We tapped top sleep experts to answer your most burning questions about sleep, or lack thereof.
How much sleep do adults really need?
Certified sleep specialist Kelly Murray says the honest answer is that “seven hours has emerged as the magic number, and it’s for a really compelling reason. When researchers look at large-scale longevity data, sleeping around seven hours per night is consistently linked to the lowest all-cause mortality risk. It’s also what most adults are actually getting, on average. So, the science and real-life finally converged on the same number.”
How important is a digital detox before bed?
Very important, experts say. “Falling asleep with the TV on can fragment your sleep quality,” says Murray. “The light—even at low brightness—suppresses melatonin, your body’s sleep hormone.” If you aren’t ready to give it up just yet, Murray says to “put it on night mode—a warmer color setting most newer TVs have—wear blue light glasses and use a sleep timer so it doesn’t stay on all night.”
Late-night social media scrolling is also detrimental. Annika Carroll, a certified women’s sleep and functional health coach, suggests putting the phone down an hour before bed. “This isn’t only about blue light; it’s about stimulation. Social media feeds are engineered to keep you engaged. It keeps the nervous system in a state of reactivity.”
Are sleep trackers efficient?
“Trackers are great for trends, like total sleep time, heart rate and how often you’re waking up,” says Murray, who tells us that the Oura Ring consistently comes out on top in third-party validation studies. “However, they’re less reliable for specifics, like exactly how much REM or deep sleep you got, because consumer devices can’t measure your brain waves. The only true way to stage sleep is a clinical sleep study. I tell clients to use their tracker as a coach, not a judge. If it’s making you anxious every morning, take it off.”
Which sleep supplements really work?
According to Murray, there are three sleep-friendly supplements with real research behind them: Calming magnesium glycinate (200–400 mg); stress-relieving L-theanine (100–200 mg); and GABA (100–200 mg). “I love GABA for a busy, racing brain, and it’s especially helpful for women in perimenopause whose progesterone is declining.” Carroll also likes ashwagandha (KSM-66) for women in this stage of life. “It’s one of the best-researched adaptogens for sleep, working by reducing cortisol and calming the nervous system.”
Other notable mentions on Murray’s list are apigenin (50 mg)—the active compound in chamomile that can help you fall asleep faster—glycine (3 g) and a natural antihistamine like quercetin (500–1,000 mg). “High histamine levels can disrupt sleep,” she says. “If you wake up between 2 and 4 a.m. feeling weirdly alert, histamine could be part of the picture.”
We didn’t forget melatonin, but Murray stresses that “it’s a hormone, not a supplement, and most OTC doses—5 to 10 mg—are wildly higher than what our body produces. If you use it, stick to 0.3 to 1 mg, and use it situationally, like for jet lag, but not nightly.” Carroll adds that plant-based options like Herbatonin offer a gentler alternative as well. No matter which supplements you choose, take them about 30 to 60 minutes before bed, not once you’re already in it.
Is white noise good or bad?
White noise machines became all the rage about 10 years ago, and many of us still rely on them, especially if a partner snores or we live in a noisy city. However, Carroll says white noise isn’t universally calming and doesn’t consistently improve overall sleep quality. Pink is a softer, lower-frequency option. “Pink noise or natural soundscapes, like rainfall, ocean waves and forest sounds, are often better tolerated, being more dynamic and closer to real environmental patterns,” she explains. Murray adds that “earlier studies found that pink noise can help people fall asleep faster, stabilize sleep and even enhance slow-wave (deep) sleep, with some interesting work showing memory benefits in older adults.”
Which bedtime rituals actually promote a better snooze?
An effective bedtime ritual doesn’t need to be elaborate, says Carroll. “Dimming lights, a warm bath or shower, journaling and reducing stimulation in the final hour can meaningfully shift how quickly and deeply you sleep,” she explains. “A warm bath is worth highlighting: The subsequent drop in body temperature actually triggers sleepiness, and keeping the bedroom cool—around 65–68°F—supports that same mechanism. Most people sleep in rooms that are simply too warm.”
How do hormonal shifts impact sleep?
Hormonal shifts can dramatically affect sleep quality. “Around ovulation, estrogen peaks and drops quickly, leading to lighter, more fragmented sleep,” Carroll explains. “In the luteal phase, progesterone declines, and because it has a natural calming effect on the nervous system, this often brings more restless nights and is frequently the culprit behind PMS-related insomnia.”
In perimenopause and menopause, Carroll says hormone fluctuations grow more erratic before gradually declining. “Cortisol activity tends to increase and the result is more frequent night waking, temperature dysregulation and the classic ‘tired but wired’ experience.”
Are naps helpful or harmful?
Naps can get a bad rep as causing grogginess or disrupting sleep routines, but Murray says they can be helpful if you’re strategic. “The sweet spot is a 10- to 20-minute power nap—short enough to stay in light sleep, so you wake up refreshed—or a full 90-minute cycle that includes deep and REM sleep. Avoid the in-between zone of 30 to 75 minutes; that’s where you’re most likely to wake up groggy and foggy.”
Carroll adds that an after-dinner couch doze is also considered a nap, and a bad one. “This is one of the most common and least recognized sleep disruptors I see. By the time you get into bed, your body simply doesn’t need sleep as urgently as it should.”
