Is The ‘3-2-1 Rule’ The Secret To Better Sleep?

In a segment on the “Today” show last month, sleep psychologist Michael Breus shared tips for waking up fully rested, which he said can be a challenge during the fall season change.

“We have less light and we have cooler temperatures, both of which can help with sleep but makes it a little bit difficult to wake up in the morning,” Breus said on the program.

He detailed a few things that can help people get better sleep and wake up rested even on the coldest and darkest fall and winter days. One technique he recommended? The “3-2-1 rule,” which instructs folks to stop drinking alcohol three hours before bed, stop eating two hours before bed and stop drinking fluids of any kind one hour before bed.

Is this really a good way to get better sleep? Here’s what experts told HuffPost:

“The 3-2-1 rule is really just healthy guidelines,” said Dr. Timothy Young, a sleep medicine specialist at Mayo Clinic Health System in Wisconsin. “I think most of us are looking for better quality sleep — that’s the most common request I hear in our sleep clinic, and this is a way to help you achieve that.”

But following this exact formula probably isn’t required for you to get better sleep.

“I’m always hesitant with regard to these kinds of messages since they are not necessarily evidence based,” Jennifer Goldschmied, an assistant professor of psychiatry at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, told HuffPost via email.

“Not that this isn’t helpful advice, but there are no studies to suggest that these are hard and fast numbers to adhere to.”

So, while following this rule likely won’t get in the way of your rest, missing the “3-2-1” hour marks probably won’t hurt your rest, either — at least in most cases.

If you typically drink alcohol, it is a good idea to say no to that beer or glass of wine once you’re three hours from bedtime.

“Alcohol, of course, makes us sleepy,” Young said. “But it actually results in less total sleep time and less REM sleep, which is our dreaming sleep that most people find refreshing.”

Moreover, alcohol use is linked to sleep apnea. “Even if you don’t normally have sleep apnea, you can experience some of those arousals from the alcohol,” Young said. Alcohol relaxes your muscles, including ones at the back of your throat that can contribute to sleep apnea, he explained. (That’s why you may notice your partner snoring more after a night of drinking.)

People who have untreated sleep apnea are less likely to get deep, restful sleep because of the snoring and breathing trouble associated with the condition.

Though Breus told “Today” that it’s helpful to stop drinking all liquids one hour before bed, the experts who spoke to HuffPost disagreed.

“Really, if you’re thirsty, it’s OK to keep drinking liquids. I wouldn’t discourage anybody from drinking water at any point,” Young said. “Most people don’t find the getting up to go to the bathroom too burdensome. And if your body’s telling you you’re thirsty, it’s OK to get it at any time.”

Goldschmied said she’d only advise patients to limit nonalcoholic liquids before bed if they wake up often at night to pee, a condition known as nocturia.

According to Young, most people don’t sleep as well when they go to bed too full. So, saying no to a late-night snack can be an effective way to sleep better.

Instead of the recommended two-hour deadline in the 3-2-1 rule, Goldschmied advised limiting food intake for three hours before bed. “However, for some individuals, I do suggest a light carbohydrate snack to prevent nighttime hunger if this is a common issue,” she said.

In other words, if you know you get peckish at night and it keeps you from sleeping, it’s OK to eat. The 3-2-1 rule is more of a suggestion than a requirement.

If the 3-2-1 rule doesn’t fit with your lifestyle, that’s OK. It’s more important to have a calming, nighttime routine — whatever that means for you, Young said.

“That’s really what the 3-2-1 approach is: It’s developing a routine so that your body is unwinding with your mind at the same time,” he noted.

You can use parts of the 3-2-1 rule, along with some tried-and-true sleep tips like putting away your phone an hour before bed, to create your own wind-down routine.

“The data about the actual light coming from your screen is a little bit controversial, but there’s no question that our screens are very stimulating. That’s how they’re designed,” Young said. “So you could jump from the news to the sports to a controversial article to politics in the last hour if you don’t shut off your screen, and I think that’s a contributing factor for people having trouble shutting off their mind.”

Another way to relax before bed? Young recommended stretching or doing 10 minutes of yoga and breath work to help prepare your body and mind for restful sleep.

You should aim to get at least seven hours of sleep each night, which can be a challenge. But instead of watching that last video or sharing one last post online, Young suggested trying to spend extra time — an hour or so — in bed. If you’re already in bed, you’re more likely to fall asleep and get the rest you need.