Sleeping well in a city that stays up

Cairo is lovely at night: cafés open, family visits that begin late, streets that never go completely quiet. Sleeping well here is not about being strict with yourself. It is about a few choices that give your body a fair chance.

Light

Bright light in the evening tells your body it is still daytime. Dim the lights towards the end of the evening, and get some daylight in the morning. Together they help your body tell night from day.

Tea, coffee and the evening

Caffeine can stay active in your body for hours, and people differ in how sensitive they are to it. It is in tea, coffee, cola and energy drinks. If you take a long time to fall asleep, try having your last cup earlier than usual and see what changes. The evening tea can become a caffeine-free drink, such as mint or anise.

Screens

A phone keeps your mind busy as well as lighting up your face. If you can, put it down a while before sleep, and charge it away from the bed. If that is not realistic, lower the brightness and stay away from whatever winds you up: work email, news, arguments.

Cool, dark, quiet

Most people sleep better in a room that is cool, dark and quiet. Curtains that block the street light, a fan or air conditioning at a comfortable setting, light bedding in summer. Earplugs or the steady sound of a fan can help with street noise.

Timing and late dinners

Going to bed and waking up at roughly the same times each day, weekends included, is one of the things that helps most. A heavy, late dinner can make sleep uncomfortable. When dinner has to be late, keep it lighter and leave some time before bed if you can. In Ramadan, when nights shift, a short daytime nap and a steady routine around suhoor can help.

If you have been sleeping badly for a while, or you wake up unrefreshed most days, talk to a doctor.