Sleep: why 7 to 9 hours matters, and how to get there

The Canadian guideline for adults is 7 to 9 hours of good-quality sleep on a regular schedule, with consistent bed and wake times. Regularly getting much less is linked with problems with attention, memory and mood, and over the long term with weight gain, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Build a wind-down routine

• Keep wake time constant, even on weekends. A steady wake time sets the whole rhythm.
• Dim lights and screens in the hour before bed. Bright light late tells your body it is still daytime.
• Keep the bedroom cool, dark and quiet. Use the bed for sleep, not for work or scrolling.
• Get daylight in the morning and some physical activity during the day.

Watch the inputs

• Caffeine can stay in your system for 6+ hours — stop by early afternoon if sleep is a problem.
• Alcohol may help you fall asleep but breaks up sleep later in the night.
• Large meals late and long evening naps push sleep back.

If you are lying awake

If you are not asleep after about 20 minutes, get up, do something calm and boring in dim light, and go back when you feel sleepy. Lying in bed frustrated trains your brain to associate the bed with being awake.

When to get help

See a professional if you snore loudly and wake unrefreshed or gasping (possible sleep apnea), if insomnia lasts more than a month, or if sleep problems are tied to low mood or anxiety. Cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), offered by many psychologists, is the recommended first treatment for ongoing insomnia and works better than sleeping pills over the long term.

Sources

• Public Health Agency of Canada — Are Canadian adults getting enough sleep?
• Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines — sleep
• CDC — Tips for better sleep