How to Build a Sleep Routine That Actually Works

These are our go-to habits. The ones we personally love and use. The ones that you can actually feel.

From sunlight to breathwork, phone boundaries to bedroom vibes — this list is science-backed, recovery-focused, and built for real life.

Try them. Stack them. Make them yours.

The Sleep Loop: Days Create Nights, Nights Create Days

Healthy sleep doesn’t start at bedtime. It’s built from the moment you wake up. Here’s how:

• Your circadian rhythm is a ~24-hour internal clock that regulates sleep, alertness, metabolism, and hormone release. It’s guided by light exposure, body temperature, food timing, and movement.
  
• If you disrupt this rhythm (with blue light, late-night food, irregular wake times), sleep gets fragmented. Energy tanks. Mood dips. You feel “groggy.”
  
  

But if you work with your biology instead of against it? Everything improves—naturally.

1. Clean Today’s Mess Before Bed

Your brain craves closure. Tidying your space at night signals to your nervous system that the day is complete—and helps you mentally shut off. Finish the day strong—even if your energy is low.

• Clean your room, wipe your counters, reset your space.
• This small act reduces background stress and helps you enter sleep feeling more at peace.

Habit Tip: Keep a “Reset Checklist” in your notes app or near your bed—3 quick actions you do every night to close the loop on the day.

2. Set Yourself Up for Morning Wins

Evening prep is the secret to smooth, stress-free mornings. Remove friction and make it easy to start your day right.

• Lay out clothes
• Prep your water/coffee
• Pack bags or work gear
• Clean dishes or prep breakfast
  
  

Habit Tip: While brushing your teeth, ask: “What can I prepare now to make tomorrow easier?” Then just do one thing. Build momentum.

3. Getting Sunlight Within 30–60 Minutes of Waking 

Your eyes (and brain) need natural light to anchor your circadian rhythm. This early light:

• Shuts off melatonin
• Triggers cortisol (in a healthy way)
• Sets your sleep clock ~16 hours later
  
  

Habit tip: Step outside and start your day with water/electrolytes or take a 5-minute walk right after waking.

4. Take Time for Yourself (Without a Screen)

Your nervous system needs a break. Carving out even 5–15 minutes of phone-free time can help you downshift from the day. Quiet time = nervous system recovery.

Try:

• Light stretching or yoga
• Reading (physical book)
• Journaling
• Deep breathing
• Reflecting on your wins

Habit Tip: Choose one calming activity you enjoy—and stack it right after your “Reset Checklist” so it becomes part of your night ritual.

5. Put Your Phone to Sleep Before You Go To Sleep

Your phone is designed to stimulate you. Late-night scrolling delays melatonin production, spikes dopamine, and can disrupt your sleep cycles.

What to know:

• Blue light suppresses melatonin by up to 80%
• Doomscrolling hijacks your attention and raises cortisol
• Even positive content can delay wind-down

Be mindful of not just the screen, but the story it tells your brain before bed.

Habit Tip: Charge your phone outside the bedroom or place it face-down across the room 30–60 minutes before bed. Pair that action with a replacement behavior like journaling or stretching. We like to put our phone on airplane mode.

6. Know Your Chronotype

Not everyone is wired to wake up at 5am—and that’s okay. Your chronotype is your natural biological rhythm that determines when you feel most alert and when your body wants to sleep.
Some people are early birds, others are night owls, and most fall somewhere in between. Fighting your natural rhythm can lead to grogginess, lower performance, and poor sleep quality.

Instead of forcing a schedule that doesn’t work for you, learn to align your sleep, work, and energy demands with your chronotype.
This shift alone can improve alertness, productivity, and long-term sleep health.

Habit Tip: Notice when you feel most alert and sleepy over a few days. Align your bedtime and key tasks with that natural rhythm to work with your biology, not against it.

7. Anchor Your Wake & Sleep Times

The most powerful thing you can do for long-term sleep quality is consistency.

• Wake up at the same time (even weekends)
• Want 8 hours? Aim to be in bed 9 hours before your alarm.
• Don’t try to "make up for it" with inconsistent sleep-ins
  
  

Habit Tip: Set a recurring “Wind Down Alarm” on your phone 90 minutes before bed. Let it cue you to start unplugging and prepping for sleep—same time, every night.

8. Control Overhead Light Exposure at Night

Melatonin is light-sensitive. Just 30–50 lux (a bright lamp or phone screen) can delay melatonin release and shift your circadian rhythm. That means:

• Dim lights 1–2 hours before bed
• Use warm-toned bulbs or red spectrum light
• Avoid screens—or at least use night mode and lower brightness
  
  

Huberman says: "Light is the most powerful lever for circadian health—and the most overlooked."

Habit Tip: Swap at least one major light source in your evening routine (like bathroom or bedroom overhead lights) with a low-watt warm bulb or red light. Bonus: make it a signal to start winding down.

9. Create and Respect Your Sleep Sanctuary

Your bedroom should feel like a sanctuary for sleep—not a second office or entertainment center.

Try to:

• Keep your room dark, cool, and quiet
• Reserve the space only for sleep and sex
• Move non-sleep-related habits to other rooms
  
  

Your brain builds associations. Make your bedroom mean sleep.

Habit Tip: Keep your space clean and tech-free to reduce stimulation. Invest in quality natural fiber bedding, soft lighting, and blackout curtains to associate your bedroom with rest & recovery.

10. Optimize Temperature

Your core body temp needs to drop for you to fall and stay asleep. If your room is too warm, you’ll toss and turn.

• Ideal sleep temp: 60–67°F (15–19°C)
• Use a warm shower or bath pre-bed to trigger your body’s natural cooling effect
• Keep feet uncovered to support heat loss

Habit Tip: Set your thermostat every night at the same time. Pair that with a warm, wind-down shower to reinforce the body temperature drop and cue your brain & body for sleep.

11. Watch the Timing of Food, Alcohol, and Exercise

Sleep isn’t just about what you do—it’s when you do it.

Habit Tip: Set a “last call” 2-3 hours before bed for heavy meals and drinks. Use a reminder or visual cue (like brushing teeth early) to lock in your new cutoff and build consistency.

12. Breathe Through Your Nose

One of the most underrated hacks for deeper sleep is nasal breathing. It:

• Filters and humidifies air
• Produces nitric oxide (critical for circulation and oxygenation)
• Lowers stress and calms the nervous system

If you snore, wake with a dry mouth, or struggle to fall asleep—you might be mouth breathing.

Habit Tip: Try using nasal strips or gentle mouth tape for 5–10 minutes before bed while you read or stretch. Start slow. Build the habit gradually—and your body will adapt. We offer these tools because breathing isn’t optional for sleep, it’s foundational.

13. Don't Overcomplicate the Wind-Down Routine

Sleep isn’t about being perfect. You just need consistency. Focus on 2–3 anchor cues that signal to your body that it’s time to relax.

Ideas:

• Shut off overhead lights
• Stretch for 5–10 minutes
• Journaling or brain dump
• Magnesium spray or nighttime supplement (like Restore™)
• Breathing exercises (like 4-7-8)

Habit Tip: Pick just two actions you can repeat every night. Whether it’s magnesium spray + journaling, or red light + deep breathing—lock it in and stick with it for 7 days straight.

The Mindset Shift

If your sleep stinks right now—it’s not your fault. You live in a world that:

• Bombards you with artificial light
• Pushes 24/7 stimulation
• Glorifies overwork
• Undervalues rest
  
  

The goal of SleepHabits isn’t to give you more rules or routines. It’s to help you reconnect to your biology so you can reclaim your sleep—without guilt or perfectionism.

Build Your Own Sleep System

Here’s how to design a sleep routine that actually sticks:

1. Audit your current habits (Are you exposing yourself to light too late? Eating too close to bed?)
2. Choose 2–3 levers to adjust first (Light? Breathing? Wake time?)
3. Stack habits naturally into existing routines (Walk + light control, journal + mouth tape, etc.)
4. Adjust over time. Track what helps—not just quantity, but quality.

New Sleep Science You Might Not Know

Here’s some science that actually blew our minds:

• Deep sleep is when your brain clears toxins like beta-amyloid (linked to Alzheimer’s). Skimping on deep sleep ≠ just fatigue—it’s long-term cognitive risk.
  
• Breathing patterns before bed predict nervous system state. Fast, shallow breathing signals threat. Nasal, diaphragmatic breathing signals safety and rest.
  
• Melatonin isn’t a sleep initiator and its not regulated. The best purpose of melatonin is to regulate your body when you are traveling with jet lag or need to reset to your natural cycle. That means popping 5-10mg every night might actually be making you way more tired & groggy.
  
  

Don’t overcomplicate it. Find what works for you and just stay consistent.

13 SleepHabit Tips Recap

1. Clean Today’s Mess
   Keep a “Reset Checklist” in your notes app or near your bed—3 quick actions you do every night to close the loop on the day.
2. Prep for Morning Wins
   While brushing your teeth, ask: “What can I prepare now to make tomorrow easier?” Then just do one thing. Build momentum.
3. Sunlight on Wake
   Step outside and start your day with water/electrolytes or take a 5-minute walk right after waking.
4. Dedicated Time for You
   Choose one calming activity you enjoy—and stack it right after your “Reset Checklist” so it becomes part of your night ritual.
5. Put Phone to Sleep First
   Charge your phone outside the bedroom or place it face-down across the room 30–60 minutes before bed. Pair that with journaling or stretching.
6. Work With Your Chronotype
   Notice when you naturally feel most alert and sleepy over a few days. Align your sleep and energy demands to match that rhythm—your body will thank you.
7. Set Consistent Wake & Wind Down Times
   Set a recurring “Wind Down Alarm” on your phone 90 minutes before bed. Let it cue you to unplug and prepare for sleep—same time every night.
8. Control Nighttime Light
   Swap at least one major light source in your evening routine (like bathroom or bedroom lights) with a low-watt warm bulb or red light.
9. Create a Sleep Sanctuary
   Keep your space clean and tech-free to reduce stimulation. Invest in quality natural fiber bedding, soft lighting, and blackout curtains.
10. Lower Your Core Body Temp
    Set your thermostat every night at the same time (below 70°). Pair that with a warm, wind-down shower to reinforce cooling and cue sleep.
11. Cut Off Disruptive Inputs
    Set a “last call” 2–3 hours before bed for heavy meals and drinks. Use a reminder or visual cue (like brushing teeth early) to lock it in.
12. Train Your Nose to Breathe
    Try using nasal strips or gentle mouth tape for 5–10 minutes before bed while you read or stretch. Start slow. Build the habit gradually.
13. Pick Two Wind-Down Anchors
    Pick just two actions you can repeat every night. Whether it’s magnesium spray + journaling, or red light + deep breathing—stick with it for 7 days straight.