Who has time for good sleep anyway? You do!
By Kaitlyn Queen, PharmD, CPP
I remember pharmacy school fondly in many ways: the connections made with friends, building my skills and confidence as a pharmacist, and making real differences in patients’ lives. However, one thing I didn’t enjoy was feeling like I had to sacrifice my sleep to keep up with everything.
Between putting off bedtime to spend a few more hours studying for an exam, cutting naps short to try and memorize all the cephalosporins classes (P.S I still can’t do it), and pulling an all-nighter during residency to meet a project deadline, I was no stranger to missing sleep and feeling burned out because of it.
But who gets their recommended 7 to 8 hours a night, anyway? In 2024, CDC asked adults aged 18 to 65 years old if they get at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night and on average 1 out of 3 adults reported that they did not.1 They also found that this puts people more at risk for chronic illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and depression. This highlights that sleep is a foundational piece of well-being, both physically and mentally. It allows the body a chance to heal, rebuild the immune system, and store memories and process emotions.
Achieving good sleep can feel daunting at times as there are so many variables that impact your sleep: stress, screen time, medications, genetics, environment, etc. The list can go on, but the ways to address these concerns are simple. To sleep well, you need R.E.S.T: routine, environment, screens, and timing.
R: Routine
Focus on waking up and going to bed at the same time each day. This helps your mind and body to become more aligned with their own circadian rhythm. Additionally, build a routine leading up to bedtime that is relaxing and allows you to decompress and approach going to sleep more at ease. Common examples include taking a relaxing bath or shower, light stretching or yoga, completing a guided meditation, or an evening walk.
E: Environment
Where you’re sleeping is just as important as when you’re sleeping. Ensure that you keep your bedroom cool, dark, and comfortable. Avoid being on or near your bed during activities that require more focus or energy, such as studying or working. This helps strengthen the association between bed and sleep, allowing your mind to wind down easily when you’re ready to go to bed.
S: Screens
As mentioned before, blue light from screens can more potently impact your ability to fall asleep. It can suppress the secretion of natural melatonin, making it harder to fall asleep even after the screens are put away.2 Avoid phones, tablets, computers, and televisions at least 30 to 60 minutes before bed. If you find it easier to fall asleep watching something on a screen, consider swapping it for an audio-only version such as podcasts, white noise, rain sounds, or guided meditations to give your eyes a rest.
T: Timing
Lastly, good sleep can come down to having good timing. There are a variety of things that can impact sleep such as caffeine, alcohol, exercise, napping, and even certain medications. You don’t necessarily have to cut these things out entirely, but their timing matters.
Avoid substances or medications known to impact sleep right before bed. This includes caffeine, decongestants, and other stimulating substances.3 Exercise is helpful for energy and sleep but try to have your workouts at least 3 to 4 hours before your ideal bedtime. Lastly, limit taking naps to only before 3:00 pm and for no more than 1 hour.
Sleep is a foundational pillar of well-being
These strategies are recommended for everyone struggling with sleep. However, it’s important to reach out to your provider if you continue to have trouble sleeping multiple nights in a row or excessive daytime fatigue despite getting adequate sleep the night before.
Getting good sleep should not be treated as a luxury as it is a foundational pillar of well-being. Try just one minor change at a time and see just how quickly you can be counting sheep.
Kaitlyn Queen, PharmD, CPP, is a psychiatric clinical pharmacist practitioner at Chapel Hill Psychiatric Services located in Chapel Hill, NC. She is an alumna of UNC’s Eshelman School of Pharmacy and its community-pharmacy residency program. She is enthusiastic about all things mental health, leading her to complete a fellowship in psychiatry and ensuring her patients, and pharmacist peers, get the care they need. Outside of pharmacy, she loves to spend time with her dog (Melon) and explore new restaurants and thrift stores.
References
1. CDC. FastStats: Sleep in Adults. Available at: www.cdc.gov/sleep/data-research/facts-stats/adults-sl eep-facts-and-stats.html. Accessed February 15, 2025.
2. Blue light has a dark side. Harvard Health. Available at: www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/blue-light-has-a-dark-side. Accessed September 18, 2025.
3. Dopp JM, Phillips BG. Sleep disorders. In: DiPiro JT, et al. DiPiro’s Pharmacotherapy: A Pathophysiologic Approach. 12th ed. McGraw Hill; 2023.