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12 Healthy Sleep Hygiene Tips
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12 Healthy Sleep Hygiene Tips

10 June 2024

Developing certain habits, like keeping a consistent schedule and limiting blue light exposure before bed, can improve your sleep hygiene and promote quality sleep.

Do you ever find yourself staring at the ceiling, wondering if you’ll ever fall asleep? Or maybe you wake up thinking it’s time to get up, but it’s actually 2 a.m.?

If you’re in need of better sleep, it may be time to consider your sleep hygiene — and how your habits may be preventing you from getting the quality sleep you need.

Let’s get into what sleep hygiene is and the changes you can make to your daytime and bedtime habits to improve your sleep.

What is sleep hygiene?


Sleep hygiene refers to healthy sleep habits that help you get a good night’s sleep.

Good sleep hygiene is important because of how crucial getting good sleep is for your mental and physical health, as well as your overall quality of life.

Your behaviors during the day — not just before you go to bed — can affect how well you sleep. This can include:

  • food and drink choices
  • schedule
  • evening routine


If you don’t sleep well, you can take several steps, both during the day and before you go to bed, to improve your sleep.

Let’s take a closer look at 12 ways to improve your sleep hygiene for better sleep.

1. Keep a consistent sleep schedule


Try to go to sleep and wake up at about the same times every day — even on weekends. This reinforces your body’s sleep cycle (your internal clock), which can make it easier for you to fall asleep and wake up every day.

Sticking to a consistent schedule may also help reduce daytime sleepiness.

Make sure that the bedtime you pick allows you to get 7– 8 hours of sleep each night.

2. Create a relaxing bedtime routine — and stick with it


A relaxing bedtime routine helps you unwind so you’re ready to sleep. Keeping the routine consistent helps your body recognize that it’s bedtime when you start the routine. This may help you fall asleep more quickly.

The best time to start your routine is about 30– 60 minutes before you go to bed.

Your routine can include whatever makes you feel most relaxed unless it involves a device that emits blue light. Here are some ideas:

  • Take a warm bath or shower. Not only is the water relaxing in the moment, but the drop in your body temperature as you cool down afterward may make you feel sleepy.
  • Try some gentle stretches or yoga to help your muscles relax and release tension.
  • Spend a few minutes meditating to help calm your body and mind.
  • Try listening to some soothing music while you focus on your breathing.
  • Spend time reading a book, but try to avoid electronic reading devices that emit blue light.


Avoid anything stressful or overly stimulating, like emotional conversations or working.

3. Turn off electronic devices before you go to sleep


Electronic devices like your phone emit blue light, which can reduce melatonin levels in your body. It’s similar to how seeing sunlight can make you feel more awake.

Melatonin is a chemical that controls your sleep/wake cycle. When your levels dip, it can be more difficult to fall asleep.

Devices that emit blue light can also keep your brain alert, making it harder to fall asleep.

Keeping your phone near your bed can disrupt your sleep, even if you’re not aware of it. Message notifications, buzzing, and light that can suddenly pop on in the middle of the night can interrupt your sleep.

4. Exercise regularly


As little as 30 minutes of aerobic exercise per day can improve your sleep quality and overall health. Exercising outside might increase the benefits even more since exposure to natural light helps regulate your sleep cycle.

If you can’t get outside, don’t worry. Regular indoor exercise can also help you sleep better.

But avoid exercising within an hour or two of your bedtime. This can increase your energy levels and body temperature, which may make it harder to fall asleep.

If you want to do some type of activity later in the day, try doing stretches or yoga.

5. Limit your caffeine intake


The effects of caffeine can last 3–7 hours after you consume it. This means that your afternoon cup of coffee may keep you awake and alert a lot longer than you’d like.

Although it’s usually best to limit your caffeine intake to the morning hours, keep in mind that everyone has a different tolerance to caffeine.

Some people may be able to stretch their consumption to midafternoon, while others might need to cut themselves off much earlier in order to fall asleep easily.

The less caffeine you consume, the more sensitive you may be to its effects.

6. Make your sleep environment work for you


The way you set up your sleep environment may help you fall asleep and stay asleep more easily.

For most people, a bedroom temperature between 60 and 67°F (15.6 and 19.4°C) is the optimal temperature for sleeping.

It’s also important to make sure you have a comfortable mattress, pillows, and bed linens. The more comfortable you are, the easier it may be to fall asleep and stay asleep. Want suggestions? Browse our market, filled with editor-trusted and expert-verified pillow and mattress recommendations.

If you’re a light sleeper or have noisy neighbors, a good pair of earplugs or a white noise machine may help you sleep without disruption.

Also, if your bedroom gets flooded with too much light, you may want to consider using blackout curtains or an eye mask to keep your sleep environment as dark as possible.

7. Use your bed only for sleep and sex


When you have a comfortable bed, it might be tempting to use it for reading, working, talking on the phone, watching TV, or other activities.

However, it’s important to use your bed for sleep and sex only. This helps strengthen your brain’s association between your bed and sleep, making it easier to fall asleep.

Reading may be one way you relax before going to sleep, but even books can be disruptive to your sleep if they keep your brain alert. Try reading on the couch before moving to your bed instead.

8. Go to bed only when you’re tired


If you’re not tired, avoid lying in bed while you toss and turn. Instead, try doing a relaxing activity until you start to feel tired, then head to bed.

If you don’t fall asleep within 20 minutes of going to bed, get up. Not being able to fall asleep may cause you to become frustrated or stressed, which can keep you awake even longer.

Once you get out of bed, do something to help you unwind, like reading on the couch or stretching until you’re tired enough to go back to bed.

9. Limit napping — or avoid it if you can


Napping during the day can make it harder to fall asleep later and may make you more prone to waking up during the night.

If you do need to nap:

  • Keep it to 20 minutes or less .
  • Avoid napping later in the afternoon.


Napping may affect the sleep pattern of older adults more than younger people, but the extent of this is still unclear.

10. Manage stress before going to bed


Thinking about things you’re worried about can keep you awake at night. To help prevent your worries from keeping you awake:

  • Write down your worries before going to bed to help get them out of your head.
  • If your to-do list stresses you out, write that down as well. Prioritize what you need to do tomorrow and the rest of the week, then try to relax.
  • Research suggests that a weighted blanket may help with anxiety and insomnia, and it may provide benefits similar to deep pressure therapy.
  • Try meditation before bed to help calm your mind.

11. Limit large meals before bed


Eating a large meal before bed may negatively affect your sleep quality. It may also cause symptoms of acid reflux, which can keep you awake.

Experts also recommend avoiding alcohol and nicotine, especially before bed, as they can worsen your sleep quality.

12. Manage your light exposure


Spending time in natural light can help manage your circadian rhythm. Experts recommend getting sunlight exposure in the morning and throughout the day, if possible.

Limiting light exposure after sunset may help benefit your sleep and support the production of hormones and chemicals necessary for sleep. You can do this by:

  • using warm-light spectrum lightbulbs in the rooms you spend time in before bed
  • turning off extra lights in the hours before bed
  • dimming lights a few hours before bed, if possible
  • setting your electronic devices to go into “night” mode after sunset, which reduces blue light exposure


If you’re a shift worker, you can take different steps to manage light exposure and support sleep.

The bottom line


Sleep hygiene is about having healthy sleep habits. Your behaviors, both during the day and around bedtime, can affect the quality of your sleep.

If you have a hard time falling or staying asleep, you can try several strategies to fall asleep faster — and stay sleeping for hours at a time. Most of these involve improving your sleep hygiene.

Sticking to a schedule, having a relaxing bedtime routine, exercising regularly, keeping your bedroom dark and at a comfortable temperature, and watching what you eat and drink can all impact the quality of your sleep.

If you continue to have issues with your sleep patterns or insomnia, be sure to follow up with your doctor. They can determine whether an underlying condition is causing your sleep problems and can provide the treatment you may need.

DQH Knowledge drop: In your 20s, your skin cell turnover decreases. (Cell turnover is a key component in keeping your skin youthful.) You know what else slows down? Your collagen production. Starting in your 20s, collagen decreases by about 1 percent per year. Should you want to prevent fine lines and wrinkles, start by eliminating behaviors that contribute to premature aging. “If it’s bad for you, it’s bad for your skin,” says dermatologist Michel Somenek. “Cigarette smoking reduces blood flow to the skin and causes premature wrinkling and a dull skin texture. Making the repeated pursed motion to inhale can also cause smoker’s lines. Alcohol and recreational drugs are toxins for the skin that damage its cellular structure and DNA,” Somenek tells us. “The faster you eliminate vices while you are young, the better chance your skin and body have to recuperate.” Also, adopting an anti-aging routine in your 20s is key. After all, the best offense is a good defense. We spoke to Somenek and experts Joshua Ross and Audrey Kunin to find out more. Keep reading for the best anti-aging products for your 20s, according to skincare professionals. Sunscreen “We all know that the sun is the number one cause of skin aging and starting the prevention in your 20s is very important,” Ross says. “The majority of your sun damage won’t start to appear until you’re in your 30s, so don’t wait until you see it surface or you’ll be behind the curve. Stay ahead of it with a good-quality zinc-based sunscreen worn daily.” Farmacy Green Defense Daily Mineral Sunscreen An invisible sunscreen with SPF 30, plus botanical extracts meant to protect skin with tons of antioxidants. Bonus: It’s clean and fine to use under makeup. Bareminerals Complexion Rescue™ Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Although we recommend you use your SPF and moisturizer separately, we also understand moments when you don’t have time or energy for that extra step. For those times, this bareMinerals moisturizer is a great thing to have on hand. Vitamin C Serum “A great introduction to anti-aging is to start with a vitamin C serum in your morning skincare routine,” Ross says. “It’s a powerful antioxidant that will neutralize free radicals and brighten the skin.” He adds that it’s a great way to counteract the effects of the sun’s harmful rays, which, as previously mentioned, are among the biggest causes of premature aging. Drunk Elephant C-Firma™ Vitamin C Day Serum The Drunk Elephant C-Firma is a lightweight serum that promises to give skin a glow by combining the brightening powers of vitamin C with ferulic acid, l-ascorbic acid, and vitamin E. The included sodium hyaluronate is meant to replace hydration loss, so you shouldn’t have to deal with any irritation. Sunday Riley C.E.O. Rapid Flash Brightening Serum This potent serum is jam-packed with vitamin C (15 percent, to be exact), which means it’s a potential superstar at both brightening skin and dousing it in antioxidants. Peptides Using peptides on your skin has many benefits, says Somenek. “The skin barrier is what defends the body against pollution, UV rays, bacteria, and toxins. It can be damaged by several everyday factors. Using topical peptides aids in building a stronger barrier,” he says. “Peptides comprise elastic fibers, which are a type of protein. These fibers help to make skin appear taut and firm. Peptides can also help repair damaged skin, relieve inflammation, and even out skin tone. Some peptides can kill acne-causing bacteria that is common in 20-somethings.” Kunin agrees, saying, “Peptides are an excellent entry point for supporting collagen.” She recommends looking for face and eye treatments that contain these collagen-boosting powerhouses. Charlotte Tilbury Magic Eye Rescue Cream This Charlotte Tilbury super-emollient eye cream has a base of coconut oil and shea butter (read: it’s incredibly hydrating). Botanicals plus peptides are meant to help reduce dark circles and boost collagen, respectively. This creamy moisturizer serves up potent collagen-boosting peptides and pycnogenol, and antioxidant-rich vitamin C. “Instead of sitting on top of the skin, peptides penetrate the outer layer so they go deep. The ‘signals’ they send tell the cells to produce elastin and collagen, which are needed for youthful-looking skin,” explains Somenek. At-Home Peel Pads Remember that skin cell turnover fiasco we talked about earlier? One way to help support it is by exfoliating. “Exfoliation is important to help keep skin fresh and luminous,” Kunin says. She recommends using at-home peel pads as an easy and effective way to exfoliate. “The goal in your 20s is to fight the slowing pace of cell turnover. It is wise to use products that gently exfoliate, yet still remove oil and other impurities. Products that have Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA) or Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHA) are a good choice.” According to Somenek, you should only exfoliate two to three times a week. “People of all ages are guilty of over-exfoliating and that can be too much of a good thing,” he says. Dermadoctor Kakadu C Intensive Vitamin C Peel Pad A few swipes of this Derma Doctor powerful peel pad promise to leave your skin glowing and smooth, thanks to the seven (yes, seven) types of chemical exfoliants, including AHA and BHA. It also contains vitamin C via Kakadu plum extract for added brightening and antioxidant protection. KEY INGREDIENTS Kakadu plum extract is sourced from the Kakadu plum, a fruit grown in northern Australia. It contains vitamin C, which restores the skin’s natural barrier, increases collagen production, and soothes irritation. Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta® Universal Daily Peel Pads These are the gold standard of peel pads, with a cult following and over 900 five-star reviews on Sephora. They’re easy to use and contain a blend of anti-aging exfoliating acids. Emollient Night Cream “In your 20s, you need to start upping the hydration in your skincare routine. You may have been cautious of over-moisturizing because of acne in your teens, but as you enter your 20s, your skin transitions and becomes drier,” Ross says. “I recommend an emollient night cream added into your evening skincare regimen.” “Twenty-somethings need to make sure that they are not using creams that will clog their pores and cause excess oil production,” says Somenek. Opt for non-comedogenic products. Cerave Skin Renewing Night Cream One great choice is the CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream, which is a non-comedogenic night cream that leaves skin soft and glowy. It combines the moisturizing powers of ceramides and hyaluronic acid. RoC Retinol Correxion Max Hydration Creme “The best night cream ingredients contain retinol, benzoyl peroxide, and/or salicylic acid or hyaluronic acid. The goal is to moisturize, yet remove excess oil,” says Somenek. This Roc Retinol Correxion cream fits the bill as it contains both hyaluronic acid and retinol so it promises to moisturize while also being non-comedogenic.
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