Skip to main content Tom's Guide Tom's Guide Search Tom's Guide View Profile Newsletters Best Picks Entertainment Nintendo Switch 2 Tariff tracker Best Mattress Wordle Today I just hit a sleep score of 100 — here’s everything I did to sleep better Eve Davies 19 April 2025 5 easy habits to help you achieve a golden sleep score like mine When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Getty Images) While Rory Mcllroy was winning the 2025 Masters last weekend, other twenty-somethings probably partied until the wee hours. What did I do? I bagged myself a 100% sleep score. Unlike most weekends, I had nothing in my calendar besides recharging between weeks of work and marathon training. Without social plans in the way, I decided my main priority would be resting and sleeping well. As a sleep writer, trialling and testing ways of optimizing sleep is all part of my day (and night) job. From reviewing everything from the latest sleep tech to the best mattresses for my sleep needs, I have tried out many snooze-enhancing measures. You may like Sleeping on the Eight Sleep Pod 4 has taken my sleep score from 59 to 91 — here's how I keep my sleep score in the 90s thanks to this one easy habit But you may be surprised to learn that the sleep hacks I utilized to help me hit a 100 sleep score involved simple lifestyle choices, a little dedication to routine and a healthy sleep environment. So, without further ado, here's how I managed to ace my sleep... What does a sleep score tell you? (Image credit: Future) Your sleep score is a numerical rating provided by your sleep tracker. It collates a range of your sleep data to give you an indication of how well you've slept at night. Sleep quality, sleep latency (the time it takes for you to fall asleep), sleep duration and heart rate variability are all metrics that tend to be included. Different brands use different algorithms and metrics to give you this score. But sleep quality, sleep latency (the time it takes for you to fall asleep), sleep duration and heart rate variability are all metrics that tend to be included. This means you can get a different score from different trackers for the same night sleep. But if you stick with one device, you can get a more accurate gauge of how your sleep quality differs from night to night, helping you understand how to optimize your rest. Apple, Garmin, Oura, Whoop and Fitbit are all popular sleep tracking brands and a 'good' sleep score tends to range between 70 and 90, with 90+ generally considered 'excellent.' My sleep score hit 100 Image 1 of 2 (Image credit: Future) (Image credit: Future) Not to brag, but if there’s one thing I’ve become good at over the past year, it’s sleeping. According to the app connected to my Eight Sleep Pod 4, my sleep score sits in the nineties most nights. This weekend I hit the jackpot for the first time, waking up on Sunday morning to a sleep score of 100. The sensors lining the Eight Sleep pod determine this score by measuring how long you spend in essential sleep cycles including REM and deep sleep, your heart rate variability and breath rate, sleep routine consistency, sleep latency and time slept. With all these measures falling in the 'green zone,' my sleep was considered perfect on this particular night. 5 things I did to improve my sleep score I've tested sleep headbands and TikTok sleep trends, but these are the methods I used to bag myself a golden sleep score... 1. I deep cleaned my sleep space (Image credit: Getty Images) It might not have been the most glamorous of evenings, but on the Friday before I got my perfect sleep score, my plans revolved around organising, cleaning and vacuuming my bedroom, and dressing my bed with fresh Prosionni sheets. There's a certain sense of calm that only a clean, clutter-free bedroom can induce and research shows an organized bedroom can do wonders for your sleep too. Cleaning my bedroom straight after clocking off from work on Friday meant I could enjoy the luxury of a just-cleaned sleep space all weekend, and it paid dividends in my subsequent sleep quality. 2. I stuck to my sleep routine (Image credit: Future) I rarely have a problem sticking to an early bedtime and early morning wake up during the working week. But I'm not always quite as dedicated to a consistent sleep schedule over the weekends. However, with no social plans, there was nothing standing in my way this weekend. So, by 9pm on Saturday evening I had taken a warm shower, brushed my teeth, moisturized and stretched before curling up in bed with a book and Moonbrew mint hot chocolate. By 10pm it was lights out and I was soon snoozing. I've also been using the Rise Sleep app to track my sleep debt and stay on top of my sleep routine. On Sunday morning, as well as clocking a 100 sleep score, I also woke up to a notification telling me I had reached a sleep debt of 0 hours. Thanks to sticking to my established routine over the weekend as well, I had achieved the sleep my body needs to function optimally. 3. I read before bed (Image credit: Getty Images) My relaxing activity of choice in my nighttime routine tends to be reading. This helps me avoid sleep-sabotaging screentime (1 hour of screen time in bed increases insomnia by 59%, according to a new study) and let go of any stress built up during the day as I focus on the book. No matter how much I'm enjoying the book, I can almost guarantee I'll be nodding off one or two chapters in. Lately, I've also swapped my bedside lamp for a Bon Charge blue light blocking clip light, which has helped me feel even sleepier while reading at bedtime and I've noticed I drop off faster. This is likely because the warmer red light it uses (rather than white and blue light) is known to promote melatonin production(which is hormone that helps you feel sleepy). 4. I slept with my window open (Image credit: Shutterstock) I'm aware that, according to an Oxford Academic Sleep journal study in 2022 the best temperature for sleeping is between 65 to 70° F (18 to 21 °C). This is because, as part of your circadian rhythm (your internal body clock), your body naturally cools down when it is preparing to sleep. However, depending on your preferences, it's likely that the recommended temperature above is on the cooler side of the average temperature you keep your home at, so taking measures to cool down your bedroom is key to making it sleep-friendly. Keeping my window ajar is a simple way of cooling down my sleep space. Plus I'm able to enjoy the fresh feeling of having a little breeze flow through my bedroom. 5. I woke up to natural light (Image credit: Getty Images) Alarm: off. Blinds: open. Experts say light mornings are the answer to better sleep, that's why I always sleep with my blinds open. From improved mood to more energy, there are many benefits to waking up to natural light. While I have relied on this year's best sunrise alarm clocks to wake me up through the winter months, I'm now taking advantage of the brighter spring mornings. Waking up gradually as natural daylight streams in through your window allows you to complete all necessary sleep cycles. This is far more humane than being jolted awake mid-cycle by a blaring alarm. Spending ample time in these sleep cycles contributed to my high sleep score and I woke up feeling refreshed. More from Tom's Guide The best mattresses you can buy — tested and rated Trouble sleeping? Being deficient in this vitamin could be why you can’t sleep through the night I was waking up every night until this quick fix helped me sleep through Sign up to get the BEST of Tom's Guide direct to your inbox. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. Social Links Navigation Sleep Staff Writer Eve is a PPA-accredited journalist with an MA in Magazine Journalism from Cardiff University. She is a Sleep Staff Writer at Tom’s Guide and has four years’ experience writing health features and news. She is particularly interested in the relationship between good sleep and overall health. At Tom’s Guide Eve is responsible for coverage and reviews of sleep tech and is our smart and cooling mattress specialist, focussing on brands such as Eight Sleep and Sleep Number. She also covers general mattress reviews, seeks out the best deals to produce tried-and-tested buyer's guides for sleep accessories and enjoys writing in-depth features about sleep health. She has been involved in rigorous testing procedures for mattress reviews in our Sleep Studio and has interviewed experts including sleep doctors and psychologists. When not covering sleep at Tom's Guide, Eve enjoys writing about health and fitness, food and culture. You must confirm your public display name before commenting Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name. 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