How To Stop Waking Up Feeling Tired: 7 Tips From a Harvard Researcher

ℹ️ EPISODE INFO

Released

June 10, 2024

Duration

1h 18m

Channel

The Mel Robbins Podcast

Watch on YouTube

▶ Open ↗

📝 EPISODE DESCRIPTION

Order your copy of The Let Them Theory 👉 https://melrob.co/let-them-theory 👈 The #1 Best Selling Book of 2025 🔥 Discover how much power you truly have. It all begins with two simple words. Let Them. — When was the last time you had a great night’s sleep? The kind where you jump out of bed and feel energized, refreshed, and focused? Well today, you are going to learn how to use simple science to make sleep your superpower. In today’s episode, renowned sleep scientist Dr. Rebecca Robbins is here to give you 7 simple, free and science-backed tips that will help you and the people that you love help you get better sleep and wake up feeling refreshed, energized, focused, and in control. Dr. Robbins is a Professor at Harvard Medical School and a Research Investigator in the Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders and the Departments of Medicine and Neurology, at Brigham and Women's Hospital. Starting tonight you will be equipped with the tools to sleep and feel better. Dr. Robbins at Harvard: https://sleep.hms.harvard.edu/faculty-staff/rebecca-robbins For more resources related to today’s episode, click here for the podcast episode page: www.melrobbins.com/podcasts/episode-182 Follow The Mel Robbins Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themelrobbinspodcast I’m just your friend. I am not a licensed therapist, and this podcast is NOT intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician, professional coach, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional. Got it? Good. I’ll see you in the next episode. 00:00:00 Introduction 00:04:20: The SHOCKING number of Americans who aren’t getting the sleep they need. 00:07:44: The most effective way to improve your sleep starting tonight. 00:08:25: What our brain actually does while we are sleeping. 00:12:04: Renowned sleep researcher, Dr. Robbins’ favorite tips for a great night’s sleep. 00:13:35: The bedtime routine of Dr. Robbins, a world-renowned Harvard sleep expert. 00:17:40: The REAL amount of time it takes most people to fall asleep. 00:20:49: The wind-down routine that everyone should do before going to bed. 00:23:34: Is getting consistent sleep more important than getting 8 hours a night? 00:26:28: Find what works best for you and your partner: co-sleeping or sleep divorce? 00:29:36: What is a circadian rhythm? 00:32:05: The reason you should start every morning by stepping into the sunlight. 00:35:20: How to get the benefits of sunlight if you are a shift worker. 00:37:00: The key to resetting your circadian rhythm. 00:39:45: The CRITICAL advice that you need to hear for a better night’s sleep. 00:43:30: How to ease into time away from your phone before bed. 00:47:25: What about people who fall asleep watching TV? 00:48:30: The effects of bluelight exposure immediately upon waking up. 00:49:38: When to get OUT of bed if you’re tossing and turning in the night. 00:54:20: The impact of temperature on getting a good night’s sleep. 00:56:20: What is the perfect temperature to set your thermostat to for optimal sleep? 00:1:00:54: The impact alcohol has on your quality of sleep. 00:1:03:30: Caffeine's impact on your ability to sleep and the best time to stop drinking it. 00:1:06:50: How long before bed should you stop eating? 00:1:10:58: Dr. Robbins’ recommended daily habits for getting better sleep. 00:1:16:11: If you take ONE action to improve your sleep, let it be this. High 5 Habit: https://amzn.to/3fMvfPQ The 5 Second Rule: https://amzn.to/3372Rl9

🎤 SPEAKERS

• Dr. Rebecca Robbins

  guest

• Mel Robbins

  host

🧾 EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of The Mel Robbins Podcast, featuring Dr. Rebecca Robbins and Mel Robbins, How To Stop Waking Up Feeling Tired: 7 Tips From a Harvard Researcher explores harvard Sleep Scientist Reveals Simple Daily Habits For Truly Restorative Rest Mel Robbins interviews Harvard sleep researcher Dr. Rebecca Robbins about why most adults wake up tired and how to fix it with seven science-backed, no-cost strategies. They explain how sleep drives memory, learning, mood, health, and long‑term brain function, and why behavioral changes often outperform sleep medications for chronic insomnia. Core themes include the power of consistency, circadian rhythm, light exposure, wind‑down rituals, and the impact of alcohol, caffeine, food timing, temperature, and bedroom design. Listeners are encouraged to test these habits for a week, reframing nighttime as "my time" to restore rather than just collapse.

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