Getting better sleep often starts with small changes to the habits we follow each day. Our bodies aren’t designed to go from full speed straight into deep sleep. Instead, they work best when we allow ourselves time to slowly relax and wind down. This is where sleep hygiene becomes important.
The phrase “sleep hygiene” can sound a little confusing at first. It doesn’t actually mean washing your face or brushing your teeth before bed. (Although those are still good habits to keep!)
Sleep hygiene refers to habits and routines that are supported by sleep research and help create the right environment for healthy rest. The things you do during the day and the way you wind down at night can play a big role in how well you sleep. Building better sleep habits can often be the difference between a calm, restful night and one that feels restless.
When you finally get into bed, do you find yourself lying there for what feels like forever before falling asleep? Or maybe you fall asleep almost instantly, only to wake up in the middle of the night and struggle to drift off again. If either of these sounds familiar, you’re definitely not alone.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than one third of Americans do not get the recommended 7–9 hours of sleep each night that supports overall health and well-being. In many cases, poor sleep hygiene may be one of the reasons behind it.
Some of the clearest signs of poor sleep hygiene include difficulty falling asleep, waking up frequently during the night, and feeling tired or mentally foggy throughout the day. When we don’t get enough rest, our reaction times slow down, decision-making becomes harder, and even creativity can suffer.
A recent study also found that a lack of sleep can affect our emotional well-being. Researchers discovered that sleep deprivation may make it harder to shift our attention away from negative thoughts, which can increase the risk of feeling anxious or depressed.
The encouraging news is that better sleep may be closer than we think. By building healthier sleep hygiene habits and making a few simple adjustments to our daily routines, we can create the conditions that help our bodies rest properly and feel more refreshed during the day.
Here’s how it can feel during the day: you wake up feeling refreshed and stay alert throughout the morning, the long afternoon meetings, and all the way until your regular bedtime. Your mind feels clearer, your focus improves, and you’re able to stay more present in what you’re doing. When the day ends, your body is naturally ready to settle into a night of deep and restful sleep.
Quality sleep does more than simply make you feel rested. It plays an important role in your overall health. Getting enough sleep supports your immune system, helps maintain a healthy weight, and can reduce the risk of serious conditions like diabetes and heart disease.
Restful sleep can also improve your mood and strengthen your memory. While you sleep, your brain builds new connections that help you store and recall information. Whether you are learning new skills at work or studying something new, good sleep helps your mind process information and solve problems more effectively.
Research also suggests that after a night of solid sleep, people often feel calmer, less anxious, and more confident going into the next day.
Here are some practical ways to create the right environment and habits for deeper, healthier sleep:
One of the most common recommendations from sleep experts is also one of the hardest to follow: sticking to a consistent sleep schedule. Try to go to bed and wake up at roughly the same time every day, including weekends, allowing only a small difference of about 20 minutes. This helps train your body’s internal clock to expect sleep at a certain time each night. Even if you didn’t sleep well the night before, it’s usually better to wake up at your normal time instead of sleeping in. Doing this helps build your natural sleep drive and can make it easier to fall asleep the following night.
Doing something relaxing before bed can help your mind transition from the busyness of the day into a more restful state. Activities like taking a warm bath, reading a book, listening to sleep stories from Sleep by Borran, playing nature sounds or calming music, or practicing meditation about an hour before bed can help signal to your body that it’s time to unwind.
A bedroom that feels cool, quiet, and dark often provides the best environment for sleep. Research suggests that a temperature of around 65 degrees Fahrenheit tends to support more restful sleep. Comfortable bedding, supportive pillows, and a mattress that helps your body relax can also make a big difference when it comes to falling asleep more easily.
Getting natural daylight during the day helps keep your circadian rhythm, or internal body clock, working properly. In the evening, however, bright lighting from lamps and electronics can disrupt that rhythm and make it harder to fall asleep. Exposure to light, especially blue light from phones or laptops, can interfere with melatonin, the hormone that signals to your body that it’s time to wind down. Dimming the lights after dinner or once you start preparing for bed can help your body ease into sleep mode.
You’ve probably heard this advice before, but it’s worth repeating. Screens and sleep don’t work well together. Limiting screen use for at least an hour before bedtime can make a noticeable difference. Besides the light from devices affecting your body clock, things like watching videos, checking emails, scrolling social media, or playing games keep your mind active and make it harder to relax.
If possible, try keeping your phone slightly out of reach while you sleep. Leaving it off your nightstand may reduce the temptation to check it during the night. If keeping it in another room isn’t realistic, consider turning on “Do Not Disturb” or nighttime mode so notifications don’t interrupt your rest. Another simple option is placing your phone face down so the screen lighting up doesn’t disturb you. And if you rely on an alarm, a traditional alarm clock can work just as well.
A late afternoon coffee might feel like the perfect energy boost, but caffeine is a stimulant that can stay in your system longer than expected. If falling asleep is difficult for you, it may help to avoid caffeine-containing foods and drinks such as coffee, non-herbal tea, soda, or even chocolate for at least six hours before bedtime.
Some foods can make it harder for your body to settle down at night. Citrus fruits, spicy dishes, fatty or fried foods, and heavy meals can all be tough on the digestive system and may trigger indigestion. If you’re prone to heartburn, eating too close to bedtime may lead to discomfort. Since it can take three to four hours for your stomach to fully digest a meal, lying down immediately after eating may disrupt sleep.
Even a small amount of alcohol before bed can affect the quality of your sleep. Although alcohol might initially make you feel sleepy, it can interfere with the deeper stages of sleep later in the night. It disrupts what researchers call sleep architecture, which is the natural cycle through stages such as deep sleep, REM sleep, and lighter sleep. As a result, sleep can become more restless and less restorative.
A 2013 study found that maintaining a regular exercise routine may contribute to improved sleep. However, the benefits may not appear immediately. It can take several weeks or even months before exercise begins to noticeably improve sleep quality and duration.
If you struggle with sleep, try to complete your workouts earlier in the day, or at least three hours before bedtime. Exercise increases the production of cortisol, a hormone that keeps your brain alert. This is helpful during the day but may make falling asleep more difficult if it happens too close to bedtime.
If you have difficulty sleeping, it helps to associate your bed with rest. That means avoiding activities like watching television, browsing the internet, or having long conversations in bed. Over time, this helps train your brain to connect your bed with sleep.
Sleep experts also recommend getting out of bed if you cannot fall asleep within about 20 minutes. Doing something relaxing in another room, such as reading, listening to music, or taking a warm shower, may help you become sleepy. This method, often called stimulus control, helps prevent your brain from associating the bed with frustration or worry.
Many famous figures throughout history, including Salvador Dali, Albert Einstein, and Winston Churchill, were known for taking daytime naps. Some workplaces today even offer nap rooms. While a short nap of about 20 to 25 minutes can temporarily boost mood and alertness, it does not replace a full night of quality sleep.
If you are having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep at night, it may be helpful to avoid naps altogether. A late afternoon nap can reduce your body’s natural sleep drive and make it more difficult to fall asleep when bedtime arrives.
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