This sleep hygiene checklist pulls together advice from the CDC, the NHS, Mayo Clinic and the Sleep Foundation: wake up at the same time every day, get daylight, avoid caffeine later in the day, limit alcohol and late heavy meals, put screens away before bed, and keep your bedroom dark, quiet and cool. Start with a few.
This is general information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own situation.
The Sleep Foundation defines sleep hygiene as both your sleep environment and your behavior. In other words, it's your bedroom plus the daily habits that lead up to bedtime. The goal is enough good sleep. The CDC recommends 7 or more hours a night for adults aged 18 to 60, and the NHS says adults need 7 to 9 hours on average.
Don't try to change everything at once. Pick two or three items below, keep them for a week or two, then add more.
Get up at the same time every day, weekends included. The CDC and the Sleep Foundation both list a regular schedule, and the NHS says not to sleep in after a bad night. If you need to shift your schedule, the Sleep Foundation suggests moving it by no more than an hour or two at a time.
Get daylight. The Sleep Foundation says light, especially sunlight, is one of the key drivers of your body clock, and Mayo Clinic says spending time outdoors every day may help.
Move your body, but not too late. Regular exercise helps, but the NHS advises against exercising within 4 hours of bed.
Set a caffeine cutoff. The CDC says to avoid caffeine in the afternoon or evening. The NHS says no tea or coffee for at least 6 hours before bed.
Keep naps short and early, or skip them. Mayo Clinic suggests limiting naps to no more than an hour and avoiding them late in the day. If you have insomnia, the NHS advises not napping during the day at all.
Avoid smoking, and the NHS says not to smoke for at least 6 hours before bed.
Deal with worries before evening. Mayo Clinic suggests trying to resolve worries before bedtime, or writing down what's on your mind and setting it aside for tomorrow.
Finish big meals early. Mayo Clinic suggests avoiding heavy or large meals within a couple of hours of bedtime.
Go easy on alcohol. It may make you drowsy at first, but Mayo Clinic says it can disrupt sleep later in the night. The NHS says not to drink alcohol for at least 6 hours before bed.
Put screens away. The CDC suggests turning off electronic devices at least 30 minutes before bedtime. The Sleep Foundation suggests a device-free buffer of 30 to 60 minutes.
Wind down. The NHS suggests relaxing for at least an hour before bed, for example with a bath or a book. Keep the same steps in the same order each night. Our bedtime routine for adults guide has a simple plan.
Dim the lights. The Sleep Foundation suggests keeping away from bright lights in the evening, because they can hinder the production of melatonin, a hormone that helps you sleep.
Go to bed when you're sleepy. The NHS lists this as a habit that helps, rather than lying in bed waiting for sleep.
Cool. The Sleep Foundation suggests erring on the cooler side, around 65°F (about 18°C).
Dark. The NHS suggests curtains, blinds or an eye mask if needed.
Quiet. Earplugs, a fan or a white noise machine can help, according to the NHS, Mayo Clinic and the Sleep Foundation.
Comfortable. The NHS says to make sure your mattress, pillows and covers are comfortable.
For sleep only. The Sleep Foundation suggests using your bed only for sleep and sex, to build a link in your mind between bed and sleep.
Don't lie there for hours trying to force it. If you're still awake after about 20 minutes, Mayo Clinic and the Sleep Foundation suggest getting up and doing something relaxing in low light, then going back to bed when you feel sleepy. The Sleep Foundation says this helps keep a healthy mental connection between being in bed and actually being asleep. Get up at your usual time the next morning anyway. For more on this, see our guide on how to fall asleep faster.
A simple sleep diary helps you spot patterns, and the CDC notes that a healthcare provider may ask you to keep one. Each morning, jot down:
what time you went to bed and got up
roughly how long it took to fall asleep, and how often you woke up
caffeine, alcohol, naps and exercise the day before
how rested you feel, on a scale of 1 to 5
Bring the diary with you if you see a doctor. It makes the conversation faster and more useful.
Good habits are a sensible first step, but they can't fix every sleep problem. The CDC says to talk to your healthcare provider if you regularly have problems sleeping. The NHS suggests seeing a GP if:
changing your sleeping habits has not helped
you've had trouble sleeping for months
your sleep problems are affecting your daily life in a way that makes it hard to cope
Also see a doctor if you notice signs of a sleep disorder. The CDC names insomnia, restless legs syndrome, narcolepsy and sleep apnea as common ones. The NHS lists these signs of sleep apnoea: breathing that stops and starts during sleep, gasping, snorting or choking noises, loud snoring, waking up a lot, and feeling very tired during the day. Bring someone who has seen your symptoms if you can. Don't drive when you feel sleepy.
A consistent wake-up time, no caffeine late in the day, a screen-free wind-down and a dark, quiet, cool bedroom are good places to start.
The CDC suggests turning off electronic devices at least 30 minutes before bedtime. The Sleep Foundation suggests 30 to 60 minutes.
The CDC recommends 7 or more hours for adults aged 18 to 60. The NHS says 7 to 9 hours on average.
It's a good first step, and the NHS lists these habits as ways to treat insomnia yourself. If they haven't helped, or you've had trouble sleeping for months, see a doctor.
Sleepward: Bedtime Routine is an iPhone app for the evening part of this checklist. It has an editable routine, a gradually darkening wind-down screen, a private Brain Dump for notes, and white, pink and brown noise with a sleep timer, plus optional sleep logs and an optional wake-up reminder. It doesn't score or grade your sleep and isn't a medical device, and its App Privacy label reads Data Not Collected.
Get Sleepward free on the App Store