Contrary to a lot of popular motos of “I’ll sleep when I am dead” and “Life is too short to sleep.” Sleep is not an obstacle but an essential natural process. And since we spend nearly a third of our life sleeping, that’s almost 30 years; so it is one of the first and fundamental pillars of learning to live better.
Use this Better Sleep Checklist to level up your sleeping game!
Better Sleep Checklist
Wake up at a consistent time:
Waking up at a consistent time each day helps regulate your circadian rhythm, improving sleep quality, energy levels, and focus. (Using an app to manage your sleep cycle is a great idea.
Move early in the morning:
Take a 15-20 minute walk outside.
Get sunlight or blue light exposure before 8 am:
Exposure to natural light in the morning helps regulate your sleep-wake cycle, making it easier to fall asleep later. Sunlight in the early morning also supports the production of vitamin D and helps stabilize your mood.
Get at least 10-20 minutes of sunlight on as much of your skin as possible between 10:30 am – 3 pm:
Sunlight during these hours provides maximum exposure to UVB rays, helping your body produce vitamin D, which is essential for immune function, mood regulation, and overall health.
Don’t workout late:
Ideally, exercise should be done between 4-6 pm. This is when your body’s temperature and energy levels are best suited for physical activity, and working out later can raise your heart rate and make it harder to fall asleep.
Turn off all screens 1.5-2 hours before sleep:
Screens emit blue light, which disrupts the production of melatonin, the hormone responsible for sleep. Turning off devices early helps your body prepare for rest. If turning off devices is not an option, use Night Shift or blue light filtering apps to reduce exposure.
Avoid eating large meals 1-2 hours before sleep:
Eating a heavy meal too close to bedtime can cause indigestion and disrupt sleep. Aim to have your last meal at least 1-2 hours before bed to give your digestive system time to process.
Eat your carbs at dinner:
Carbohydrates can help increase the availability of tryptophan, an amino acid that promotes the production of serotonin and melatonin, aiding in relaxation and better sleep.
Turn off cues and distractions like cell phone notifications:
Notifications and other distractions can keep your mind active and prevent you from winding down. Silence your devices or set them on Do Not Disturb to minimize interruptions before sleep.
Turn on nighttime settings on phones, tablets, and computers:
Use the “Night Shift” or blue light-reducing settings on devices to decrease the amount of blue light exposure in the evening. This reduces the strain on your eyes and helps your brain prepare for rest.
Replace lights at home with low blue lights:
Replace bright white or blue light bulbs with warmer-toned bulbs in the evening. This creates a calm, soothing environment that signals to your brain that it’s time to wind down. (Examples: Bulbs, nightlights)
Set your sleeping area to be as dark as possible:
Darkness is essential for promoting the production of melatonin. Use blackout curtains or a sleep mask to block out any light sources and create a sleep-friendly environment.
Set your sleeping area to either be quiet or use white noise:
A quiet room allows your brain to fully relax. If noise is unavoidable, consider using a white noise machine or app to mask disruptive sounds and create a consistent background hum.
Set a consistent sleep schedule:
Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day helps regulate your circadian rhythm. Over time, this consistency makes it easier to fall asleep and wake up feeling refreshed, regardless of external factors.
Sleep a few hours after it gets dark, ideally before 10 pm:
Our bodies naturally synchronize with the rise and fall of the sun. Sleeping shortly after it gets dark allows your body to align with its natural rhythms, leading to deeper, more restorative sleep.
Only sleep or have sex in your bedroom:
By reserving your bedroom exclusively for sleep and intimate activities, you help create a mental association between the room and rest. This strengthens your body’s sleep cues when you enter the bedroom.
Turn off wireless, Bluetooth, and other electrical devices before sleeping:
Exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) from devices like phones, routers, and Bluetooth can interfere with sleep quality. Switch devices to airplane mode or turn them off to reduce this exposure.
Set the temperature between 60-68°F:
A cooler room temperature is ideal for sleep, as it allows your body temperature to drop, which is necessary for entering deeper stages of rest. Experiment with different temperatures to find the one that suits you best.
Take a warm bath 1.5-2 hours before sleep:
A warm bath or shower before bed helps relax your muscles and signals to your body that it’s time to wind down. The cooling down process after getting out of the warm water promotes sleepiness.
Don’t drink alcohol more than 3 hours before sleep:
While alcohol may make you feel sleepy initially, it disrupts the quality of your sleep, preventing you from reaching deeper, restorative stages. Avoid drinking too close to bedtime for better sleep quality.
No caffeine after 2 pm if you are sleeping by 10 pm:
Caffeine is a stimulant that can stay in your system for hours, interfering with your ability to fall asleep. To avoid disrupted sleep, limit caffeine intake to the early afternoon.
Learn to meditate to help you fall asleep quicker:
Meditation and deep-breathing techniques activate the parasympathetic nervous system, helping to reduce stress and calm the mind. A short meditation session before bed can prepare your body and mind for restful sleep.
Now that you know the quick fixes let’s dive into why we need to sleep, and understand some of these areas in more depth.