10 Ways to Optimise Sleep for Better Memory

Sleep is when your brain strengthens and stores what you studied. If your sleep is poor, it becomes harder to focus, learn, and recall information the next day. Studies suggest memory and cognition are generally best around 7 hours or more, while restricting sleep to roughly 3 to 6.5 hours reliably worsens memory formation.¹²³ Genetics can play a part too: a small number of people appear to naturally need less sleep due to rare variants in genes such as DEC2/BHLHE41, but for most people, getting too little sleep still comes at a cost to learning and memory.⁴

1. Keep a Consistent Sleep Schedule

Going to bed and waking up at roughly the same time each day helps regulate your body clock, which makes it easier to fall asleep and wake up properly. A regular rhythm usually leads to better quality sleep, which supports focus, learning, and memory. Aim to keep your sleep and wake times within the same general window, even on weekends. The more consistent your routine is, the less your body has to guess when it should be alert or sleepy.

2. See Daylight Early in the Day

Getting outside and seeing natural daylight early in the day helps set your body clock and makes it easier to feel awake in the morning and sleepy at night. This can improve both sleep timing and sleep quality, which supports better focus and memory. Even 10 to 30 minutes outdoors soon after waking can help, especially if you spend most of your day inside.⁵

3. Avoid Your Phone First Thing in the Morning

Checking your phone as soon as you wake up can pull your attention straight into messages, notifications, and other people’s priorities before your brain has fully settled into the day. Giving yourself even 15 to 30 minutes without your phone can help you wake up more calmly and start with more focus. This matters because a reactive start can make your mind feel scattered, which is not ideal when you are trying to study and remember information later. Keep your phone out of reach, avoid opening apps straight away, and use the first part of the morning for daylight, water, movement, or simply waking up properly.⁶

4. Cut Blue Screens Before Bed

Using your phone, laptop, or TV before bed can make it harder to switch off and fall asleep. The last hour before sleep is the best time to avoid blue screens, as late screen use has been linked to poorer sleep quality. Better sleep means better focus, learning, and memory the next day. Try setting a cut off time and using the final part of the evening to read, stretch, or wind down properly.

5. Stop Caffeine Early

Caffeine has a half-life of about 5–7 hours, so if you drink coffee at 3pm, roughly half of it may still be active around 8–10pm. Even if you fall asleep, your sleep can be lighter and less restorative, which affects focus, learning, and memory the next day. A practical rule is to stop caffeine around 8 hours before bed, or 10–12 hours before bed if you are more sensitive to it. Protecting sleep protects focus the next day.⁷⁸

6. Stay Hydrated and Support Mineral Intake

Not drinking enough water or getting enough key minerals can leave you feeling more tired and less recovered. That matters because hydration supports cognition, and magnesium has been linked with better sleep quality. Drink water steadily through the day and get minerals from foods like leafy greens, nuts, and seeds. Caffeine may also increase magnesium loss, which is another reason not to overdo it.⁹

7. Waking Up in the Night

Waking up in the night can happen for a few different reasons, including stress, caffeine, routine, or not fully switching off before bed. In some cases, low magnesium may also play a part, as magnesium has been linked with sleep quality and relaxation. If this happens often, look at your sleep habits as a whole.⁹

8. Clear Your Mind Before Bed

Overthinking can keep your brain switched on when you are trying to sleep. Taking a few minutes before bed to write down your thoughts, tasks, or worries can help reduce mental noise, and a short meditation can also help your mind slow down. This matters because a calmer mind usually leads to better sleep, and better sleep supports focus, learning, and memory the next day.

9. Do Not Stay in Bed Frustrated

If you have been lying awake for a while, say 10 minutes, it can help to get up briefly and reset instead of staying there getting more frustrated. Sitting somewhere quiet, breathing slowly, or meditating for a few minutes can help calm your system before you try again. The goal is to help your brain reconnect bed with sleep, not stress. Avoid blue light while you do this.

10. Falling Asleep Quickly

One technique often linked to the US military to fall asleep in 2 minutes is to relax your body in stages. Start by relaxing your facial muscles, then loosen your shoulders, arms, chest, and legs while breathing out slowly. Let your body feel heavy against the bed, then clear your mind by picturing a calm, relaxing scene.

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