Getting enough sleep is vital for your physical and mental health, as well as your capacity to think properly. But many of us have problems relaxing at night because the world moves so swiftly. A structured evening routine with behaviors that inform your body and mind it’s time to sleep can help you sleep better. This article lists seven habits that research has shown to be helpful that you can add to your evening routine. It does this by using the most up-to-date research on sleep, medical guidelines, and the views of specialists. We’ll speak about why each habit is important, how to make it work, and provide you practical ideas to make sure the results persist.
1. Decide when you will go to bed
Why it matters
Light and everyday activities alter people’s circadian rhythm, which is an internal clock that lasts around 24 hours. It controls when they sleep. Changing the time you go to bed might throw off this rhythm, which can cause difficulties like waking up in the middle of the night, not being able to fall asleep, and feeling weary during the day.
How to Do It
- Pick a time to go to bed that works for you based on when you need to get up. The National Sleep Foundation[^2^] suggests you should get 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night.
- Before bed, do things that help you relax for 30 to 60 minutes, such reading or stretching.
- On the weekends, don’t have “catch-up” nights. It can be harder to get up on Monday mornings if you change your sleep routine by just one or two hours.
Helpful Advice
- Set alarms on your phone to go off at “Bedtime” to remind you to get ready for bed.
- To stay on track, write down or keep track of when you sleep.
- You should still wake up at the same time every day, even if you don’t go to bed on time.
2. Turn down the lights and don’t look at blue light too much
Why it matters
Melatonin is the hormone that makes you sleepy, and bright blue light at night prevents its production[^3^]. Smartphones, tablets, and computers give off a lot of blue light.
How to Get It Done
- At least one to two hours before bed, turn down the lights in the room. Use low-wattage lamps or candles instead of ceiling lights.
- After the sun goes down, turn on “Night Mode” or blue-light filters on all screens.
- Don’t look at screens at all for the last 30 minutes. Instead, try writing in a journal.
Some useful tips
- For bedside lamps, get LED bulbs that are warm in color.
- If you have to work on screens late, wear glasses that block blue light.
- Look at apps like f.lux and Twilight that can modify the color temperature of your screen by themselves.
3. Find ways to relax
Why It’s Important
If you’re thinking a lot about work, your personal life, or your daily tasks, it can be hard to fall asleep. Relaxation techniques lower cortisol levels, calm your body down, and help you go asleep[^4^].
Things to Do
- Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR): Tense and relax each muscle group, starting at the top of your head and working your way down.
- Try 4-7-8 breathing, which means breathing in for 4 seconds, holding it for 7 seconds, then breathing out for 8 seconds.
- Guided Imagery: Imagine serene places, like a beach at sunset, to help you relax.
- Mindfulness and meditation are short, guided sessions that help you focus on your breathing or how your body feels.
Helpful Advice
- Download applications like Calm or Headspace to have scheduled sessions.
- To make your relaxation exercise a stronger habit, do it at the same time every day.
- To avoid getting bored of choosing choices, keep a list of your preferred approaches by your bed.
4. Do some gentle exercise or stretch before you go to bed
Why it matters
Working out vigorously late at night might be pleasurable, but doing soft exercises like yoga, tai chi, or light stretching can help your body relax and release muscle tension.
How to Do It
- You should undertake restorative yoga poses like Child’s Pose and Legs-Up-the-Wall for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Add dynamic breathing to your movements to stretch and relax at the same time.
- Don’t undertake high-intensity interval training (HIIT) for at least two hours before bed.
Helpful advice
- Do free internet exercises that are said to help you sleep better.
- A yoga bolster or cushion might help you relax more profoundly.
- Play some calming music or sounds from nature during the session.
5. Make your bedroom a nice place to sleep
What It Means
The way you set up your bedroom can have a huge effect on how well you sleep. It’s crucial to think about comfort, noise, light, and temperature.
How to Get Things Done
- The room should be chilly, between 60°F and 67°F (15°C and 19°C), if possible.
- If you want to keep light from coming in from outside, get blackout curtains.
- Use a fan or a white noise machine to drown out sounds that irritate you.
- Pick out a mattress and pillows that will help you sleep well.
Helpful Tips
- Use a simple light meter app to see how much light is in your bedroom. They should be less than 5 lux.
- Once a week, wash your sheets to get rid of allergens that might make it hard to breathe.
- A blanket that weighs 10% of your body weight might help you relax.
6. Cut back on coffee, alcohol, and large meals
Why?
- Caffeine can linger in your body for up to six hours, so drinking it later in the day can make it harder to fall asleep.
- When you first drink alcohol, it makes you tired, but it affects your sleep patterns so you wake up and have less REM sleep.
- Eating a lot of food right before bed can make you sick and give you heartburn.
How to Make It Happen
- Don’t drink caffeine after 2:00 PM (or at least 6–8 hours before bed).
- If you do decide to drink, only have one regular drink and stop drinking at least three hours before you go to bed.
- If you’re hungry, pick snacks that are light and balanced, such a tiny banana with almond butter.
Helpful advice
- Coffee, tea, chocolate, and some medicines all have caffeine in them. Keep track of where you acquire it.
- You won’t have to go to the bathroom as much at night if you drink more water earlier in the evening.
- Whole-grain crackers are a fantastic snack to have by your bed because they won’t keep you up at night.
7. Plan your day and write in your journal
Why It Matters
People can’t sleep a lot of the time because they’re anxious about what they have to do the next day. Writing in a notebook to “brain dump” is a good way to get rid of worries and get your thoughts in order[^10^].
How to Make It Happen
Before you relax, write for 5 to 10 minutes:
- “Done” list: What you did today (makes you feel good).
- “To-do” list: Things you need to do tomorrow (helps you relax).
- Think about the things you are glad for. Make a list of two or three things that make you happy.
Helpful Advice
- Instead of using an app on your phone, write things down in a real notepad.
- Put writing prompts like “What went well today?” next to your bed.
- Look over the schedule for tomorrow quickly, then put the notepad aside.
Finally
It’s not about doing everything perfectly when you work on your nighttime routine; it’s about being consistent. You may prepare your mind and body for restful sleep by adding these seven behaviors to your daily life. These are things like a regular bedtime routine, measures to cut down on light exposure, relaxing techniques, and journaling with intention. Keep in mind that it takes time to change your behavior. Start with one habit and then add more as you go. Over time, you’ll find it easier to fall asleep, wake up less often at night, and feel more rested when you do wake up. To do well in all areas of your life, you need to obtain adequate decent sleep.
Questions That Are Often Asked (FAQs)
- How long will it take for me to see results once I change how I spend my evenings?
People report they notice huge changes after doing the same thing every day for two to four weeks. Give your body’s internal clock time to adjust. - Can I accomplish these things together if I don’t have a lot of time?
Yes. You could, for instance, write in your journal or do some light stretches in the dark. The aim is to make the end of the day go well. - Can I take a nap during the day if my nightly routine gets better?
Short naps (less than 30 minutes) before 3:00 PM can assist, but don’t snooze in the late afternoon because it might make it difficult to sleep at night. - What if I go to various time zones a lot?
Before you depart, change your sleep pattern by 15 to 30 minutes every day, and determine how you will expose your body to light to reset its internal clock. - I still get up at night. What do I have to do?
If you keep waking up for more than a month, you might want to contact a sleep expert. You might have a sleep issue that a doctor needs to check out.
References
- Wright, K.P. Jr., McHill, A.W., Birks, B.R. et al. “Entrainment of the human circadian clock to the natural light-dark cycle.” Current Biology, 2013. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960982213005434
- National Sleep Foundation. “National Sleep Foundation Recommends New Sleep Times.” National Sleep Foundation, 2015. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/press-release/national-sleep-foundation-recommends-new-sleep-times
- Chang, A.M., Aeschbach, D., Duffy, J.F., Czeisler, C.A. “Evening use of light-emitting eReaders negatively affects sleep, circadian timing, and next-morning alertness.” PNAS, 2015. https://www.pnas.org/content/112/4/1232
- Carlson, C.R., Hoyle, R.H. “Efficacy of abbreviated progressive muscle relaxation training: A quantitative review of behavioral medicine research.” Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1993. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1994-11702-001
- Ogilvie, R.P., Patel, S.R. “The Epidemiology of Sleep and Diabetes.” Current Diabetes Reports, 2018. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11892-018-0994-8
- Obayashi, K., Saeki, K., Kurumatani, N. “Influence of Bedroom Environment on Sleep Quality of the Elderly Living at Home.” Journal of Physiological Anthropology, 2015. https://jphysiolanthropol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1880-6805-34-15
- American Academy of Sleep Medicine. “Sleep Environment.” Healthy Sleep, 2021. https://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/science/what/sleep-environment
- Drake, C., Roehrs, T., Shambroom, J., Roth, T. “Caffeine Effects on Sleep Taken 0, 3, or 6 Hours before Going to Bed.” Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 2013. https://jcsm.aasm.org/doi/10.5664/jcsm.3170
- Roehrs, T., Roth, T. “Sleep, sleepiness, and alcohol use.” Alcohol Research & Health, 2001. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3860492/
- Scullin, M.K., Bliwise, D.L. “Sleep, Cognition, and Normal Aging: Integrating a Half Century of Multidisciplinary Research.” Perspectives on Psychological Science, 2015. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1745691614556680