A quality night’s sleep begins long before you turn out the light. It starts with the day-to-day choices you make. Sleep hygiene involves the daily habits that play a role in sleep and helps you create a more consistent and healthy sleep schedule.
While poor sleep hygiene doesn't necessarily mean you have a serious sleep disorder, it could be the reason you feel tired and unrested after a night’s sleep.
This article outlines 15 sleep hygiene habits and offers explanations and recommendations for incorporating them into your daily routine. We also explain when to seek further help when healthy sleep habits don't fix long-term sleep difficulties.
Medical Disclaimer: This article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical diagnosis, treatment or professional advice.
What is Sleep Hygiene?
Sleep hygiene refers to the daily habits, activities and environmental conditions that contribute to the quality and consistency of your sleep. This includes the routine and conditions you create for sleep at night, such as winding down for the day, and preparing your body and mind for rest. This also includes habits that occur during the day, such as the regulation of caffeine and exercise.
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) notes healthy sleep habits can make it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep.
Sleep hygiene isn't a fix for all sleeping problems. Someone with chronic insomnia or sleep apnea, for example, would need an appropriate medical or psychological treatment.
Sleep hygiene practices work best in conjunction with other medical interventions.
Sleep affects much more than your mood and energy when you first wake up. It also affects how well you can concentrate, how well you remember things, and how emotionally stable you are.
The CDC says that as part of having good sleep habits, you should have a relaxed, comfortable bedroom, refrain from using electronics before bed, avoid using caffeine in the late afternoons, and other similar behaviors.
If you have inconsistent sleeping habits, you may have a more difficult time establishing consistent, good habits.
Some of these habits can help you overcome barriers preventing you from having a consistent good sleep.
15 Sleep Hygiene Habits That May Help You Sleep Better
1. Maintain a Consistent Sleep and Wake-Up Time
One of the most useful sleep habits is keeping your sleep schedule reasonably consistent.
Your body uses internal timing signals to regulate sleep and wakefulness. Frequently changing your bedtime and wake-up time can make this rhythm harder to maintain.
For example, sleeping at 10:30 p.m. on weekdays but staying awake until 2 a.m. every weekend may make it more difficult to settle into a predictable routine.
What to try:
- Choose a realistic wake-up time.
- Keep it relatively consistent throughout the week.
- Allow enough time for sleep before setting your bedtime.
- Avoid making large, frequent changes to your schedule.
You don't need to follow an exact minute-by-minute routine. Consistency over time matters more than achieving a perfect bedtime every night.
2. Aim for the Right Number of Hours
Going to bed early is worthless if you don't give yourself enough time to sleep. Every individual is different, and the recommended number of hours of sleep varies, but the majority of adults require at least 7 hours, teens require 8-10 hours, and younger children require 9-12 hours.
What to try:
Work back from when you need to get up in the morning to figure out when you should go to bed. Take into account how long it takes you to fall asleep, and any interruptions in your sleep.
If you are consistently getting enough hours of sleep and still feel sleepy during the day, you should talk to a doctor to see if there's an underlying cause.
3. Establish a Bedtime Routine
If you're constantly stimulated, and then try to go right to bed, you won't be able to relax.
A routine doesn't have to involve multiple steps and be very long; a simple two or three step routine can work just as well.
Try to time your activities so you aren't facing a very busy day or a very long day right before a routine.
4. Avoid Stimulation and Screen Use
TV, computers, and phones are all mental stimulants that make it harder to relax.
Many things can disrupt bedtime and eat into your available sleep time: texts and calls outside work hours, media of all kinds, social media.
The CDC suggests turning off your devices at least 30 minutes before bed to help you develop healthy sleep habits.
What to try:
Put a reminder on your phone to put your phone away.
Stop looking at work messages once you get into bed.
Turn off notifications during your wind-down time.
Replace your social media scroll with a sleepy time activity.
It's ok to not be 100% tech-free in the evenings, just try to not let your tech use cut into your sleep time.
5. Limit Caffeine Later in the Day
Foods, drinks and supplements containing caffeine are everywhere. They can all interrupt your ability to get quality sleep.
Because of how long caffeine stays in your system, that cup of joe in the afternoon can keep you up at night.
What to try:
Awareness is key. Pay attention to how caffeinated you are throughout the day.
Try moving your last caffeinated drink earlier.
Take a look at the caffeine content in your energy drinks.
Pay attention to how your sleep improves when you give up caffeine later in the day.
How long the effects of caffeine stay in your body can vary between people. Stop using caffeine to help you fall asleep. It can be detrimental to your health.
6. Avoid Using Alcohol as a Sleep Aid
Alcohol can help you feel tired and fall asleep quicker, but it can disrupt your sleep.
It can lead to less restful and more fragmented sleep. Using alcohol to help you fall asleep can be detrimental to your health.
What to try:
Instead of using alcohol to help you fall asleep, try to avoid alcohol for at least a few hours before your bedtime. If you find yourself waking up several times throughout the night, you may want to consider visiting your doctor to see if your alcohol consumption may be part of the reason.
Alcohol should never be consumed with any type of sleeping medication or other sedatives.
7. Create a Comfortable, Quiet and Dark Environment in Your Bedroom
Certain aspects of your environment can contribute to disturbing your rest.
Noise, temperature, and bedding can all impact your ability to get a good night’s rest.
What to try:
Use blackout curtains to eliminate as much light as possible from your room.
Try using white noise to mask other noises.
Use bedding that keeps you warm.
Maintain your room temperature at an optimal level.
Use an eye mask or earplugs if necessary.
Rearranging your bedroom to better align with the guidelines isn’t required. The goal is to improve your bedroom in a way that helps you better rest.
8. Exercise Daily
Performing regular exercise throughout the day can help you rest easier at night and can have numerous other benefits for your health as well.
Depending on when and how intensely you exercise, it can impact how you sleep and rest later in the day.
What to try:
Try taking a nature walk.
Notice how your sleep is impacted by when you exercise.
If exercising intensely at night impacts your ability to sleep, move your workouts to the morning.
9. Be Aware of Taking Long or Late-Night Naps
Taking a quick rest in the afternoon can rejuvenate you for the rest of the day, however if you find yourself taking long naps, you may find yourself having difficulty falling asleep at night.
It may be worse if you’re already having problems falling asleep at night.
What to try:
If sleep at night is difficult, consider taking shorter or earlier naps.
However, excessive daytime sleepiness should not be managed by completely eliminating naps. It could mean that you are not getting enough sleep or that you have a different underlying problem with your sleep that needs to be evaluated.
10. Avoid Heavy Meals Before Bed
Eating a large meal before going to bed may cause discomfort and/or acid reflux in some people.
This can make it difficult to fall asleep and cause sleep to be uncomfortable.
What to try:
- Eat your last main meal of the day at a time that works for you.
- If you are having symptoms of acid reflux, do not lie down.
- If you are still hungry and it is not reflux, eat a snack.
There is not one best time for all people to eat their last main meal of the day. Pay attention to symptoms.
11. Address Fluids Before Bed
Although it is important to drink enough water during the day, drinking too much before bed can make you need to get up to use the bathroom.
What to try:
If having to get up to use the bathroom a lot interrupts your sleep, try to limit how much you drink too close to bedtime.
Do not completely restrict how much you drink before bed, especially if you’re medically restricted or required to drink a certain amount. Frequent urination could also be a medical condition. It is best to have it checked out if you are experiencing uncomfortable symptoms that persist.
12. Get Natural Light During the Day
Your body's internal clock is affected by exposure to natural light.
Being exposed to natural light during the day can help you strengthen your sleep/wake cycle.
Here are some things to try:
- Spend time outside during the day.
- Open the curtains after you wake up.
- Combine a morning walk with your normal routine.
- Keep your sleep and wake times as consistent as possible.
If you work the night shift or have a circadian rhythm disorder, you may need to alter your approach to light exposure.
If you are considering formal light therapy, talk with your doctor about the best approach.
13. Find Ways to Manage Stress
Stress can be distracting and can cause you to think about work-related things or other things that you need to do or did not do.
You can try to create a time buffer at the end of the day to help you manage things that you need to do or think about.
Here are some things to try:
- Write down things that you need to do or think about.
- Breathe slowly and relax.
- Read something relaxing.
Set some time aside during the day to think about things that concern you.
If you have severe stress or anxiety, you may need to seek other things to help you.
14. Use Your Bed Primarily for Sleep
Using your bed to do other things apart from sleeping can help you create an association with your bedroom and being awake.
If you have a problem with insomnia, using your bed for sleeping and/or relaxing can help you.
What to try:
If you can, work at a desk and not in bed. Once you get into bed, stop thinking of it as a place to catch up or do work and instead try to use it as time to sleep.
If you’re awake for a while and getting irritated, it may be a good idea to get out of bed and do a quiet activity that requires very little stimuli in low light. Come back to bed when you feel sleepy.
It's part of stimulus control, a part of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I).
15. Keep a Sleep Diary if Problems Continue
If you can’t understand why you have certain sleep issues, a sleep diary can help you understand why and help you see habits and patterns that may be affecting your sleep.
You will need to fill it out for a period of 1 to 2 weeks.
What to try:
- What time you go to bed and what time you get up
- How long it takes you to fall asleep each night
- If you woke up in the night and if you took a nap during the day
- What you ate and drank (caffeine, alcohol, etc) and when you exercised
- How tired you feel during the day
The Insomnia Diagnosis and Treatment Guide created by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) explains to healthcare professionals how sleep diaries can help them identify and understand sleep issues patients may have.
If you're still having issues with sleep after trying these, this can also help you fill out information to take to your appointment with a healthcare professional.
Easy Nighttime Routine You Can Start Immediately
You won’t need to add all 15 habits at once.
Start with a small routine and adjust to fit your schedule.
60 minutes before bed
Complete demanding tasks where possible and start removing stimulating activities.
30 minutes before bed
Put your phone aside. Dim unnecessary lighting. Prepare to tomorow.
15 minutes before bed
Read, listen to calming music, or try a relaxation exercise.
At bedtime
Go to bed when you start feeling tired, allowing time to get the amount of sleep you need.
In the morning
Get up at the time you intended and, if you are able, get some daylight.
This is a sample routine. You can adjust the times to better fit your needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if Good Sleep Hygiene Doesn't Help?
Healthy sleep habits can improve your sleep, but they don’t address the reason you may have sleep problems.
If you have persistent problems with sleeping, or staying asleep, and you don’t feel rested when you wake up, this may be due to an unresolved issue.
Chronic insomnia doesn’t always improve just because you’ve stopped using electronics before bedtime, controlled your caffeine intake, and improved your bedtime routine.
The NHLBI recommends cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) for chronic insomnia. CBT-I is a structured therapy to address negative thoughts and behaviors that may perpetuate your inability to fall or stay asleep.
Sleep hygiene is important for managing your sleep, but it is not adequate to address your insomnia, and shouldn’t be substituted for other insomnia therapies.
If your sleep disruption continues to impact your daily functioning, you should talk to a healthcare provider.
If you snore loudly with gasping or pauses in your breathing, have extremely dangerous daytime sleepiness or behave in an unusual way during sleep, you should get evaluated as soon as possible.
What are the Most Important Rules of Sleep Hygiene?
Some of the most important rules of sleep hygiene include going to bed at the same time every night, getting up at the same time every day, making sure you have enough time to get the recommended number of hours of sleep, eliminating distractions from the bedroom, and keeping your bedroom at an optimal temperature for sleep.
How long before bedtime should I stop using my phone?
The ideal time to stop using your phone is between 2 and 3 hours before you want to be in bed. You should avoid using your phone as much as possible to help you stick to a set bedtime.
Should I take a nap if I have poor sleep hygiene?
If you regularly wake up feeling unrefreshed, napping in the afternoon may help you feel more restored. It will not, however, make up for lost sleep. The goal of good sleep hygiene is to get adequate and quality sleep each night, and naps should not replace this.
What is the best time to exercise?
Any time of day is fine as long as you exercise regularly. Some find exercising too near bedtime makes them feel alert instead of tired. The main idea is to develop and stick to a plan that works for you.
Is it bad to take naps if I have trouble sleeping?
Not necessarily. Naps may reduce nighttime sleepiness, but long or late naps may backfire and worsen your condition. Talk with your doctor if you have persistent daytime sleepiness. Don't assume that naps are the only problem.
Can improving my sleep hygiene help treat my insomnia?
It's doubtful. Sleep hygiene practices may improve your sleep quality and duration, but for treating chronic insomnia, specifically, a combination of behavioral therapy (to identify and shift problematic thoughts and behaviors associated with sleep) and various other psychological/psychiatric therapies (e.g. Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Insomnia) are more effective.
Can THC/CBD gummies promote healthy sleep?
No. There is inadequate research on the effect of CBD and THC on sleep. Gummies should not be promoted as alternatives to practicing healthy sleep habits, undergoing medical evaluation, or utilizing established, evidenced-based treatments for sleep disorders.
Final Thoughts
Complicated routines and expensive products are not necessary to improve your sleep. A good place to start is sleeping at the same time each day, avoiding caffeine a few hours before bedtime, exercising regularly, maintaining an inviting and comfortable bedroom, and ensuring a calm and gradual transition to bedtime. You do not need to change all of these habits at the same time. Changing two or three at a time is a good place to start.
Most people benefit from improving their sleep hygiene; however, you should not rely on lifestyle changes for your health and wellness. Other factors may be contributing to your difficulties with sleeping, including mental health conditions. If changing your sleep hygiene habits does not improve your sleep, seek professional help. Professional help may provide insight into the barriers preventing you from getting better sleep.
A healthier sleep routine begins with small changes and knowing when lifestyle changes will not be enough.
