Peaceful woman sleeping on a white bed with a sage green fleece blanket — using calming textures to support restful sleep

Science-Backed

5 Sleep Hacks That Actually Work (and Backed by Science)

By: Rachel Beland December 15, 2025

The holidays are winding down. The new year is just around the corner. This rare moment of calm in between is the perfect time to reset—starting with the one habit that impacts everything else: sleep.

If you’ve been tossing, turning, or waking up groggy, these 5 science-backed sleep hacks can help. From temperature control to clutter-free comfort, each one is designed to be simple, effective, and easy to implement in just a day or two.

Cozy feet in socks resting on breathable blue Everyday Bed Sheets — cooling bedding for better sleep quality

Hack 1: Keep Your Cool (Even When It’s Cold)

Overheating is one of the top reasons people wake up at night—even in winter.[1]

The problem:

Each night, your body naturally lowers its core temperature to signal the release of melatonin—the hormone that helps you fall asleep.[2,3]

If your environment has poor airflow or ventilation, is too warm, or uses the wrong type of bedding, your body may struggle to cool down, leading to restless and disrupted sleep.

How to fix it:
Support your body’s natural cool-down process by:

Maintaining a room temperature between 65–68°F
Reducing humidity with a dehumidifier
Prioritizing temperature-regulating bedding and sleepwear

Our Everyday Bed Sheets are ultra‑soft, hypoallergenic, cooling, and easy‑care—designed to stay fresh, smooth, and durable night after night.

Cosy Tip: Add a few houseplants like peace lilies, Boston ferns, or English ivy—they help purify the air and naturally balance humidity.

Woman in striped pajamas sitting on neatly made bed with fluffy white luxury down alternative comforter — practicing a peaceful bedtime routine

Hack 2: Layer with Weightless Warmth

Heavy blankets and comforters can feel comforting—until they start weighing you down or overheating you.

The problem:

Even lightweight layers can trigger 3am nightsweats, especially if they’re made out of low-quality, heat-trapping materials.

How to fix it:

When it comes to bedding, less can be more. A single, warm yet breathable comforter can keep you snug without overheating—helping you get deeper REM sleep and wake up feeling truly rested.

Our Luxury Down Alternative Comforter offers the best of both worlds: cocoon-like comfort without the heat. The outer layer is crafted from ultra-soft, cooling bamboo viscose, while the down-alternative fill promotes airflow and wicks away moisture naturally.

Woman wearing a memory-foam sleep mask in bed — blocking out light for deeper, undisturbed sleep

Hack 3: Block the Outside World

Your brain stays alert when it detects sound or light—even when your eyes are closed.[4]

The problem:

Even subtle disruptions, like light slipping through the blinds or distant street noise, can make it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep. The result? Mornings that feel groggy instead of refreshed.

How to fix it:

Minimize external distractions by:

Using blackout curtains or a light-blocking eye mask
Turning on a sound machine or soft fan to create gentle background noise
Keeping phones face-down and notifications silenced after dark

Cosy Tip: Our plush, memory-foam Sleep Mask gently contours around your eyes, blocking out light completely—so you can finally enjoy the deep, restorative sleep you've been dreaming of.

Woman folding cozy green sweater next to fresh laundry — creating a calm, clutter-free sleep environment

Hack 4: Simplify Your Sleep Space

Visual clutter creates mental clutter—making it harder to relax, wind down, and fall asleep.[5]

The problem:
Your bedroom should signal calm, not chaos. Messy or overstimulating environments can increase cortisol (your stress hormone) and delay the body’s natural sleep response.[5]

How to fix it:
Create a clean, calming sleep environment by:

Clearing off nightstands — leave only a book, candle, or one calming item
Using cord organizers or covers to hide chargers and cables
Folding or storing laundry daily — or at least getting it off your bed
Decorate with calming colors — shades like soft beige, sage green, or dusty blue can help lower stress levels[6]

Our Everyday Fleece Blanket adds soothing texture and warmth without visual noise, while our Luxury Mattress Protector helps your bed feel fresh, clean, and calm—night after night.

Cosy Tip: Make your bed each morning—it’s a 30-second habit that reinforces routine and sets a peaceful tone for bedtime.

Man reading a book in bed under soft lighting — part of a relaxing nighttime ritual to improve sleep

Hack 5: Make It a Ritual, Not a Rush

The best sleep doesn’t happen by accident—it happens by routine.

The problem:
Without consistent cues, your body and brain can stay in “on” mode, making it harder to power down at night. Over time, this unpredictability disrupts your natural sleep rhythm.

How to fix it:
Train your body to expect rest with small nightly rituals like:

Keeping a consistent bedtime (yes, even on weekends)
Swapping screens for a book, warm shower, or gentle stretches
Using an ultrasonic diffuser with calming essential oils like lavender or chamomile[7,8]

Cosy Tip: Choose one “trigger habit”, like brewing herbal tea or brushing your teeth—that signals it’s time to wind down. The simpler the first step, the easier the rest of your routine will flow.

Let Better Sleep Set the Tone for the New Year

We’re in that quiet stretch—just before the new year begins, and right as the holiday rush starts to slow. It’s the perfect time to pause, reset your rhythm, and make space for deeper, more restorative rest in 2026.

Whether you're prepping your space now or easing into a new routine soon, Cosy House makes it easy with ultra-comfy, high-quality bedding essentials.

Use code BLOG10 at checkout to get 10% off your first order—and start your new year feeling well-rested.

Resources:

Lack LC, Gradisar M, Van Someren EJ, Wright HR, Lushington K. The relationship between insomnia and body temperatures. Sleep Med Rev. 2008 Aug;12(4):307-17. doi: 10.1016/j.smrv.2008.02.003. PMID: 18603220.
Harding, E. C., Franks, N. P., & Wisden, W. (2019). The temperature dependence of sleep. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2019.00336
Harding, E. C., Franks, N. P., & Wisden, W. (2020). Sleep and Thermoregulation. Current Opinion in Physiology, 15, 7–13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cophys.2019.11.008
Brain basics: Understanding sleep | National Institute of Neurological Disorders and stroke. (n.d.). https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/public-education/brain-basics/brain-basics-understanding-sleep
O’Byrne, N. A., Yuen, F., Butt, W. Z., & Liu, P. Y. (2021). Sleep and circadian regulation of Cortisol: A short review. Current Opinion in Endocrine and Metabolic Research, 18, 178–186. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coemr.2021.03.011
Kutchma, Teresa M. (2003) "The Effects of Room Color on Stress Perception: Red versus Green Environments," Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato: Vol. 3 , Article 3. Available at: https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/jur/vol3/iss1/3
Lucena, L., Santos-Junior, J. G., Tufik, S., & Hachul, H. (2024). Effect of a lavender essential oil and sleep hygiene protocol on insomnia in Postmenopausal women: A pilot randomized clinical trial. EXPLORE, 20(1), 116–125. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.explore.2023.07.004
Ren, Y.-L., Chu, W.-W., Yang, X.-W., Xin, L., Gao, J.-X., Yan, G.-Z., Wang, C., Chen, Y.-N., Xie, J.-F., Spruyt, K., Lin, J.-S., Hou, Y.-P., & Shao, Y.-F. (2025). Lavender improves sleep through olfactory perception and GABAergic neurons of the central amygdala. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 337, 118942. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2024.118942

Written by Rachel Beland

Rachel has a love for nature, travel, and healthy living. Driven by curiosity, she enjoys sharing practical insights to help others learn and discover new ideas.