Sleep Hygiene

Updated February 28, 2026

Sleep hygiene is the set of behaviors and environment choices that make solid sleep more likely.

Core targets

Use these as the baseline protocol each night.

Factor	Target
Schedule	consistent bed and wake times across work and non-work days
Light	bright light in the morning, low-intensity warm light at night
Caffeine	cut off 6 to 8 hours before bed
Alcohol	low dose, earlier in the evening only
Late meals	keep heavy meals and high-fat meals away from bedtime
Room	dark, quiet, and cool at night, about 60 to 67F
Screens	power down about 60 minutes before bed

Window	Action
2 hours before bed	finish fluids if needed, finish alcohol and last stimulant
60 minutes before bed	dim all bright screens and reduce stimulating content
30 minutes before bed	hydrate lightly, use fixed wind-down ritual, then lights out
Wake day gap	avoid sleeping beyond target in the morning

Setting	Why it helps
cooler room	lowers sleep latency and reduces night waking
dark room	increases melatonin reliability
white-noise or consistent hush level	reduces micro-arousal from external spikes
cool shower in late evening	lowers core temperature over the next hour
fixed pillow and mattress position	reduces awakenings from discomfort loops

Symptom pattern	Adjustment for 3 to 5 nights	Escalation signal
Difficulty falling asleep only	tighten first 60-minute screen cutoff and reduce evening caffeine by 50%	continued latency over 45 minutes
Frequent waking	set caffeine and alcohol hard stop 8 hours before bed and reduce late fluids	more than 2 wake-ups most nights
Early waking	shift light exposure earlier and avoid heavy evening sodium	awakening before target by >60 minutes
Daytime fatigue despite 7+ hours	move bedtime earlier in 15 to 30 minute increments until stable

Pair this protocol with sleep tracking and use stress management first when sleep debt persists.

Factor	Target
Schedule	Consistent bed and wake times all week
Light	Bright light in the morning, dim light in the evening
Caffeine	Cut off 6–8 hours before bed
Alcohol	Minimal, earlier in the evening
Late meals	Keep heavy meals away from bedtime
Room	Dark, quiet, and cool at night, about 60–67°F
Screens	Power down about 60 minutes before bed