Expert Sleep Advice: Dr. Rebecca Robbins on How to Sleep Smarter and Rest Better

We sat down with Ozlo’s newest medical advisor, Rebecca Robbins, Ph.D. Associate Sleep Scientist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, who joins the board with deep expertise in the relationship between sleep and cardiometabolic, cognitive, and emotional health. She is a prolific researcher with over 100 peer-reviewed publications and is frequently featured in leading media outlets, including The New York Times, Financial Times, The Today Show, and CBS This Morning. Here, she shares her expert insights on sleep, practical tips for better rest, and how technology can support a good night’s sleep.

Questions for Dr. Robbins:

1. What inspired you to pursue a career in sleep science, and what keeps you passionate about this field?

My career in sleep was inspired by high school and college years fraught with sleep deprivation. I was a competitive swimmer, so I was up early for morning practices many school days. I was also very driven academically, so often was up late working on my homework. I remember being utterly exhausted. Then, I had a very scary near-miss accident on my way to my morning classes in high school after finishing a grueling early morning swim practice during a very busy time in the semester. I almost fell asleep behind the wheel of my car and it shook me. Then, I attended Cornell University and took Psychology 101, which was taught by a professor who wrote a book entitled “Power Sleep” who was a prolific sleep researcher and educator. A large portion of the curriculum was about sleep. Learning about sleep, what happens in the brain and body during this pivotal time, and strategies for improving sleep was life changing. I was so surprised that I never had instruction on sleep growing up, but was so relieved to finally understand the principles of good sleep hygiene and the mechanisms underlying our circadian rhythm, and became focused on a career that would allow me to empower others with this information.

2. What are some common misconceptions people have about sleep that you often encounter?

There are many misconceptions about sleep. We commonly get questions such as “Is it really true you need 8 hours… Or can I ‘get by’ on 6?” Colleagues and I rounded up the most common myths about sleep into a single paper where we outline the common misconceptions and provide evidence-based responses.  Some of the myths we identify in our paper included “sleeping in during the weekends is a good way to ensure you get adequate sleep,” “Being able to fall asleep “anytime, anywhere” is a sign of a healthy sleep system,” and “Alcohol before bed will improve your sleep.”

3. What practical strategies or habits do you recommend for improving sleep quality and maintaining a consistent routine?
   
   

Sufficient sleep duration and consistent sleep schedules are the two pillars of a healthy sleep system:

-Make time for sufficient sleep duration. This is in large part genetically determined, and ranges from 7 to 9 hours for the vast majority of adults. Ideally meet your sleep need night in and night out, but realize that a night of insufficient sleep here and there will not kill you, but try to get back onto a good sleep routine as soon as you can. 

-Consistent sleep schedules. A consistent sleep schedule allows our bodies to know when to flip the sleep switch and when to flip the wake switch. When our sleep is consistent we fall asleep faster into better, more restorative sleep. Whenever possible, pick times you can fall asleep and wake up and commit to not vary those times more than 1 hour per day. 

Consistency is critical, and in some ways a lower bar than sufficient sleep duration. If you cannot get enough sleep, at least keep your sleep times consistent. This will improve the quality and efficiency of your sleep. Beyond duration and consistency, there is truly a constellation of behaviors that can improve your sleep, ranging from eating an early dinner, making time for exercise that enhances our natural stress management abilities, setting your sleep environment up for sleep success, and relaxation strategies for calming a busy mind. 

Building in time you can relax and unwind before bedtime is a critical. We are not meant to go from sending emails or drafting reports at night to falling asleep. Instead, we must build in time before bed to prepare for sleep. Fill the – ideally 60 or 90 minutes - before bedtime with things that soothe you, such as taking a warm shower, reading, or practicing mindfulness exercises. 

4. How do stress and daily lifestyle factors impact sleep, and what are your top tips for managing them?
   
   

Lifestyle factors play a big role in our ability to sleep. For instance, there is a strong, bi-directional relationship between stress and sleep; without sufficient sleep we are more prone to the negative impacts of stress, and when we are stressed, a good night’s sleep can seem out of reach. Resultingly, stress gone unchecked, coupled with insufficient or poor quality sleep can be a dangerous combination for our mental health.

A healthy lifestyle, including a healthy/balanced diet and plenty of exercise, are fabulous for sleep. These practices can be part of the positive feedback loop we can initiate when we are practicing healthy sleep – our healthy sleep allows us to want to fuel our bodies with healthy food and get more out of our workouts. Then, these healthy lifestyle factors then make it easier, in turn, to get a good night sleep. 

5. For those who struggle with noise or other environmental distractions at night, what approaches or tools do you suggest?

The environment is a crucial consideration for a good night’s sleep and is truly the foundation of a great night’s sleep. The three dictates of an optimal sleep environment are: quiet, dark, and cool. However, quiet can be hard to come by and is often out of our control, so find a way to maintain a consistent level of soft, background noise that is relaxing to you (e.g., white/brown/pink noise). A dark environment is also important, and can be achieved with blackout curtains or an eye mask. Lastly, temperature is an important consideration. The best temperature for sleep is between 65 and 69 degrees Fahrenheit. 

If you want to put Dr. Robbins’ advice into practice, creating a quiet, cool, and consistent sleep environment is a great place to start. Ozlo Sleepbuds are designed to help mask unwanted noise and support more consistent, restorative sleep. Learn more about Ozlo and how it can fit into your nightly routine.