The short version
- Get up at the same time every day. It is the single habit with the widest effect.
- Get daylight and some activity during the day, and keep caffeine to the morning.
- Spend the last hour before bed winding down, away from bright screens.
- Keep the bedroom quiet, dark and cool.
- If you are still awake after about 20 minutes, get up, do something calm and return when sleepy.
Most advice about sleep is delivered as a long list of rules, which is not much help at eleven at night when you are wide awake. This guide takes a different approach. It follows the day in order, from the moment you wake to the moment you cannot sleep, and gives you the few habits that matter at each point.
All of it comes from the published advice of the NHS, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the US National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). If you would like the reasoning behind it first, read Sleep hygiene explained.
In the morning
Get up at the same time every day
This is the foundation. Going to bed and getting up at similar times helps your body to know when it is time to sleep, the NHS explains, and it advises keeping your routine the same even on days when you are not working.
The NHLBI adds a useful limit: keep the difference between weekdays and weekends to no more than about an hour.
After a bad night it is tempting to sleep in. The NHS advice is the opposite: stick to your regular hours. A lie-in feels kind in the morning and costs you the following night.
Get into daylight
Light is the main signal that sets your body clock. Open the curtains when you get up, and get outside during the day if you can. The NHLBI recommends spending time outside every day when possible. Our guide to building a healthy morning routine has more on this.
During the day
Move
Regular physical activity helps you sleep. The CDC lists exercising regularly among the habits that improve sleep, and the NHS advice for insomnia is to exercise regularly during the day.
Timing matters for some people. The NHLBI advises avoiding intense exercise in the hour before bed, and the NHS suggests that people with insomnia avoid exercise for at least four hours before bedtime. A gentle evening walk or some stretching is unlikely to be a problem.
Set a caffeine curfew
Caffeine is a stimulant found in coffee, tea, cola, energy drinks and chocolate. The NHLBI notes that its effects can last up to eight hours.
How strict you need to be depends on how sensitive you are. The CDC advises avoiding caffeine in the afternoon and evening. For people with insomnia, the NHS suggests no tea or coffee for at least six hours before bed. A simple rule that satisfies both: have your last caffeinated drink at lunchtime.
Be careful with naps
A short nap is fine for most people. The NHLBI suggests no more than 20 minutes for adults, and napping earlier in the afternoon if you find it hard to fall asleep at night. If you have insomnia, the NHS advises against napping during the day.
In the evening
Eat earlier, and lighter
The NHLBI advises avoiding heavy or large meals within a few hours of bedtime, adding that a light snack is fine. A very full stomach makes it harder to settle.
Go easy on alcohol and nicotine
Alcohol can make you feel sleepy, which is why it is often mistaken for a sleep aid. In fact both alcohol and nicotine can disrupt sleep. The NHS suggests avoiding them in the hours before bed, and the CDC advises avoiding alcohol before bedtime.
Deal with tomorrow before you get into bed
A busy mind is one of the commonest reasons for lying awake. The NHS suggests that if you often worry in bed, you try making a list of the things you need to do the next day before you go to sleep. Writing things down can help to clear your mind.
Talking a worry through with someone you trust earlier in the evening helps as well. For more techniques, see Practical ways to manage daily stress.
The last hour
Dim the lights and put the screens away
The NHLBI recommends using the hour before bed as quiet time and avoiding bright artificial light, because light may tell your brain that it is time to be awake.
The NHS advises trying not to use phones, tablets or computers for an hour before bed. The CDC suggests turning devices off at least 30 minutes before bedtime. Choose whichever you can actually keep to, and charge your phone somewhere other than beside the bed.
Do something that relaxes you
The NHS suggests:
- reading something you enjoy;
- meditation or breathing exercises;
- listening to calming music or a podcast.
The NHLBI also mentions a hot bath or relaxation techniques before bed.
A slow-breathing exercise takes five minutes. Breathe in gently through your nose, counting steadily to five if you can, then let the breath out through your mouth for another count of five. Keep going for at least five minutes.
Follow the same steps each night
Doing the same few things in the same order, such as washing, changing, reading for ten minutes and switching off the light, becomes a signal in itself. After a while your body starts to prepare for sleep as soon as the routine begins.
In the bedroom
Make the room quiet, dark and cool. The NHS offers practical ways to do each:
| Problem | What to try |
|---|---|
| Noise | Earplugs, or steady background sound such as rainfall or white noise |
| Light | Fully closed curtains, an eye mask, phone face down |
| Heat | A lower thermostat, lighter bedding, or an open window if it is safe |
| Clock-watching | Keep clocks out of view |
| Interruptions | Put your phone on silent |
A comfortable mattress, pillows and covers matter too.
Go to bed when you feel sleepy, not simply because the clock says you should. Lying in bed wide awake is counterproductive.
When you cannot sleep
This is where most people make the night worse, by lying still and trying harder.
The NHS advice is not to force it. If you are comfortable and resting, you may find you fall asleep naturally. But if you are still awake after around 20 minutes, get up and sit somewhere comfortable. Do something relaxing in low light, such as reading or listening to quiet music, and go back to bed when you feel sleepy.
Two things to avoid while you are up: bright screens, and checking the time. Working out how many hours remain until the alarm only adds pressure.
And in the morning, get up at your usual time anyway.
A sample evening
Adjust the times to suit your own bedtime. This example assumes lights out at 11pm.
| Time | What |
|---|---|
| 1pm | Last caffeinated drink |
| 7pm | Evening meal finished |
| 9.30pm | Write tomorrow's list; set out what you need for the morning |
| 10pm | Screens off, lights low; bath, reading or music |
| 10.50pm | Five minutes of slow breathing |
| 11pm | Lights out |
| 7am | Up, curtains open, whatever the night was like |
How long before it works?
Give it at least two weeks. Sleep responds slowly to change, and the first few nights of a new routine can feel no different. Change one or two things at a time so that you can tell what is helping.
Expect the odd bad night even when everything is in place. It is normal, and it does not mean the routine has failed.
Start with one
If this still looks like a lot, do only the first thing on the list. Choose a wake-up time, and keep it every day for a fortnight. Then add the wind-down hour. Those two habits do most of the work.
References
- How to fall asleep faster and sleep better. NHS, Every Mind Matters.
- About Sleep. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Healthy Sleep Habits. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NIH).
- Insomnia. NHS.
- Breathing exercises for stress. NHS.
Written by
The Diurna editorial team researches and writes each guide, working from public-health guidance and peer-reviewed research.
