Want to sleep better? These 10 healthy sleep habits can help
Clinically reviewed by Dr. Chris Mosunic, PhD, RD, MBA
We all know sleep is important, but it's not always so easy to get. Explore 10 healthy sleep habits that can help you get better rest and wake up ready to take on the day.
Everyone knows that sleep’s important, and in a perfect world, you’d tuck yourself into bed early and peacefully drift off into a deep slumber. Eight to ten hours later, you’d wake up feeling refreshed and ready to go. Of course, life rarely works this way.
Even if you have the perfect bedtime routine, many people struggle with falling asleep quickly (or staying asleep). It’s frustrating, anxiety-inducing, and of course, exhausting.
If you’re tired of being tired, it might be time to switch up your sleep routine. We have some healthy sleep hygiene tips that can help naturally shift your brain into rest mode and make your sleep more restorative. Soon, you’ll hopefully be able to wake up feeling more like a functioning human, and less like a zombie running on caffeine and sheer willpower.
10 healthy sleep habits to help you get better rest
You don’t need to become a sleep expert overnight just to get better rest. Instead, you can incorporate a few small habits into your day that can make a big difference in your sleep:
1. Practice mindful eating at dinnertime
What and when you eat can affect your sleep. A few small changes can help though. Aim to finish your dinner at least two to three hours before bed so your body isn’t busy digesting when you’re trying to sleep. If you need a snack though, go for sleep-friendly foods like bananas, almonds, or yogurt.
Pay attention to how certain foods make you feel as well. Greasy, heavy, or super-sugary meals too close to bedtime may lead to more restless nights. Also if you’re eating dinner while answering emails or watching TV, try slowing down, taking a few deep breaths, and actually tasting your food. These small acts of mindfulness can help your body prepare for rest.
2. Wind down with mindful movement
Your body might need a little help shifting into relaxation mode if you’ve been running around all day. Gentle movements can help calm your system and get you ready for bed. Here are 12 relaxation ideas to reduce stress and anxiety.
Light stretching can help release tension and slow walks after dinner can also help relax you. You could also do deep breathing or a short yoga flow. (If you want to stretch, but don’t know where to start, here are seven moves that may help.)
💙 Check out the Evening Wind Down with Mel Mah.
3. Create a bedtime buffer zone
Scrolling through emails, working, having stressful conversations, or watching TV before bed can keep you awake. To help you turn off your brain, try creating a 30-minute “buffer zone” before you hit the hay. This might include reading a few pages of a book, dimming the lights, or listening to calming music.
4. Try a feelings journal
If your brain treats bedtime like its personal brainstorming session, a feelings journal might be your new best friend.
Writing down your thoughts can help you let go, so you don’t spend the next hour worrying about that big meeting or overanalyzing a tense conversation you had with your sister.
5. Do a gratitude practice
Gratitude is scientifically proven to help reduce stress and promote relaxation. Before bed, think of three things you’re grateful for. It could be as simple as: “My bed's cozy.” or “I made it through today.”
These reflections don’t have to be profound and you don’t need to do it for long. Even just 30 seconds can help shift your focus from stress to appreciation, which can make falling asleep a little easier. (Here are 10 ways to practice gratitude if you’re having trouble doing that right now.)
6. Swap your doomscrolling for a Sleep Story
Constant stimulation can make it harder for your brain to power down. Think about when you were a kid. Did you have a bedtime story to help you wind down and drift off to sleep? Well, no one is saying adults can’t also have this. If you usually spend time on your phone before bed, consider listening to a Sleep Story instead.
💙 Listen to The Cask of Amontillado with Alan Cumming is a fun but calming bedtime story.
7. Explore guided sleep meditation
Meditation isn’t just for stress or anxiety. It can also help you sleep. If meditation is new to you, a guided sleep meditation can help shift your brain out of overdrive and into rest mode. All you have to do is listen and let go. Just press play and let it work its magic.
💙 Consider listening to Glimmering Lake Sleep Meditation to get you started.
8. Block out sounds with white noise
Falling asleep is often made difficult by disruptive noises or sounds. If car honks, creaky floors, and a snoring cat keeps you up, try using white noise to help drown out those sounds. White noise creates a steady, calming background that can help you fall asleep and stay asleep. Here are 10 other relaxing sounds that also help you fall asleep faster.
9. Make your bedroom a sleep sanctuary
Your sleep environment should be associated with rest and not work. If you’ve been answering emails from under the covers, consider creating a little separation.
You should also try to keep your room cool. Your body sleeps better in a room that’s around 65°F (18°C). Making your space dark with blackout curtains or an eye mask can also help. Consider investing in comfortable bedding as well to give you the best shot at dozing off peacefully.
10. Set a consistent(ish) sleep schedule
As much as it can feel luxurious to sleep in on the weekends, it’s not great for your sleep hygiene. Going to bed and waking up around the same time, every night, can help regulate your sleep cycle. Give yourself a bedtime range—maybe between 10pm and 11pm—so your routine is easier to stick to. Here are seven ways you can reset your sleep routine as well.
Healthy sleep habits FAQs:
What are healthy sleep habits??
Healthy sleep habits are the small and intentional choices that help set you up for a more restful sleep. Keeping a consistent sleep schedule, aiming to limit late-night stress, and journaling can all help you relax before bed and get solid rest.
As a rule of thumb, your goal should not just be to get more hours of sleep, but to aim for better sleep—the kind that leaves you feeling well-rested and more like yourself in the morning.
What are the benefits of getting good sleep?
Getting good sleep can affect almost every part of your wellbeing. It can also improve your mood and give your body the recovery time it needs.
Sleep helps with focus and emotional regulation as well, so if you find yourself snapping at people over nothing, maybe you need more rest. Good sleep also supports your immune system, keeps your heart healthy, and may even help regulate your metabolism.
What are some tips for creating better sleep habits?
Start small when you’re creating better sleep habits to avoid overwhelm. You don’t need to overhaul your entire routine overnight. Try to focus on just one habit at a time, and pay attention to what actually works for you. Good sleep isn’t one-size-fits-all. It’s better to follow what gets the job done.
Here are three tips that can help give you better sleep habits:
Set a consistent bedtime, or at least a general bedtime range.
Limit screentime at least 30 minutes before bed.
Find a wind-down activity like journaling, stretching, or listening to a meditation.
What are some ways to get better sleep?
Better sleep usually starts with the right preparation, and one of the best things you can do for yourself is to create a bedtime routine that helps you shift into rest mode.
Here are some actions you can do around bedtime to get more restorative rest:
Make sure your bedroom is cool and dark.
Use a white noise machine to help keep your space quiet.
Brain-dump or self-reflect in a journal.
Alcohol can negatively impact your sleep, so avoid it too close to bedtime.
Practice relaxation techniques like guided meditation.
How do I fix bad sleeping habits?
If you don’t have the best sleeping habits, try not to beat yourself up. At one point or another, most of us can have messy sleeping practices.
Typically though, the best way to fix your habits is to figure out what’s actually disrupting your sleep in the first place. Maybe you’re staying up too late scrolling on your phone or eating heavy meals too close to bedtime. Whatever the case, once you identify what’s going on, you can start to address those issues.
If you’ve been going to bed at inconsistent times, you could start by setting a realistic bedtime window rather than forcing yourself into a strict schedule. You could also try a wind-down routine to help calm your mind if anxiety’s keeping you up.
Calm your mind. Change your life.
Mental health is hard. Getting support doesn't have to be. The Calm app puts the tools to feel better in your back pocket, with personalized content to manage stress and anxiety, get better sleep, and feel more present in your life.
Images: Getty
