Live to 100: Dr. Omar Hamada Shares the ’10-3-2-1′ Sleep Routine for Better Health

Kaitlin Housler
Sleep

Sleep is one of the most overlooked pillars of good health, according to Dr. Omar Hamada, who joined Friday’s edition of The Michael Patrick Leahy Show to share a simple routine designed to improve sleep quality and support long-term health.

Hamada said sleep should be viewed as one of the “three foundational tenets of good health,” alongside exercise and nutrition.

“Sleep is a self recovery, and a lot of times we just forsake it,” Hamada said. “I remember when I was younger…I would always say, ‘I’ll sleep when I’m dead,’ and laugh about it. But the problem is if you don’t sleep enough, then you die younger. So in living to 100, sleep is essential.”

To help people establish healthier sleep habits, Hamada recommends maintaining a consistent bedtime and wake-up schedule whenever possible.

“In general, go to bed at the same time, wake up at the same time, and then follow a 10-3-2-1 rule or schedule,” he said.

Hamada explained the easy-to-remember “10-3-2-1” formula, which begins with cutting off all caffeine intake ten hours before bed.

“For most people, caffeine is something that’s stimulating, so we try to say 10 hours before your scheduled bedtime, abstain from all caffeine. No Diet Cokes, no tea, no coffee, no caffeine pills,” he said.

Next, he said to cut off food three hours before bed.

“Get the digestion over with. Let your body rest and recover and recuperate. Don’t make it work. So no food three hours before bed,” he said.

Hamada then said to cut off fluids two hours before bed, saying reducing fluid intake before bedtime can help minimize nighttime awakenings.

“You don’t want to be getting up all hours of the night several times having to go pee… So no fluids two hours before bed,” he said.

Finally, Hamada said to log off and turn off all screens at least one hour before bed.

He acknowledged that avoiding electronic devices before bedtime is often the hardest step.

“The big thing that’s so hard for all of us, including myself, is no screens for an hour before bed, and that includes phones, iPads, Kindles, televisions even,” he stressed.

Instead, he encouraged listeners to replace screen time with relaxing activities.

“Get a book, get a journal, settle in, get a warm bath, wind down. Journal your day, plan your next day. No screens for an hour before bed,” he said.

Beyond the “10-3-2-1” schedule, Hamada said the bedroom itself should promote uninterrupted sleep.

“When you go to bed, you want a good environment, so total darkness, no lights,” he said, also advised moving smartphones out of the bedroom.

“Start to charge your phone in another room with notifications off. So you don’t want it buzzing throughout the night. You don’t want to wake up at 2:00 in the morning and look and start scrolling and wake up again,” he added.

Hamada also recommended blackout curtains and keeping the room cool.

“Temperature at 68, 69 degrees Fahrenheit, so you want a chilly room to sleep in. You don’t want to be sweating in the middle of the night and waking up because you’re too hot,” he said.

Hamada explained that the “10-3-2-1” method combines recommendations from multiple sources into a memorable routine.

“It’s a combination of multiple people’s rules that I’ve compiled into an easy-to-digest format,” he said. “Those are good rules to live by.”

Watch:

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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network.

 

 

 

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