Sleep Hygiene: 10 Science-Backed Tips for Better Sleep Tonight
One-third of adults do not get enough sleep. These 10 changes have the strongest evidence behind them.
Sleep deprivation increases risk of heart disease (48%), diabetes (37%), obesity (89%), and depression (300%). Yet most sleep advice is vague. Here are the 10 interventions with the strongest research support, ranked by impact.
The Big Three (Highest Impact)
1. Consistent schedule: same bedtime and wake time, including weekends. Even 1 hour of "social jet lag" on weekends disrupts circadian rhythm. 2. Dark room: blackout curtains or sleep mask. Even dim light through closed eyelids suppresses melatonin by 50%. 3. Cool room: 65-68 degrees F (18-20 C). Body temperature must drop to initiate sleep.
The Next Four (Moderate Impact)
4. No caffeine after 2 PM: half-life is 5-6 hours. A 3 PM coffee still has 25% potency at 11 PM. 5. No screens 30-60 minutes before bed: blue light suppresses melatonin. Or use Night Shift mode. 6. Exercise (but not within 3 hours of bed): regular exercise improves sleep quality by 65%. 7. No alcohol within 3 hours: alcohol helps you fall asleep but destroys sleep quality (suppresses REM).
The Final Three (Helpful)
8. Reserve bed for sleep only: trains your brain that bed means sleep. 9. If not asleep in 20 minutes, get up and do something boring in dim light. 10. Write tomorrow to-do list before bed: reduces anxiety-driven wakefulness by 50%.
Optimize your sleep schedule with our sleep cycle calculator and track naps with the nap calculator.