Sleep habits

What is sleep hygiene?

Sleep hygiene means the everyday habits and bedroom conditions you can change to help your sleep¹. You can't make yourself fall asleep, but small changes can improve your chance of a good night's rest^1,2. Three areas matter most:

• Regular times. Go to bed and get up at the same time each day, including weekends³. The NHS advises going to bed only when you're sleepy and getting up at the same time every day⁴. A regular routine can make it easier to fall asleep².
• A quiet, cool, dark bedroom. Keep the TV and computer out of it³. Curtains, blinds, an eye mask or ear plugs can help⁴.
• Daytime activity. Regular exercise tends to bring small improvements in total sleep time and moderate improvements in sleep quality, though results differ from person to person⁵. Even a short walk is a start.

How much can habits do? For adults with insomnia, sleep hygiene education gave small-to-medium improvements in sleep, but it worked less well than CBT-I, a structured talking therapy for insomnia⁶. So treat it as a sensible set of habits, not a cure. Change one habit at a time and keep the rest as they are.

What makes a relaxing bedtime routine?

A relaxing routine is a calm wind-down of at least an hour before bed, done in much the same way each night. The NHS advises relaxing for at least 1 hour before bed, for example with a bath or a book⁴. A calm routine helps you prepare for sleep².

• Keep your mind quiet. Set aside a "buffer zone" when you're not trying to solve problems or plan the next day¹. News, suspenseful films and online arguments can raise arousal and make it harder to relax⁷.
• Choose calming things you enjoy: reading, meditation, breathing exercises, calming music or a podcast².
• Keep it the same, even on days when you're not working².
• Consider a warm bath or shower. Taking one 1–2 hours before bedtime, for as little as 10 minutes, was linked with falling asleep more quickly and with better self-rated sleep quality⁸. The best timing and length aren't clear yet.
• Try mindfulness or meditation. It may help some aspects of poor sleep in adults with sleep disturbance, although the findings are early⁹. It is generally low-risk, but feelings such as anger, sadness or fear can feel stronger as practice develops. If that happens, ease off and talk to a doctor or a mental health service.

How do screens affect sleep and stress?

Evening screen use is linked with poorer sleep, but that link doesn't prove screens are the cause⁷.

• Light. Evening light can lower melatonin, the hormone that helps regulate your sleep–wake cycle, and may affect later sleep¹¹. How much one evening's light changes your own sleep isn't clear yet.
• Time. Using a device before bed can push bedtime later and shorten sleep, because people lose track of time⁷.
• Stress. Stress, anxiety or depression are among the most common causes of insomnia⁴. Stress, anxiety and using electronic devices before sleep can all lower sleep quality¹⁰.

The NHS suggests no phones, tablets or computers for an hour before bed, because the blue light from screens can make it harder to fall asleep². Use that hour for something calm instead, and save news, social media and online arguments for earlier in the day.

If you're unsure how to set your phone to silent or do-not-disturb, ask someone you trust or use the maker's own help pages.

When to check with a health professional

If you're starting exercise after a long break, it's always a good idea to see your doctor first.

For an injury or a health condition, see a health professional, such as your doctor or a physio.

If you've tried changing your habits and still aren't sleeping well, or poor sleep is hard to cope with, talk to a doctor³.

Feeling very sleepy during the day can be a sign of a sleep disorder such as sleep apnoea, which is linked to a higher risk of heart and circulation problems^12,10. Get it checked by a doctor rather than putting up with it. Don't drive or do risky tasks when you're very sleepy. For sleep aids, medicines or supplements, ask a doctor or pharmacist.

Structured insomnia treatment such as CBT-I, which can include sleep restriction, is best done with a trained clinician. Early on it can cause daytime tiredness and sleepiness, and it may not suit people who drive or work with heavy machinery for a living, or who have poorly controlled seizures¹³.

If low mood or worry is affecting your sleep, a doctor or a mental health service can help. Call your local emergency number for chest pain or pressure (or pain spreading to the arm, neck, jaw or back, especially with sweating or feeling sick), severe breathlessness, fainting or collapse, signs of a stroke, a serious injury, or someone who isn't safe. If you're having thoughts of self-harm, contact a local crisis line (findahelpline.com lists free services in every country) now.