You can take steps to improve your sleep habits. First, make sure that you give yourself enough time to sleep. With enough sleep each night, you may find that you're happier and more productive during the day.

Sleep is often the first thing that busy people squeeze out of their schedules. Making time to sleep will help you protect your health and well-being now and in the future.

To improve your sleep habits, it also may help to:

• Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. For children, have a set bedtime and a bedtime routine. Don't use the child's bedroom for timeouts or punishment.
• Try to keep the same sleep schedule on weeknights and weekends. Limit the difference to no more than about an hour. Staying up late and sleeping in late on weekends can disrupt your body clock's sleep-wake rhythm.
• Use the hour before bed for quiet time. Avoid intense exercise and bright artificial light, such as from a TV or computer screen. The light may signal the brain that it's time to be awake.
• Avoid heavy or large meals within a few hours of bedtime. (Having a light snack is okay.) Also, avoid alcoholic drinks before bed.
• Avoid nicotine (for example, cigarettes) and caffeine (including caffeinated soda, coffee, tea, and chocolate). Nicotine and caffeine are stimulants, and both substances can interfere with sleep. The effects of caffeine can last up to 8 hours. So, a cup of coffee in the late afternoon can make it hard for you to fall asleep at night.
• Spend time outside every day (when possible) and be physically active.
• Keep your bedroom quiet, cool, and dark (a dim night light is fine, if needed).
• Take a hot bath or use relaxation techniques before bed.

Napping during the day may boost your alertness and performance. However, if you have trouble falling asleep at night, limit naps or take them earlier in the afternoon. Adults should nap for no more than 20 minutes.

Napping in preschool-age children is normal and promotes healthy growth and development. 

Follow these tips to establish healthy sleep habits:

• Keep a consistent sleep schedule. Get up at the same time every day, even on weekends or during vacations.
• Set a bedtime that is early enough for you to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep.
• Don’t go to bed unless you are sleepy.
• If you don’t fall asleep after 20 minutes, get out of bed. Go do a quiet activity without a lot of light exposure. It is especially important to not get on electronics.
• Establish a relaxing bedtime routine.
• Use your bed only for sleep and sex.
• Make your bedroom quiet and relaxing. Keep the room at a comfortable, cool temperature.
• Limit exposure to bright light in the evenings.
• Turn off electronic devices at least 30 minutes before bedtime.
• Don’t eat a large meal before bedtime. If you are hungry at night, eat a light, healthy snack.
• Exercise regularly and maintain a healthy diet.
• Avoid consuming caffeine in the afternoon or evening.
• Avoid consuming alcohol before bedtime.
• Reduce your fluid intake before bedtime.
• Regularly getting a good night’s sleep is crucial to ensuring we enjoy good mental health.

  When we don’t get good sleep, it can contribute to various problems, including depression and anxiety. But it can sometimes feel hard to achieve amid the pressures of daily life. To help, we have come up with these top ten tips on how to get a good night’s sleep.

  1. Tech-free bedtime

  The bedroom should be somewhere that we associate with sleep. Where possible, you should try to remove distractions from your bedroom. It is better to watch TV, check social media and eat in another room. This will allow you to relax with no distractions in your bedroom.

  Be mindful of the presence of gadgets and electronics, such as computers, phones, tablets and TVs. The backlit 'blue light' displays suppress melatonin production – the hormone that helps you sleep; the suppression of melatonin causes sleep disruption. You should stop using these devices two hours before you go to sleep to reduce their impact on your sleeping.

  2. Prioritise managing physical symptoms

  Anyone who has tried to get to sleep with a blocked nose or headache knows that physical health problems can stop you from getting a good night's sleep. It can be easy to forget minor symptoms, but you will thank yourself when night falls if you prioritise speaking to a pharmacist about appropriate medication for symptom management.

  3. Light, sound and temperature

  It may sound common sense, but too much light and background noise can prevent you from falling asleep or staying asleep. Eye masks or earplugs are wonderful investments for light and noise sources that you can’t control.

  Temperature is also important, and if you share a bed with a partner with different temperature preferences, consider separate blankets or other solutions that compromise less sleep.

  4. Dealing with worry

  Thinking about sleeping too much or forcing yourself to sleep will only keep you awake. Learning how to relax your body and mind instead will help you get to sleep much more easily.

  Progressive relaxation techniques can help you to relax and unwind at these times.

  5. Foods that help and hinder

  Eating rice, oats and dairy products can produce chemicals that increase our desire to sleep. As well as the obvious caffeine, in terms of food and drink to avoid, things high in sugar can keep you awake if consumed late in the day. A big meal after mid-evening can also stop you from sleeping.

  6. Alcohol alert

  Although it can make you feel tired and can help you get to sleep, alcohol often impairs the quality of your sleep and makes you more likely to wake up during the night as the effects wear off, and you may need to go to the toilet frequently or wake up dehydrated to drink water.

  7. Time your exercise

  Exercising regularly can help us sleep, helping to reduce anxiety and relieve stress. Exercising earlier in the day is better, as exercise increases the body’s adrenaline production, making it more difficult to sleep if done just before bedtime.

  8. No napping!

  If you have trouble sleeping, you may be tempted to catch up on sleep by napping. However, unless you’re feeling dangerously sleepy (while driving or operating machinery, for instance), this usually does more harm than good as it makes it more difficult to sleep at night.

  If you feel tired during the day, get up and walk around, get some fresh air, or do something challenging for a short while, like a crossword or sudoku.

  9. If you’re not tired, get up

  If you’re finding it difficult to get to sleep, don't just lie there worrying. Get up for a while and drink (no sugar or caffeine, remember!). Try reading for a little while and go back to bed when you feel a bit sleepier.

  10. Keep a sleep diary

  Keeping a sleep diary to note the conditions when you went to bed the night before can be useful for letting you look back and see what has and what hasn’t worked for you. It also helps you to see how your sleep varies from night to night and might help you note sleep patterns.

• The Sleep Rule: 10-3-2-1-0

  10 hours before bed: No more caffeine.

  3 hours before bed: No more food or alcohol.

  2 hours before bed: No more work.

  1 hour before bed: No more screen time (shut off all phones, TVs and computers).

  0: The number of times you hit snooze in the morning.

  10 hours before bed: No more caffeine

  Most coffee drinkers experience the effects of drinking caffeinated drinks soon before bed. To ensure your sleep isn’t impacted, opt for different drinks after your morning coffee. Caffeine levels peak one hour after consuming coffee and stay at this level for five hours. By the sixth hour, around half of the caffeine is still in the body. Finally, only after 10 hours will the caffeine no longer be in the body.  

  Remember, it’s not just your coffee that can contain caffeine. Other products may also be stopping you from getting a good night’s slumber. Caffeine is present in sports drinks, some soft drinks, and some foods. Make sure you read the label and ensure you aren’t substituting coffee for something else that contains caffeine. Some prescription medications and over-the-counter medications contain caffeine too. The caffeine in medications helps the body absorb the medicines quicker. Ask your pharmacist if any of the medications you’re taking contains caffeine.  

  3 hours before bed: No food or alcohol

  Eating and drinking alcohol before bed can impact your ability to fall asleep. Eating late at night can disrupt your circadian rhythm because muscles that digest and metabolise food have to keep working instead of resting. When parts of the body are still working, it can make falling asleep more difficult and prevent you from getting into the deep stages of sleep. A study found that women’s sleep patterns were impacted more than men's when eating before bed. Higher fat intakes in the evening caused women to take longer to fall asleep, longer to reach REM sleep and were more likely to wake up after falling asleep.  

  Late-night meals often end up as extra calories stored as fat while we sleep. At night the body is more insulin resistant than it is in the morning when you’re refuelling after fasting overnight. People also tend to make less healthy and comforting food choices when they’re eating late at night. They’re more likely to choose a bowl of ice cream, chocolate, or chips.   

  While some people feel that drinking alcohol relaxes them before bed, it can still disrupt their sleep. Drinking alcohol late in the day can reduce REM sleep and cause sleep disruptions. Drinking excessive amounts in a short period of time (binge drinking) can be particularly detrimental to sleep quality. Poor sleep at night makes people feel sleepy during the day and many counter the effect with caffeine. They then stimulate their body throughout the day with caffeine and use alcohol as a sedative, causing poor sleep and creating a vicious circle. Just like with food, most alcohol is high in calories so its consumption at night will likely be stored as excess calories when consumed later in the day. 

   

  2 hours before bed: No more work

  Finishing work or studying two hours before bed can help with sleep. Whether it’s mental or physical work, your body and brain need time to relax and prepare for a night of sleep. With more people working from home since the pandemic and flexible hours, it’s tempting to read emails or do some work before bed. But this can disrupt their sleep. Moreover, working from bed can make it even harder for your brain to associate your bed with sleep, instead of work.

  Creating a buffer time between finishing work and going to bed allows stress and adrenaline to diffuse and for the brain to disengage from work. Try to engage in activities that signal your brain it’s time for sleep within the next couple of hours. You might take a shower, tidy the living room, or read a book. 
  If thoughts of work keep you up at night, keep a notebook and jot down your thoughts. This releases the worry of forgetting. Once it’s jotted down, let it go until the next morning when you read your notes.    

  1 hour before bed: No more screens

  It’s not just your work laptop and phone that you should avoid before bed, it’s all screens. If you enjoy binge-watching a series or playing a game on the computer, it’s time to turn them off one hour before you intend to head to bed. 
  The blue light emitted by screens reduces the production of melatonin which controls your sleep-wake cycle (circadian rhythm). It makes it difficult to fall asleep and wake up the next morning. Blue light reduces the amount of time you spend in the rapid-eye movement (REM) sleep, which is needed for cognitive functioning. 

  Avoiding any electronic devices in the bedroom such as TVs and phones can be one way to release the temptation as these can negatively impact your sleep. If possible, try to keep electronic use to a minimum during the day and night. Hours of electronic use can cause a shorter sleep duration and sleep deficit.

  0: The number of times you hit snooze in the morning

  If you tend to hit the snooze button and fall back to sleep, it’s a habit you should break. The sleep we get just before waking is usually the REM or dream stage of sleep. Hitting snooze disrupts this stage of sleep, and if the snooze button makes your heart race, it’s a flight or fights response your body doesn’t need so early in the morning. Waking up and falling back to sleep can make us feel groggy during the day. Instead, go to bed earlier so you don’t need to sleep after that first snooze button. Getting up as soon as the alarm goes off contributes to a better feeling during the day. If you’re struggling to break the habit, move the alarm away so you can’t reach it without getting out of bed to turn it off. You’ll be less likely to fall back asleep. 

  Extra Sleep Tips

  Watch your diet

  Food and sleep? Yes! Eating a nutritious diet plays a significant role in optimal sleep. When our diet is high in saturated fat and low in fibre, you’re less likely to get deep, restorative sleep. Too much sugar can cause you to wake up more frequently during the night.

  Make the bedroom your sanctuary 

  Clear the clutter and invest in comfortable bedding so you want to spend time in your bedroom. While you’re getting ready for bed, keep the lights dimmed to reduce the effect of light on your melatonin. 

  Try to Relieve Stress

  High-stress levels can cause you to get fewer hours of sleep and poorer quality sleep. By slowing your heart rate, breathing or meditating, you can reduce the release of the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline. 

  Have a bedtime routine

  When you do the same relaxing activities in a similar order the hour or two before bed, your brain will realise that bedtime is coming up and starts prepping for a good sleep. Try to go to bed within half an hour of a set time each night and get up at a similar time each morning. This repetition helps create a habit for your brain to follow easily. 

  If you are consulting a healthcare professional about your sleep, ask about the possibility of being referred to a sleep specialist who may be able to organise an at-home sleep study. Certain hospital cover policies will cover your visit to a sleep specialist, so take a look at your options today.

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  Eating a Large Meal Before Bed

   

  Westend61/Getty Images

  There’s nothing like a full bladder or stomach to disrupt your sleep. Getting up to urinate will interrupt sound rest, so drinking too much before bed may mean multiple trips to the bathroom during the night. Eating a large meal near bedtime may provoke heartburn symptoms when you lie down that can make you uncomfortable. Obstructive sleep apnea can also cause both nocturia and heartburn at night.1

   

   

  2

  Lying Awake in Bed

  If you are having trouble getting to sleep, the last thing you need to do is lie there awake. If this happens chronically, as may occur in insomnia, you may learn to associate your bed with anxiety and not being asleep. Rather than tossing and turning, try a relaxing activity like reading. If you continue to struggle, get out of bed to reset your sleep.

   

   

  3

  Sleeping Somewhere Too Cold, Too Warm, or Too Noisy

  It’s no use trying to sleep somewhere that is stimulating to our senses. If the stereo is blaring, the lights are on, and it’s stifling, how can you expect to sleep? Subtle variations on this theme will likewise make it hard to catch a few winks. Keep the bedroom comfortable with low lighting, noise, and temperature.

   

   

  4

  Taking Long Naps

  This one may be a little controversial. Some cultures promote the midday nap, and many people swear by them. If you sleep well at night, it may not be a problem. However, if you are having trouble sleeping then, the last thing you need to do is to add fuel to the fire by sleeping some during the day. Naps diminish your ability to sleep at night, and excessive daytime sleepiness may suggest a sleep disorder like sleep apnea.

   

   

  5

  Using Your Bedroom as a Multipurpose Room

  Filling your bedroom with televisions, gaming systems, computers, telephones, and other gadgets will ensure a plethora of stimulation will be at hand. Unfortunately, none of these will help you to sleep better. The light off screens may be harmful to sleep. Using them just prior to bed will prompt your brain to be active, and this is the last thing you need to fall asleep. Charge your phone in the kitchen and clear out technology from your sleep sanctuary.

   

   

  6

  Drinking Alcohol, Coffee, or Smoking a Cigarette Before Bed

  Though grandpa may have always enjoyed an alcoholic “nightcap” to get to sleep, this is actually not helpful. Alcohol may cause you to feel a little drowsy, but it fragments the stages of your sleep and makes it more disrupted as it wears off. It may worsen snoring and sleep apnea if consumed near your bedtime. Caffeinated beverages like coffee, tea, soda pop, and foods like chocolate work as stimulants to keep you awake for hours. Caffeine should be avoided in the 4 to 6 hours before bed or earlier if you are sensitive to its effects. Likewise, the nicotine from a cigarette will ruin your ability to sleep, and the craving associated with withdrawal may wake you during the night.2

   

   

  7

  Sleeping Less When You're Busy

  We all get busy for different reasons, and it’s easy to find extra time in the day by sleeping less. Why waste 8 hours in bed? Wouldn’t you rather be watching television, playing on the internet, or spending time with your friends or family? Unfortunately, the quality of the time we spend awake is significantly impacted by not getting enough rest. If you cut back on sleep, you may find that you aren’t gaining much if you spend the day bleary-eyed and befuddled. Get enough time in bed to meet your sleep needs every night.

   

   

  8

  Staying Active Until the Moment Before Hopping Into Bed

  Sleep is a quiet, relaxing activity, so it doesn’t make much sense to try to transition to that directly from something that is quite the opposite. Our bodies don’t do well with abrupt changes. The same is true for getting ready to sleep. Quiet sleep rituals such as reading, listening to calming music or taking a nice bath help to prepare us mentally and physically for sleep. Spend the 30 to 60 minutes before your bedtime preparing your body and mind for sleep.

   

   

  9

  Exercising Vigorously Before Bed

  Although it is ideal to exercise for 30 minutes every day—and this will likely ensure a good night’s sleep—doing it right before bed is probably a bad idea. It causes difficulties as your body will be revved up when you should be winding down. It may raise your body temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure.3 Don't go to bed sweaty from your workout. Try to minimize aerobic exercise right before bedtime, unless it is the only time of the day that you can find to get your exercising done.

   

   

  10

  Varying Your Sleep Time From One Day to the Next

  We are creatures of habit, and our sleep is no exception. If you go to bed and get up at different times every day, your body will have no sense of when it is supposed to feel tired and sleepy. This ultimately depends on our natural clock called the circadian rhythm, and varying the times we are asleep can negatively influence it. By keeping a consistent schedule, we are able to sleep better. Start by fixing your wake time with an alarm and go to bed when you feel sleepy, ensuring you get enough hours on a consistent basis to meet your sleep needs.