When it comes to figuring out how to improve your sleep score, a few things may come to mind immediately. The obvious culprits of reducing screen time, dark room and white noise seem like no-brainers. But do they really gain you the extra points you need to get a 100 sleep score? 

We use our sleep expert knowledge to dive into the sleep score trend and what it looks like to get not just a good score but a better night sleep, night after night. 

21 Ways To Improve Your Sleep Score (Once & For All)

For how to improve your sleep score, let’s take a look at the 21 ways better sleep can become lasting - not just a one-time accomplishment. If you care about your sleep score, chances are you're already doing some of these. But there are some that you may not be doing that could help improve both the short and long-term quality of your sleep.

Consider What You’re Sleeping In / Under

1. Use breathable, natural bedding (like wool bedding) to regulate temperature and prevent nighttime overheating.

2. Invest in a supportive mattress and pillow suited to your sleep position.

3. Ensure good air quality, opt for allergy-free bedding (wool is naturally hypoallergenic) to reduce dust mite breeding and nighttime stuffiness

4. Keep your bedroom cool, ideally 60–67°F or 16–19°C.

5. Block out all light with blackout curtains or a sleep mask.

6. Reduce noise by using earplugs, white noise machines, or pink noise apps.

For more tips on breathable, allergy-free bedding and how it’s the real MVP in improving your sleep quality, check out our Woolroom wool bedding collection.

Improve Sleep Timing & Consistency

7. Set a wind-down alarm 30–60 minutes before bedtime.

8. Get morning sunlight within 30 minutes of waking to anchor your circadian rhythm.

9. Avoid bright light at night, especially blue light from screens.

10. Use a consistent bedtime routine

11. Track your optimal sleep window 

Adjust Lifestyle & Nutrition

12. Cut caffeine after 2 p.m. 

13. Avoid alcohol close to bedtime 

14. Eat your last full meal at least 2–3 hours before bed.

15. Stay hydrated, but taper water intake in the evening.

16. Get daily exercise, preferably earlier in the day

Enhance Relaxation & Recovery

17. Practice relaxation before bed 

18. Limit mental stimulation (emails, arguments, or social media) before sleep.

19. Try meditation or mindfulness, listening to audio positive affirmations can help

20. Take a warm shower or bath 1–2 hours before bed

21. Reflect through gratitude journaling 

We've written more about some of these ways to improve your sleep score:

• How to Fix Your Sleep Schedule
• Starting a Sleep Diary
• Bedtime Meditation And Mindfulness For Sleep
  

So, what is a sleep score? 

If you’re interested in health and wellness, you’re probably looking at ways to get a better night's sleep. Research shows that a good night's sleep is essential for better performance in the gym, at work, and for your body to do the things it needs to do to stay strong, lose weight (if that’s your goal), and process information effectively throughout the day. Good sleep is a fundamental requirement for a good day. 

Which is why the idea of a sleep score appeals to many people. Especially those of us who track biometrics with a wearable device - whether that’s a Garmin, Oura Ring, FitBit, Woop or Apple Watch. If you have a mini-computer strapped to your wrist telling you when to stand, when to take a deep breath, and when you need to take time to rest and recover…Then you’re probably equally intrigued with the increasingly-popular “sleep score” metric. 

The Reasons Why Your Sleep Score is So Low

Short answer: you’re probably paying attention to the wrong factors. Before you can work on improving it, you have to know what matters most in achieving your best night sleep. First, let's take a look at how sleep score is measured!

For most of the wearable devices, the following 4 measures are combined to determine your “sleep score”:

• Deep sleep: earlier bedtime, exercise, no alcohol.

• REM sleep: lower stress, steady schedule, no late caffeine.

• HRV: cool room, good recovery habits, regular sleep times.

• Resting heart rate: good fitness, hydration, no late meals or alcohol.

Pay attention to your habits and routines. Do you drink more alcohol on the weekends? Does that correlate to a lower sleep score? After a hard workout, are you more restless, tossing and turning with sore muscles? Does an early bedtime after a day of good nutrition and hydration yield better quality REM? 

If you’re able to isolate these measures, you’ll have even more information and insight into what can help you get a better score. But chances are, if you’re struggling to get a better night's sleep, one or more of these good sleep indicators is not what it needs to be.

Better Sleep Night After Night

At Woolroom, we are passionate about sharing the benefits of wool bedding. We have heard from hundreds of hours of focus groups, surveys, and research studies, that everyone is on the hunt for a better night sleep. 

And two of the most common barriers to sleep are temperature (either too hot or too cold at night) and nighttime allergies (stuffy noses during the night, waking from dry mouth, snoring, and tossing & turning to clear your head). Wool is a natural fiber that solves for BOTH of these issues. It does so naturally while being a sustainable fiber, biodegradable, and flame retardant inherently. 

We take all these benefits and put the into premium bedding products that help you get 25% more regenerative night sleep. Solving your bedding problem will solve a lot of your sleep problems. And in turn, help you boost that sleep score you're desperately trying to improve.

For more blogs about health, wellness, sleep and sustainability, visit the Woolroom Learning Center.