>The test:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don\u2019t do any stressful activities at least 1 hour before bed, such as working, exercising, <\/span><a href=\"\/blog\/budgeting-tricks\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">organizing your budget<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, having difficult conversations, or engaging in over-stimulating media, games, or social media. For some, that means putting your phone away an hour before bed (eek!!). <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What can you do instead? Take a bath, read a book, listen to relaxing music, or even watch a relaxing TV show. These activities will tell your body to wind down, rather than amp up. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>The results:<\/b><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI felt much more relaxed, for real. I went to sleep earlier and had a better (and longer) nights sleep. Usually, I use my phone up until the moment I feel my eyes shut, so this helped with that.\u201d &#8211; Chanan G., Product Designer<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Test 8: Write down your thoughts<\/strong> <\/span><\/h3>\n<p><b>The science:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Have you ever laid in bed, unable to sleep because of racing thoughts? Join the club.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Turns out, this is one of the most common causes of stress before bed and the release of cortisol at night.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To get rid of these thoughts and prepare your body for a snooze, sleep experts suggest writing your thoughts down. This will help you mentally offload responsibility before bed, and free up your mind for sound sleeping.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In fact, researchers found that participants who <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/record\/2017-47677-001\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">took 5 minutes<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to write a to-do list before bed fell asleep more quickly than participants who wrote about tasks they had already completed (eliminating the possibility of a placebo effect!). <\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>The test:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before you shut your eyes, take 5 minutes to write your to-do list for the next day, or random thoughts in your head. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For best results, write in a journal to avoid the potentially stressful effects of your phone. If you don\u2019t like writing by hand, typing your thoughts on a computer is also acceptable.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>The results:<\/b><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI found that writing my to-do list or random thoughts down before bed was helpful in reducing my anxiety level. It allowed me to feel more at peace and \u2018complete\u2019 at the end of the day. Although I didn&#8217;t necessarily feel more well-rested the next day, I found that I fell asleep faster than I usually do, and didn\u2019t stay awake for long when I woke up in the middle of the night. I felt more organized and relaxed.\u201d &#8211; Jen R., Claims Specialist <\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3><strong>Test 9: Sleep with your phone outside your room<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><b>The science:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How many times have you checked the clock after scrolling through pictures of your friends, or <a href=\"\/blog\/oddly-satisfying-videos-instagram-reddit\/\">oddly satisfying videos on your Instagram feed<\/a>, only to realize it\u2019s way past your bedtime? <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This scenario can spoil your sleep in more ways than you think. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First off, your phone can unexpectedly keep you up later. If this\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/medium.com\/swlh\/6-ways-to-hack-your-bad-habits-43cd4482a816\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">becomes a habit<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, this may cause your internal clock to readjust, telling your body to not fall asleep until midnight or 2am regularly. Because of that, going to bed earlier might become harder than you think.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The stimulation from your phone can also induce the release of cortisol (ugh, not again!). If you see a stressful Facebook status right before bed, or a picture on your Instagram feed that induces FOMO, you may become too stressed to fall asleep quickly. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>The test:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Put your phone outside your room before you go to sleep. If you need to set an alarm, invest in a good ol\u2019 fashion alarm clock! <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And for the ultimate challenge: Don\u2019t scroll on any feeds before you say bye to your phone. That way, you\u2019ll avoid that moment when you realize you\u2019ve been scrolling for 30 minutes, which\u2019ll take a hefty chunk out of your sleep.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>The results:<\/b><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI fell asleep sooner, because I didn&#8217;t have my phone to play with. It also got me to get out of bed in the morning, and helped me postpone dealing with stressful thoughts or activities. But I have to admit &#8211; a couple times, I woke up and took the phone with me back to bed.\u201d &#8211; Liron K., iOS Engineer<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3><strong>Final analysis<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, there you have it. For about half of my coworkers (including myself), these science-backed tips actually helped us improve our sleep. In fact, some Lemonade team members even plan to continue these practices each day, because the test was so successful! Score.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But for others, the test didn\u2019t work out so well.Dan\u2019s sleep didn\u2019t improve, because as much as he tried, he just couldn\u2019t get adequate sleep with a baby in the house. For Yael, the alarm clock didn\u2019t work out too well, because her circadian rhythm was already in sync.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And although the tests worked or some of us, they weren\u2019t the be-all-end-all solutions for a better nights sleep. Although Jen had an easier time falling asleep, she didn\u2019t necessarily wake up feeling more refreshed. And although I had more energy in the morning, I didn\u2019t necessarily fall asleep faster.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>What does all of this mean?<\/strong> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tips by experts won\u2019t necessarily work for everybody. Some may be totally ineffective, others may have unintended consequences, but some also might just be that thing you need to fall asleep faster, but may not leave you waking up more refreshed. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The key here is figuring out which sleep tricks work best for you, and which to use in combination to make sure you fall asleep quickly, wake up fewer times per night, and arise feeling refreshed and ready for the day. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But how? <\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>How to A\/B test your sleep<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1. Scan this list, and mark off which one of these you already do; if you already exercise frequently, or sleep with your phone outside your room, feel free to skip\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2. Choose an order in which you\u2019d like to try these tests (there\u2019s no best practice here &#8211; it\u2019s totally up to you)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3. On Sunday of each week, commit to one of these conditions only and try to keep everything else about your routine the same<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4. Each morning, fill out this <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/spreadsheets\/d\/1_TzyyTMmtfWUQqWu5USjvfmQ-YurHZ9vWJtxIhihYvU\/edit?usp=sharing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">handy sleep tracker<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span>(under &#8216;file,&#8217; click &#8216;make a copy&#8217; to create your own version)<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">5. At the end of the week, take note of your results&#8230; did this condition improve your sleep quality and energy levels? <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">6. Repeat steps 3-5, until you\u2019ve tried all of the tests<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">7. Take a look at your results, and create a combination of these tips and tricks that work best for you\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">8. Finally become the fully energized version of yourself, and slay it in life \ud83d\ude42<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Fact: A good night&#8217;s sleep makes us happier, healthier, and more productive. Here&#8217;s how to craft the perfect sleep routine that won&#8217;t leave you craving more zzz&#8217;s.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":3154,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"puppies_section":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-3141","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-lifehacks","8":"post-hentry"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How to A\/B Test Your Way to Better Sleep - Lemonade Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"If given the choice, would you rather meet your BFF for coffee, or get an extra hour of shut-eye? 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