7+ Better Sleep Cues of a Sleep Coach

by Susan D'Addario,
Certified Sleep Science Coach
Certified Mind Body Eating Coach
Licensed HeartMath Certified Coach

Great sleep isn’t a given, even for a sleep coach. As a matter of fact, no one gets perfect sleep every night. It’s a far more realistic approach to try to get good sleep more often than not, rather than to expect perfect sleep always. And, as a certified sleep science coach, that’s exactly what I try to accomplish for myself and my clients.

While there are many reasons people have sleep challenges, there is one huge deterrent to sleep we all share which is rarely addressed - misalignment of our master sleep clock with the sun or circadian rhythm.  Simply put, the more our brains are aligned with the rhythm of the sun, the better off our sleep will always be. 

Aligning ourselves with the sun includes exposing our brains to appropriately timed light/dark and even temperature, (the brain identifies nighttime with cooler temperatures). In short, getting a great night of sleep starts from the moment we wake up. Evening and nighttime brain cueing also support the master clock to release the sleep/wake cycle hormones correctly.

 The following list of 7+ better sleep cues of a sleep coach addresses:

• Morning bright light exposure vs. evening dimming

• Evening blue light blocking vs. red light illumination

• Nighttime darkness and cool down

• Bonus: Nose breathing for enhanced slumber

Together they offer a terrific medication and addiction-free opportunity for restorative sleep. Have a look.

The 7+ Better Sleep Cues of a Sleep Coach:

1 Get strong light exposure each morning for 30 min completed by 8:30am - I love going outside for a morning walk or sitting on our patio for an early cup of coffee. This allows my master clock to receive the message that a new day has started. But, when I can’t get outside due to weather conditions or whatever, I use a light box and/or light glasses to do the trick.

2 Dim all lighting by 8pm – I use dimmers for overhead lighting and dim or turn off lamps. I also love flameless candles which are relaxing and beautiful. Moreover, I go into my device settings and make sure to dim them as much as possible. I generally cut off phone and other device usage by 8:30pm. All of this is helpful in reducing evening/nighttime cortisol levels.

3 Block all blue light by 8pm - While in settings to dim devices, I also make sure to activate blue light blocking filters. (If on a computer, make sure to download the f.lux app.) For ambient room lighting and/or watching television, wearing a pair of blue light blocking glasses with amber lenses is essential.

By the way, if you want to protect your eyes from daytime monitor use, clear lensed blue light blocking glasses is the way to go. For evening/nighttime wear, orange is the clear winner.

Mindfully block the blue light in any way possible until you are in bed and the lights are out. When blue light is blocked throughout the evening and night, your master clock will do what it is supposed to do and release melatonin - the sleep hormone - by 8:30-9pm. 

4 Make the bedroom pitch dark - My spouse and I have a neighbor’s flood light shining brightly into our bedroom. Initially, I wore an eye mask to deal with this. While that helped, I still sensed the light. I stepped it up a notch and purchased black out draperies which made all the difference in the world! Our brains are wired for pitch darkness vs. nighttime illuminance.

5 Keep it cool at night - For great sleep, bedroom temps are best kept between 70-65 degrees F. Unfortunately, we live in a NYC apartment and don’t have an adjustable thermostat. I purchased an inexpensive room thermometer and ascertained the room temp was 72. That wasn’t too bad, though considering I’m a hot sleeper, I needed more coolness to enhance my sleep. 

I use two devices to deliver the coolness I need. First, I have a cool wool mattress pad put out by You Are What You Sleep which keeps me much more comfortable temperature wise. To further enhance things, I also use a BedJet fan which blows cool air directly into my bed. Together, the fan and cool wool mattress topper are a winning pair!  

I can also mention ChiliPad’s Ooler which cools down the bed temperature using water. I haven’t personally tried this product, though some clients clearly love it. I feel compelled to mention that I am aware of one Ooler leakage. Yikes! According to my client, Chilipad was very willing to repair/exchange the Ooler. Finally, I use cooling sheets to round it all out.  

6 Use red light for evening /night - When I wake up during the night and need to use the restroom, I have a True Light motion detector luna red light night light activated. I love this product since red light does not interfere in your brain releasing melatonin. Moreover, the nightlight brightness on this product is adjustable and when set on the lowest level, there is little risk of stimulating cortisol release. Perfect! 

7 Mouth taping for nose breathing - Did you know that for sleep, and just about any time, it’s far better to be a nose breather vs. a mouth breather? It’s true! And, since I have decades of history sleeping as a mouth breather, I now engage in mouth taping during the night to support my nose breathing efforts.  

Somnifix mouth strips encourage nose breathing by covering the mouth, though there is a small slit in the center of the strip. If you’re doubtful about being able to nose breath, you may be pleasantly surprised. Turns out, when the nose is used as nature intended, it comes back to life.  

Nose breathing experimentation is worth the effort. It’s relaxing to your mind and body, filters and warms the air entering the lungs and overall makes for a much better night of sleep. 

There you have it my friends, the many things this Sleep Coach does for a great night of sleep. I encourage you to give these tactics a try so you too can rejoice in better sleep and improved wellness! Remember, nothing needs to be followed perfectly and better sleep will always go a long way to supporting optimal you! 

If you have any questions, please feel free to comment below.

This article is dedicated to my friend Timmy, with love.