Sleep Hygiene Tips: 15 Evidence-Based Habits for Better Sleep

Sleep hygiene is the collection of daily habits and environmental conditions that set the stage for consistent, restorative sleep. Poor sleep hygiene is one of the most common — and most fixable — reasons people struggle with falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up feeling exhausted. According to the CDC, one in three American adults does not get enough sleep, and behavioral factors play a leading role. This guide covers 15 practices that sleep researchers, physicians, and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine consistently recommend.

What Is Sleep Hygiene?

Sleep hygiene is a clinical term for the set of practices and environmental conditions that support healthy, uninterrupted sleep. The concept was first formalized in the 1970s by Dr. Peter Hauri, a pioneer in sleep medicine, and has since become a core component of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) — the treatment that the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Mayo Clinic recommend as the first-line intervention for chronic insomnia, ahead of medication.

Sleep hygiene is not a single action. It is a system of reinforcing habits that work together. A cool, dark bedroom helps — but not if you drink espresso at 8 PM. A consistent schedule helps — but not if you scroll your phone in bed for an hour. Research published on PubMed consistently shows that people who follow multiple sleep hygiene practices simultaneously report significantly better sleep quality than those who follow just one or two.

The good news: most sleep hygiene practices are free, require no equipment, and can be started tonight. Use our sleep calculator to find the right bedtime and wake time based on 90-minute sleep cycles, then apply the practices below to make sure those hours are truly restorative.

How Sleep Hygiene Affects Sleep Quality

Percentage of sleep specialists rating each practice as "highly effective" (Source: National Sleep Foundation)

The Science Behind Sleep Hygiene

Understanding why sleep hygiene works requires understanding the two biological systems that regulate sleep: the circadian rhythm (your 24-hour internal clock) and sleep pressure (the buildup of adenosine that makes you progressively sleepier the longer you stay awake). Good sleep hygiene optimizes both systems simultaneously.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), sleep also activates the glymphatic system, which clears toxic metabolic waste from the brain. This process is most active during deep sleep, making sleep quality — not just duration — essential for cognitive health and disease prevention. Research from Johns Hopkins Medicine shows that even one night of poor sleep impairs memory consolidation, emotional regulation, and immune function.

How Hygiene Affects Sleep Architecture

Sleep consists of distinct stages that cycle throughout the night. Good sleep hygiene increases the proportion of restorative deep sleep and REM sleep while reducing fragmentation. Use our sleep cycle calculator to plan for complete cycles.

The 15 Best Sleep Hygiene Practices

These 15 habits are drawn from guidelines by the National Sleep Foundation, the CDC, the AASM, and peer-reviewed research from PubMed. They are organized from most impactful to most supplementary — but all contribute to a complete sleep hygiene system.

1. Keep a Consistent Sleep Schedule

Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day — including weekends. This is the single most powerful sleep hygiene practice because it synchronizes your circadian rhythm, the internal clock that regulates sleepiness and alertness. A consistent schedule strengthens sleep pressure so you fall asleep faster and reduces nighttime awakenings. The Harvard Medical School sleep division emphasizes that even a one-hour shift on weekends (sometimes called "social jet lag") can disrupt your rhythm for days.

Use our bedtime calculator or wake-up calculator to find your ideal times based on 90-minute cycles.

Sleep quality by schedule consistency (wake time variation between weekdays and weekends)

2. Establish a Bedtime Routine

A 30-to-60-minute wind-down routine signals your brain that sleep is approaching. This process lowers cortisol and raises melatonin naturally. Effective routines include reading (physical books, not tablets), light stretching, journaling, or taking a warm bath. The routine itself matters less than its consistency: doing the same sequence nightly creates a conditioned relaxation response over time. Learn more about melatonin's role in our melatonin guide.

3. Keep Your Bedroom Cool (65–68°F / 18–20°C)

Your core body temperature needs to drop by about 2–3°F to initiate sleep. A cool room accelerates this process. Research from the National Sleep Foundation shows that the optimal bedroom temperature for most adults is between 65 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit (18–20°C). Temperatures above 75°F reduce deep sleep and increase nighttime awakenings. If you cannot control room temperature, consider lightweight breathable bedding or a cooling mattress pad.

4. Make Your Bedroom Completely Dark

Even small amounts of light — from a phone charger LED, streetlamp through curtains, or hallway glow — can suppress melatonin production and fragment sleep. A 2022 study from Northwestern University published in PNAS found that sleeping with moderate ambient light increased heart rate and impaired next-morning glucose metabolism. Use blackout curtains or a quality sleep mask. Cover or remove any light-emitting devices. For more tips, see our sleep environment guide.

5. Avoid Screens for 60 Minutes Before Bed

Screens emit blue-spectrum light that suppresses melatonin production by up to 50%, according to Harvard Medical School research. Beyond the light itself, engaging content — social media, news, video games, work email — activates the sympathetic nervous system and makes it harder to wind down. If you must use a device, enable a warm-tone night mode and keep the brightness at the lowest setting. Better yet, switch to an analog activity like reading a book, drawing, or listening to calm music or a podcast.

Relative melatonin production by screen exposure before bed

6. Set a Caffeine Cutoff

Caffeine has a half-life of 5 to 6 hours. That means half the caffeine from a 2 PM coffee is still circulating in your bloodstream at 7–8 PM. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that caffeine consumed even 6 hours before bedtime reduced total sleep by over 40 minutes. Most sleep specialists recommend a cutoff of 1–2 PM, or at least 8–10 hours before your planned bedtime. Remember that caffeine is present in tea, chocolate, energy drinks, and some medications. Read our detailed caffeine and sleep guide for source-by-source breakdowns.

7. Limit Alcohol Before Bed

Alcohol is a sedative, so it can make you feel drowsy — but it severely disrupts sleep architecture. According to Sleep Foundation research, alcohol suppresses REM sleep during the first half of the night and causes rebound wakefulness in the second half, leading to fragmented, low-quality sleep. Even moderate drinking (one to two drinks) within three hours of bedtime measurably reduces sleep quality. The Cleveland Clinic recommends finishing alcohol at least three to four hours before bed and hydrating with water afterward.

8. Time Your Exercise Right

Regular exercise is one of the strongest predictors of good sleep quality. A meta-analysis published on PubMed found that consistent moderate exercise reduced sleep onset latency by 55% and increased total sleep time by 18%. However, timing matters: vigorous workouts within 1–2 hours of bedtime raise core temperature and stimulate adrenaline, which can delay sleep onset. Aim to finish intense exercise at least 2–3 hours before bedtime. Morning or afternoon sessions are ideal. Light activities like gentle yoga or stretching in the evening are fine and can even promote relaxation. See our sleep for athletes guide for sport-specific advice.

9. Avoid Heavy Meals Late at Night

Eating a large meal within 2–3 hours of bedtime forces your digestive system to work when it should be slowing down. This can cause acid reflux, bloating, and elevated core temperature — all of which interfere with sleep onset and quality. According to WebMD, if you are hungry close to bedtime, choose a light snack that combines a small amount of complex carbohydrate with protein, such as a banana with almond butter or a small serving of yogurt. Avoid spicy, fatty, or high-sugar foods. For more on how diet affects sleep, see our sleep and weight loss guide.

10. Manage Stress and Worry

Racing thoughts are one of the top reported barriers to falling asleep. Cognitive arousal — worrying about tomorrow, replaying the day, planning tasks — keeps the prefrontal cortex active when it should be quieting. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, effective techniques include writing a to-do list for the next day (a study from Baylor University found this reduced sleep onset latency by 9 minutes), practicing progressive muscle relaxation, deep breathing exercises (such as the 4-7-8 technique), or brief mindfulness meditation. The goal is not to eliminate thoughts but to create a structured transition from active thinking to passive rest.

11. Reserve Your Bed for Sleep Only

When you work, eat, watch TV, or scroll your phone in bed, your brain begins to associate the bed with wakefulness and stimulation rather than rest. This principle is called stimulus control and is a cornerstone of CBT-I according to the AASM. The rule is simple: use your bed for sleep (and intimacy) only. If you cannot fall asleep within 15–20 minutes, get up, move to a dimly lit area, and do a calm activity until you feel sleepy, then return to bed. Over time, this retrains your brain to associate the bed exclusively with sleep.

12. Get Morning Light Exposure

Exposure to bright light within the first 30–60 minutes of waking is one of the most effective ways to regulate your circadian rhythm. Morning sunlight (even on a cloudy day) delivers 10,000+ lux, which suppresses melatonin, boosts cortisol for alertness, and sets a "timer" for melatonin release roughly 14–16 hours later. According to NIH research, aim for 10–20 minutes of outdoor light exposure each morning. If you wake before sunrise, a 10,000-lux light therapy box can serve as a substitute.

13. Limit Naps to 20 Minutes Before 2 PM

Napping can be a useful tool when used correctly, but long or late naps reduce sleep pressure (adenosine buildup) and make it harder to fall asleep at night. Keep naps to 10–20 minutes — long enough to reach light sleep (Stages 1–2) without entering deep sleep, which causes grogginess upon waking. Avoid napping after 2 PM to protect nighttime sleep drive. Read our power nap guide for more on optimal nap timing.

14. Invest in a Comfortable Mattress and Pillow

A mattress that is too soft, too firm, or sagging creates pressure points and spinal misalignment that cause micro-arousals throughout the night. The National Sleep Foundation recommends replacing your mattress every 7–10 years. Your pillow should support a neutral neck position relative to your sleeping posture: side sleepers generally need a thicker pillow, back sleepers a medium one, and stomach sleepers a thin or flat pillow. Bedding material also matters — breathable fabrics like cotton, linen, or bamboo help with temperature regulation.

15. Use White Noise or Earplugs

Noise disturbances — traffic, neighbors, a snoring partner, early morning birds — are a leading cause of sleep fragmentation according to Mayo Clinic. Consistent, low-level background sound (white noise, pink noise, or nature sounds) masks sudden acoustic changes and helps the brain maintain a steady sleep state. A white noise machine or fan provides reliable coverage. If you prefer silence, high-quality foam or silicone earplugs rated at NRR 25+ block most environmental noise without discomfort.

The Ideal Sleep Environment Checklist

Sleep Hygiene vs. Sleep Disorders

Sleep hygiene is highly effective for people with suboptimal habits — but it is not a cure for clinical sleep disorders. According to Cleveland Clinic, if you have been practicing good sleep hygiene consistently for 4–6 weeks and still experience persistent difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or excessive daytime sleepiness, you may have an underlying condition that requires professional evaluation. The table below helps distinguish between the two.

Sleep Disorder Prevalence in Adults

Source: American Academy of Sleep Medicine

Learn more about when to seek help in our sleep disorders guide. If you suspect sleep apnea, snoring-related awakenings, or narcolepsy symptoms, consult a board-certified sleep medicine physician. The AASM maintains a directory of accredited sleep centers.

Common Sleep Hygiene Mistakes

Even well-intentioned sleepers make these errors. Correcting them can produce noticeable improvements within a week.

How Common Are These Mistakes?

Percentage of adults reporting each habit (Source: Sleep Foundation Survey)

Building a Pre-Bed Routine: A Sample 60-Minute Timeline

A structured wind-down routine is one of the most effective tools for training your brain to transition into sleep mode. The Johns Hopkins sleep experts recommend establishing a consistent sequence. Here is a sample 60-minute routine you can adapt to your preferences.

You do not need to follow this exact sequence. The important elements are: screens off first, a physical relaxation step, a cognitive offloading step, and a brief breathing exercise. Consistency in the order matters more than the specific activities.

Sleep Hygiene for Different Life Stages

Sleep needs and challenges change across life stages. Use our sleep by age calculator to find recommended durations, then apply these stage-specific hygiene tips. The Sleep Foundation provides age-specific guidelines that inform these recommendations.

Tracking Your Progress

Implementing sleep hygiene changes is most effective when you track your progress systematically. Research from WebMD shows that keeping a sleep diary for 2 weeks helps identify patterns and problem areas. Track these key metrics:

Use our sleep debt calculator to understand your cumulative sleep deficit, and the sleep cycle calculator to plan optimal sleep timing. These tools work together with your hygiene improvements for maximum effect.

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