Can Medieval Sleeping Habits Fix America’s Insomnia?

The obvious methods involve reducing caffeine and alcohol intake, removing screen technology from the bedroom, and having a cool bedroom. In addition, patients must (1) establish a regular bedtime and wake-up time, even on weekends, (2) go to bed only when sleepy and avoid sleeping on the couch early/mid-evenings, (3) never lie awake in bed for a s

for more than 80 percent of those with ADHD, the sleep cycles are flipped.1 Instead of sleeping deeply in one of the first two sleep cycles like their neurotypical counterparts, they wake up multiple times until about 4:00 a.m. Then they fall into “the sleep of the dead,” from which they have extreme difficulty rousing themselves.

The overarching point here is that a good night of sleep may depend in part on a good day of wakefulness: one that includes exercise, some outdoor time, sensible eating (no late-night snacking), minimal to no alcohol, proper management of stress, and knowing where to set boundaries around work and other life stressors.