How to get better sleep

Practical Sleep Hygiene Tips

Here are some evidence-based strategies to help you get better sleep:

1. Stick to a regular sleep schedule

   Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day—even on weekends. Consistency helps regulate your body’s internal clock.

2. Wind down with a calming routine

   Try dimming lights, reading, doing gentle stretches, journaling, or using a guided meditation 30–60 minutes before bed.

3. Limit screen time before sleep

   Avoid phones, tablets, and computers at least an hour before bed. Blue light disrupts melatonin, your natural sleep hormone.

4. Avoid stimulants in the evening

   Reduce caffeine after midday. Be mindful of nicotine, alcohol, and even late-night chocolate, as all can interfere with sleep quality.

5. Use white noise or calming soundscapes

   Soft, steady sounds like rain, waves, or white noise can help calm a restless mind and mask disruptive background noise.

6. Create a sleep-friendly environment

   Keep your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet. Use blackout curtains or an eye mask, and aim to reserve the bed for sleep and intimacy only.

7. Get some bright sun exposure

   Especially in the hours after you wake, sun exposure can improve sleep quality by regulating the body's natural sleep-wake cycle (circadian rhythm) and influencing melatonin production. Sunlight exposure helps to set the internal clock, making it easier to fall asleep at night. 

8. Limit naps

   If you need to nap, aim for 20–30 minutes earlier in the day. Long or late naps can interfere with nighttime sleep.

9. Watch what and when you eat

   Heavy meals, spicy foods, and too much fluid close to bedtime can disrupt your sleep cycle.

10. Practice relaxation techniques

    Gentle breathing, EFT tapping, progressive muscle relaxation, or mindfulness can reduce anxiety and help signal “bedtime” to your nervous system.

    YOU CAN LISTEN TO A GUIDED SLEEP MEDITATION, CLICK HERE

11. Exercise regularly

    Even light exercise can be helpful in processing emotions, expend energy, and help shift cortisol (stress hormone), and promote relaxation.

12. Challenge bedtime anxiety

    If you dread bedtime because of insomnia or racing thoughts, your body may associate bed with stress. Try paradoxical intention—gently telling yourself you're not trying to sleep—to remove performance pressure.

13. Journal a “brain dump”

    Write down your thoughts, to-do list, or worries before bed to offload mental clutter and reduce nighttime rumination.

14. Avoid clock-watching

    Constantly checking the time increases anxiety and alertness. Turn clocks away from your line of sight.

15. Practice gratitude or visualization

    Reflect on three things you’re grateful for, or visualise a peaceful scene. This can reduce cortisol and support sleep onset.

    YOU CAN LISTEN TO A GUIDED ABUNDANCE VISUALISATION, CLICK HERE

16. Try magnesium or herbal teas

    Magnesium glycinate, chamomile, passionflower, or valerian root teas can support relaxation—check with a GP or pharmacist first.

17. Use a weighted blanket

    For some people, a weighted blanket offers gentle pressure that calms the nervous system (especially helpful for ADHD or anxiety).

18. Take a warm bath or shower before bed

    The drop in core temperature after bathing mimics the body’s natural sleep signal and promotes drowsiness.