1. Regularity – Keeping a regular bedtime and rise time every night, including weekends, stabilizes the biological clock. Regular daily activity keeps the biological clock timed to daylight hours.
2. Clock Watching – Remove clocks from the bedroom or turn them away from you. Looking at the clock at night only leads to more worry about sleep.
3. Napping – Avoid napping during the day. Napping makes it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep.
4. Lighting – Keep the bedroom dark as possible especially in the morning as the sun comes up. Room darkening shades or curtains can help, but a simple solution is to wear a sleep mask. Low lighting such as night lights, TV, and book lights are OK. Get bright light in the morning upon awakening.
5. Pets – Keep pets off the bed. Their movement on the bed can lead to increased awakenings. It is OK to have pets in the bedroom but keep them on the floor or their own bed.
6. Meals – Regular meals are signals to the biological clock about time of day. Avoid heavy meals close to bedtime. Hunger can also disturb your sleep. Therefore, a light snack can be helpful before bedtime. Carbohydrates (i.e., crackers, bread, cereal, fruit) are best for a good night’s sleep.
7. Liquids – A full bladder is likely to lead to sleep disruption in the middle of the night. Try to cut down on the amount of fluid consumed before bedtime in order to avoid waking up to go to the bathroom.
8. Exercise – Exercise regularly, but not too close to bedtime as it can be overly stimulating. Exercise in the evening can help keep you alert until bedtime and lead to better sleeping. Experiment with the timing of exercise in the evening for the best results.
9. Caffeine – Do not consume caffeinated products (e.g., coffee, tea, many sodas) in the evening. Eliminate caffeine within 8 hours of bedtime, and in general, limit your caffeine intake only to what is necessary to keep you alert and awake during the day.
10. Alcohol – Do not use alcohol to help you sleep or consume alcohol too close to bedtime. Although alcohol use before bedtime can help some people to fall asleep more easily, it has been shown to result in more fragmented sleep and more awakening during the night.
11. Nicotine – Avoid smoking heavily near bedtime or at night. Nicotine is a stimulant, and it has been demonstrated that chronic cigarette smokers have experienced significantly improved sleep when they quit.
12. “Wind-down Time” – It helps to set aside the last hour of the evening before bed for quiet relaxing activities. Try not to work or engage in upsetting/stressful activities close to bedtime.
13. Bedroom Environment – Make sure that your bed is comfortable and that your bedroom is dark, quiet, and cool (~ 65-70°F). A quiet bedroom is preferable. Irregular noises in the bedroom, even quiet ones, can be disruptive to sleep. White noise such as the sound of a fan or humidifier, can drown out other more disruptive noises leading to less broken sleep. Ear plugs can also be helpful.
14. “Worry Time” – Use this time to plan activities for the next day or to think about things that may make you feel upset or anxious. It’s easy to get into the habit of thinking about worrisome things when you are in bed. If you are awake enough to be aware that you are thinking of solutions to problems, you should be out of bed. Getting the ideas out of your head and onto a piece of paper may also make it easier to get back to sleep.