You can take simple steps to break bad habits and get better sleep.
- Be consistent. It can be easy to stay up late watching your favorite team play a game or to sleep in on Saturdays and Sundays. There are some exceptions, but you’ll get better sleep by going to bed at the same time each night and getting up at the same
time in the morning. This gets your body into a routine that will help you feel sleepy at the same time each night and wake up refreshed in the morning. - Keep your bedroom quiet and dark, and at a good temperature for sleeping. It depends on the person, but many doctors recommend 60 to 67 degrees F.
- Make your bedroom relaxing, which for you may mean clean and clutter-free.
- Try a wind-down routine before bed, like meditation, yoga, or stretching.
- Limit naps during the day.
- Make your bed a sleep-only zone. Don’t read or watch TV there.
- Don’t bring electronic devices into the bedroom. If your iPad, laptop, phone, and TV aren’t in the room, you’ll be less tempted to check emails or texts right before you go to bed, or stay up late bingeing a show. They also give off blue light that might affect your body’s melatonin production.
- Don’t eat large, heavy meals before bed. Limit caffeine and alcohol.
- Exercise during the day. Moving -- whether it’s a walk at lunch or a cycling class before your family wakes up -- can help you fall asleep more easily.