Sleep Experts Swear By the ‘10-3-2-1-0 Method’ That Gives You a More Restful Sleep

Sleep is the biological constant that humans have followed ever since they evolved into existence. It is estimated that an average human spends about 27 years of their life sleeping, laying motionless and still, just being the witness of mysterious visions and dreams that appear in the subconscious realm. Today people have access to zillions of products that promise to enhance sleep hygiene. But surprisingly, people today are flocking to therapy more than ever due to sleep disorders. In 2021, a sports medicine doctor from Massachusetts, Dr. Jess Andrade (@doctorjesss) shared the “10-3-2-1-0 sleep rule” that can help you have a better, longer, and more restful sleep.

“Not intended for everyone based on medical history, so speak with your doctor for any concerns about sleep,” the doctor specified in the post caption. The numbers in this rule actually refer to the number of hours one should consider while doing a daily activity. For instance, “10” refers to “10 hours before sleep” and so on. Andrade started by calling out all the coffee lovers. She advised that coffee drinkers should maintain at least 10 hours of gap between sipping a cup and going to bed. "Caffeinated drinks will clear from the bloodstream in around 10 hours and eliminate the stimulatory effects," she wrote.

The “3” refers to finishing heavy meals or alcohol at least 3 hours before sleep. “Finishing eating big meals or alcohol 3 hours before can help reduce symptoms of reflux and alcohol impairs your natural sleep cycle reducing good quality sleep,” said the doctor. In the third point, she explained to the viewers what to do 2 hours before sleep. “Relax the brain and write down all tasks for the next day and give your brain a mental rest,” Andrade said.

One hour before bedtime, the doctor suggested people minimize their use of electronics as “the blue light disrupts the body’s natural sleep cycle.” The “0” refers to the number of times the person hits the snooze button when they wake up in the morning. The comment section of Andrade’s video revealed that, originally, the "10-3-2-1-0 rule" was coined by fitness expert Craig Ballantyne, in his book.

For those who find these points too overwhelming to follow all at once, Anita Shelgikar, professor of neurology at the University of Michigan Medical School, told GoodHousekeeping, “Long-term behavioral changes are more likely to stick if you do it in stages, rather than trying to do everything at once. Try to incorporate one new habit at a time.”

Sometimes people are not able to follow this rule because they think that there’s a problem with their brain. It’s not surprising given that one-third of the world’s population and over 75% of Americans suffer from insomnia, majorly due to depression, anxiety, and nervous breakdowns. However, Jag Sunderram, a sleep doctor at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, said it’s not always the case. “Most people worry it’s something wrong with your brain. But you haven’t lost your mechanisms for sleep. There are often behavioral issues that lead to chronic insomnia,” they emphasized.

You can follow Doctor Jess Andrade (@doctorjesss) on Instagram for more health tips.