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Tom's Guide
07-05-2025
- Health
- Tom's Guide
Not drinking enough water might be why you can't sleep through the night — experts explain why
A new survey looking at the hydration habits of 2,000 Americans revealed over a third of people, 34% to be exact, don't drink water until 3pm on a typical work day. Why are the Tom's Guide Sleep Team interested in this? Well, studies in the Oxford Academic Sleep Journal show a strong connection between sleep and hydration, with dehydration leading to poor sleep and poor sleep causing dehydration. Even if you're sleeping on one of our tried and tested best mattresses perfect for your sleep style, without ample water, your sleep will suffer. Whether that's headaches, cramps or even snoring interrupting your rest. You may like Ahead we'll explore the impact dehydration has on your sleep and hear from Dr. Nicole Tsang, clinician at online medical clinic Circle Medical, and physician at Prime IV Hydration and Wellness, Dr. Jeff Rosenberg about how we can best hydrate for a good night's sleep. There are many ways dehydration can impact the quality of your sleep and make you feel groggy come morning. Physical symptoms of dehydration like headaches and cramps can make you too uncomfortable to sleep. While increased heart rate, another symptom of dehydration, makes it difficult to relax. "Muscle cramps at night are often related to dehydration" Dr. Jeff Rosenberg What's more, dehydration gets in the way of the natural cooling process that happens in our bodies as we prepare to sleep. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. To fall asleep peacefully and sleep through the night you need to be cool. This is because a drop in body temperature signals to your circadian rhythm that its time to wind down. "When you're dehydrated, your body struggles to regulate temperature and balance, making it harder to enter the deep, restorative sleep phases," explains Dr. Rosenberg. 3 ways dehydration ruins your sleep 1. You'll snore more You may have accepted your partner's snoring as a lifelong sleep disturbance when you signed the marriage papers, but there are things you can do to get more peaceful sleep without taking a sleep divorce. And one of them is suggesting they stay on top of their hydration game. 'Hydration helps keep the tissues in our throat and nasal passages moist and pliable," Dr. Tsang explains. "When we're dehydrated, these tissues can become stickier and more prone to vibration as we breathe, which can lead to snoring." Head pain is a common sign of dehydration and also a major disruptor of sleep. 'Dehydration headaches can feel like tension or migraine-type pain and often worsen with physical movement or prolonged periods without fluid intake," says Dr. Tsang. "If someone goes to bed dehydrated, they may wake in the night with a headache or find it difficult to fall asleep due to that low-grade discomfort." (Image credit: Getty Images) People may also try to 'sleep off' a dehydration headache, which can disrupt their sleep schedule, making it harder to fall and stay asleep at night and lead to morning tiredness. 3. It can also cause muscle cramps Cramps, especially in the legs, can be caused by dehydration. These sudden painful contractions can wake you up at night and make it difficult to fall back asleep. "Muscle cramps at night are often related to dehydration and electrolyte imbalances," says Dr. Rosenberg. "They cause sudden, painful awakenings that disrupt deep sleep cycles." Disturbing essential sleep stages fragments quality sleep, stopping us getting to the deep restorative stages. (Image credit: Getty Images) Poor sleep can make you dehydrated too As mentioned above, there is a two way relationship between dehydration and poor sleep. Research by scientists at Pennsylvania State University and doctors at Kailuan Hospital in China found 6 hours of sleep was associated with inadequate hydration compared to 8 hours sleep. Dr. Tsang verifies this. "Poor or shortened sleep can disrupt the body's natural regulation of hormones that control fluid balance, particularly vasopressin, which helps manage how much water the kidneys retain," she says. These hormones, like melatonin and cortisol, are keen to helping you get restorative, deep sleep. "When sleep is fragmented, vasopressin release may be affected, which can lead to increased water loss and mild dehydration the following day." How to stay hydrated for better sleep Drink plenty of water before 3pm (Image credit: Shutterstock) Many Americans need to kick their bad hydration habits and get sipping earlier in the day to benefit from this sleep tip. Reaching for a glass of water just after you get out of bed and cementing this habit in your morning routine is a good way to kick start your hydration early on. 'The key is steady hydration throughout the day rather than loading up on fluids right before bed," Dr. Tsang advises. "I usually advise patients to keep a water bottle with them and sip regularly, not just when they feel thirsty. Including foods with high water content, like fruits and vegetables, can also support hydration throughout the day." In the evening, it's wise to taper off fluid intake about 1–2 hours before sleep to reduce the likelihood of waking for the restroom. Limit your intake of caffeine and alcohol (Image credit: Getty Images) It's well known caffeine and alcohol are bad news for sleep. As well as being stimulants, these drinks have a diuretic effect. According to Dr. Tsang, poor sleepers' beverage choices contribute to dehydration. It's a cycle that can quickly become self-reinforcing if not addressed 'People who are sleep-deprived may also be less likely to notice or respond to thirst cues, or might reach for dehydrating drinks like caffeine or alcohol to cope with fatigue," she says. "It's a cycle that can quickly become self-reinforcing if not addressed.' Therefore, swapping out too much caffeine and alcohol for a refreshing glass of water can help you avoid dehydration slumps and sleep loss. Create a cool sleep set up (Image credit: Getty Images) Sleeping at a cool temperature is key to falling and staying asleep, and it also prevents excessive sweating during the night which contributes to dehydration. If you're a particularly hot sleeper we recommend investing in one of this year's top cooling mattresses to help you manage night sweats and avoid dehydration. Complete your sleep set up with cooling bedding and pillows and make sure you maintain good ventilation by sleeping with your windows open and blinds closed through warm days.
Tom's Guide
06-05-2025
- Health
- Tom's Guide
Can't sleep? 7 tried and tested tips and hacks to help you fall asleep faster and easier tonight
While it's all well and good telling someone to keep a consistent sleep schedule, practise good sleep hygiene and get 8 hours of sleep a night (all great advice by the way,) sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you just can't sleep. That's when it's time to try the slightly more alternative sleep tips and hacks that get to work right away. And, the Tom's Guide Sleep Team have tried them all to find out which are really worth a go, from questionable sleepmaxxing methods like mouth taping, to tricks rooted in neuroscience, like cognitive shuffling. You may like Collectively, we've agreed on these 7 tips that aren't your usual go-tos, but are extremely effective. So, whether you're pre-empting a sleepless night or you're lying awake right now watching the hours go by, read on to find out how to fall asleep faster. A firm favorite among our team is the warm bath before bed. And not for the reasons you might think. While, yes, it is extremely relaxing and your muscles release tension in the warm water, there's a more scientific reason for why this routine helps you sleep. It instantly relaxes me by washing away not only the dirt from the long day but also the stresses and worries Becky George, Sleep Writer At night, our core body temperature drops which is a key indicator to our mind and body that it's time to fall asleep. Similarly, in the morning it rises, which wakes us up. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. You might think a bath would heat you up too much to fall asleep, but actually, moving from a warm bathroom to a cooler bedroom causes a drop in our body temperature. Personally, lounging in a warm bath with some lavender oil added (known for its sleep inducing properties) works wonders. It also gives me an opportunity to be completely screen free. And, for my colleague and fellow Sleep Writer, Becky George, a warm shower works just as well. 'I always make it a point to have a warm shower before hitting the sack,' she says. 'It instantly relaxes me by washing away not only the dirt from the long day but also the stresses and worries, which is soothing for both my mind and body.' (Image credit: Getty Images) 2. Write a to-do list Fellow anxious sleepers and those prone to stress take note! It's not uncommon to experience increased anxiety at night. Processing the events of the day (replaying conversations if you're anything like me) and worrying about tomorrow can make it feel impossible to drift off to sleep. But you don't have to keep it all in your head. Writing it down can help you clear your head and drift off quickly and peacefully. Organizing my thoughts stops my racing mind and helps me sleep without disruption Ruth Jones, Senior Sleep Writer And Ruth Jones, Senior Sleep Writer for Tom's Guide, incorporates this trick into her nighttime routine. 'Writing a to-do list gets the thoughts out of my brain and onto paper, where, most of the time, major issues reveal themselves to be small nuisances,' she says. 'Organizing my thoughts stops my racing mind and helps me sleep without disruption, confident that I'm on top of things.' And, it doesn't just help her nights, but her mornings, too. 'Instead of racking my brain trying to remember that fleeting thought that seemed so important last night, I just check my to-do list.' Ruth swears by this trick, so much so that a pen and a notebook now permanently live on her bedside table. (Image credit: Getty Images) 3. Try cognitive shuffling It's easy to get 'stuck' in a pattern of thoughts when you've been lying awake staring at the ceiling. And the more stuck you get, the more difficult it is to switch off. It's my one go-to sleep hack that works 99% of the time Lauren Jeffries, Sleep Features Editor This is where cognitive shuffling comes in, and for me, it's my one go-to sleep hack that works 99% of the time. It's a technique that purposefully scrambles your thoughts so your brain stops trying to make sense of them. Then, your brain is free to switch off. All you have to do is imagine and visualize a series of random objects that are not connected to each other. By continuing to do this, you replicate that feeling right before you fall asleep where your thoughts stop making sense. Soon, you'll find you've drifted off to sleep. (Image credit: Getty Images) 4. Practise a breathing method In order to fall asleep, we need to stimulate our 'rest and digest' nervous system, called the parasympathetic nervous system. However, when we're stressed, anxious or overworked, it's likely your sympathetic nervous system is activated, which is responsible for your 'fight or flight' response. Focusing on counting while slowing my breathing down immediately makes me feel calmer Eve Davies, Sleep Writer A simple way to activate the parasympathetic nervous system is through your breathing. Specific methods can slow your heart rate and relax the mind and body. Popular breathing exercises include the 4-7-8 method, box breathing and moon breathing. "I often turn to the 4-7-8 breathing method when I'm struggling to switch my mind off to sleep after a particularly stressful day, or when I'm nervous for the day ahead,' Eve Davies, a Tom's Guide Sleep Writer, says. 'This method involves breathing in for 4 seconds, holding your breath for 7 and exhaling for 8 seconds,' she explains. For Eve, this is the perfect breathing exercise to calm her in the evenings. 'I find focusing on counting while slowing my breathing down immediately makes me feel calmer, distracting my mind from anxious thoughts so I can fall asleep easier,' she says. (Image credit: Getty Images) 5. Meditate Mindfulness is all the rage, and for good reason. In basic terms, it refers to being present in the moment and calmly acknowledging thoughts and feelings and letting them pass, rather than fixating on them. I didn't make it through more than 20 minutes before yanking out my Airpods and falling asleep Claire Davies, Senior Sleep Editor As you can imagine, this works wonders for sleep. Sleep meditation can take all kinds of forms, including visualization techniques like the Military Sleep Method. This is a technique used by soldiers to fall asleep fast in which you visualize yourself in one of two scenarios: Lying on a boat in the middle of a blue placid lake underneath a blue sky Lying in a black velvet hammock in a black room Another popular sleep meditation technique is guided meditation. These are videos or audio recordings of someone guiding you through a specific meditation that can combine specific thoughts, actions and breathing. This can be a great option for beginners who might be daunted by the idea of meditating, and there are hundreds of great meditation videos available on YouTube. Claire Davies, the Senior Sleep Editor for Tom's Guide, tried Jason Stephenson's Floating Among The Stars deep sleep meditation and found it incredibly effective. In fact, on night 2 of trying out this video, despite a stressful day Claire " didn't make it through more than 20 minutes before yanking out my Airpods and falling asleep." 6. Keep your socks on Yep, that's right. Despite that satisfying feeling of taking your socks off in bed, if you want to fall asleep fast, it might be best to keep them on. By keeping your feet covered, you actually lower your core body temperature, meaning wearing socks can help you fall asleep fast. If you want to try this comfortably, opt for wool or cotton socks This is because a process called distal vasodilation takes place, where blood flows to the hands and feet. Rather than warming our feet and therefore increasing our general body temperature, like we might expect, it actually reduces our core body temperature. And, like the bath trick, this signals to our body that it's time to fall asleep. If you want to try this comfortably, opt for wool or cotton socks. These natural materials are moisture wicking and breathable, meaning you shouldn't feel too hot or uncomfortable, even during the summer months. (Image credit: Getty Images) 7. Declutter your bedroom A busy bedroom means a busy mind. Falling asleep amongst mess and clutter is a tricky task, and one that's likely to increase your stress and anxiety. A simple solution? A quick declutter and tidy as part of your nighttime routine. 'Decluttering your bedroom is such an underrated sleep hack, but giving my bedroom a tidy up before bedtime always sets me up for a peaceful night's sleep,' says Nicola Appleton, Sleep Editor for Tom's Guide. In a way, decluttering my bedroom is like decluttering my brain Nicola Appleton, Sleep Editor 'There's a couple of good reasons for this,' she continues, 'the first being that a cluttered bedroom — whether it's piles of clothes yet to be put away or empty glasses stacking up on the bedside table — increases your stress levels, which is bad news for anyone, like me, who has nighttime anxiety.' Another reason Nicola does this is to maintain a consistent nighttime routine. 'It's a quiet, unstimulating activity that helps me wind down after a busy day,' Nicola explains. 'Clothes get folded and put away, the bed gets made (if it isn't already) and my bedside table cleared. In a way, decluttering my bedroom is like decluttering my brain. When the time comes to pull back the covers and go to bed, I feel relaxed and ready for sleep.' (Image credit: Getty Images) How long should it take you to fall asleep? Sleep onset or sleep latency is the time it takes for you to fall asleep. Normal sleep latency is anywhere between 10 and 20 minutes, but everyone is different. However, if you're taking well over 20 minutes night after night to fall asleep, it's worth talking to a healthcare professional to find out if anything underlying might be keeping you awake. Sometimes you can reduce the time it takes you to fall asleep if you pay close attention to your sleep hygiene. This refers to the habits you have during the day and night which might impact your sleep quality, and this includes your environment. Good sleep hygiene practices include eating three balanced meals a day, avoiding caffeine in the afternoon and keeping a consistent sleep schedule.
Tom's Guide
06-05-2025
- Health
- Tom's Guide
Trouble sleeping? These are the 7 products our editors swear by for a good night's sleep
After our fair share of restless nights, mattress testing, bedding shopping and sleep tech reviewing, we're confident we know what it takes to get a good night's sleep. Optimizing our sleep is part of our day job, after all. As well as sleeping on and testing the best mattresses of the year, there are a handful of products our writers and editors simply can't sleep without. From the humble ear plugs and socks to more technical products, like sleep trackers and sleep headbands, this is a list of the gear the Tom's Guide Sleep Team rely on for a good night's sleep. SPONSORED Sealy Posturepedic Elite Hybrid : Getting the sleep you need improves a litany of issues, but you can't get that sleep if you're waking up stiff and sore. The targeted support of a Sealy Posturepedic® Elite Hybrid mattress helps provide relief where you need it most. This bed flexes to your unique shape, making sure you find the personalized support you need to perform your best in the morning. 7 products our editors swear by for better sleep We'll be honest, not all the products we test perform as well as their makers promise they do. But these aren't the products we're focusing on here. Instead, you'll find our favorite, trusty gadgets that have actually sent us to sleep fast and keep us snoozing all night long... 1. Loop Dream Earplugs: $49.95 at Loop Earplugs Be it a busy street outside your bedroom window, noisy neighbours or a snoring partner, noise pollution is a common sleep disruptor. But with the Loop Dream Earplugs, our Sleep Editor Nicola Appleton sleeps soundly. She says: 'After 14 years of sleeping next to someone who snores, I tried the Loop Dream Earplugs — the first sleep-specific option from Loop — and haven't looked back. With a noise reduction rating of 27dB (SNR), they block out my partner's snoring completely — which means I can finally get an undisturbed night's rest. With their ultra-soft silicone and a flat, closed-loop design, they're also ideal for side sleepers like me. And, with four ear tip sizes, they stay securely in place all night. If someone else's snoring is keeping you awake, these ear plugs will save your sleep.' 2. Samsung Galaxy Ring: $399.99 at Samsung While we're aware sleep trackers don't directly improve your sleep, we use them to learn more about our sleep patterns and tendencies. Our Sleep Features Editor Lauren Jeffries has been testing the Samsung Galaxy ring. Here's what she has to say about it's sleep tracking functionality: "I've never used any kind of sleep tracker before the Galaxy Ring. Yes, I had nightmares and probably didn't get enough sleep most nights, but in general, I felt well rested. The Galaxy Ring has educated me so much that I'm now getting better sleep every night. This is mainly because of the sleep score. I love how detailed it is, looking at every aspect that went into calculating it, from sleep duration and my bedtime, to the amount of REM sleep I got and how long it took me to fall asleep. Since using it, my sleep schedule has become more consistent and I prioritize getting quality rest over quantity, which has also helped my nighttime anxiety." 3. Women's Fine Cashmere and Merino Wool Super Soft Socks: $29.99 at Amazon Wearing socks to bed is a disputed topic on our sleep team. While some say it makes them feel claustrophobic, others enjoy their sleep-enhancing benefits, and science suggests the latter group are right. Nicola says: 'Wearing socks to bed is a simple, science-backed habit with a big payoff — falling asleep faster and staying asleep longer. Instead of making you hot, socks gently warm your feet, triggering vasodilation, which actually helps lower your core temperature — a critical cue for falling asleep. Cold feet, on the other hand, can delay sleep onset and lead to restless tossing and turning. In the warmer summer months always opt for a lightweight, breathable fabric like cotton or cashmere.' This pair from Amazon are reasonably priced and come in 14 color options. 4. Philips SmartSleep Sleep and Wake-Up Light: $213.22 at Amazon A top sunrise alarm clock is a staple on my bedside table now, no matter the season. As a sleep tech writer, my current favorite is the Philips SmartSleep Wake-Up Light. In winter, it helps me wake up to light. Even though the mornings are naturally light now, I still enjoys using the sunset simulation as part of my wind down routine. Plus the gentle wake up sounds are much better than a jolting iPhone alarm. The Philips is a more expensive sunrise alarm clock option, but functioning as a bedside reading lamp too, I think it's worth the splurge. 5. Elemind sleep headband: $349 at Elemind The Elemind headband is part of the emerging sleep headband market. Placed over your forehead, the headband measures EEG brain signals and delivers precise acoustic stimulation that moves the brain from wakeful patterns into a deeper sleep. I have been using this headband to get more deep sleep while marathon training. I've slept all night long wearing it and can vouch for its efficiency considering I stayed asleep even when my brother came into my bedroom to steal an iPhone charger plugged in next to my bed (though he was slightly confused by my sleep accessory). At $349, this is a premium sleep product, which will only be worth it if you're really struggling to switch off at night. 6. Feather & Down Sweet Dream Pillow Spray: $17 at Amazon Essential oils like lavender and chamomile are known to calm the nervous system, promoting overall relaxation. Our Senior Sleep Writer, Frances Daniels, uses the Feather & Down Sweet Dream Pillow Spray to make the most of this relaxation technique. She says: "Spritzing my bedding with lavender pillow spray has become a comforting bedtime ritual for me, and helps me to fall asleep faster. It may just be a placebo effect, but studieshave shown that the soothing scent can increase sleep quality and ease anxiety." At just $17, this is an affordable sleep product. 7. MZOO Sleep Eye Mask: was $28.99 now $22.99 at Amazon Light is a major sleep killer for our Senior Sleep Writer, Ruth Jones, so she relies on a comfy eye mask to create the perfect environment for rest, whether she's on her friend's sofa or a cross-Atlantic airline. She says: "My eye mask blocks the lights that plague my bedroom — like the smoke detector and power strip — and it also helps me put my phone away at night. After all, once my eye mask is on, I can't check my messages any more. Just the action of putting an eye mask on has come to signal to my brain that it's time to go to sleep and I find it's weight on my face strangely comforting now." The MZOO is a great value, great quality sleep mask option with 21% off at Amazon now, bringing the price to $22.99. Yes it's a bit more than your average silk mask, but made with soft fabric, it'll be more durable. Sign up to get the BEST of Tom's Guide direct to your inbox. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors
