Sleep hygiene checklist

Why daily habits drive your sleep

Sleep hygiene is the set of daytime and evening habits that make good sleep more likely. They work because sleep is governed by two systems: a body clock tuned largely by light and the regularity of your schedule, and a sleep drive that builds the longer you're awake. Habits that respect both, consistent timing, daylight early, movement, and a wind in stimulants, stack the odds in your favour before your head hits the pillow.

Timing of stimulants matters more than people expect. In a controlled study, a dose of caffeine taken even six hours before bed measurably reduced total sleep, which is why an afternoon coffee can quietly cost you an hour of rest. Alcohol is the mirror image: it speeds falling asleep but fragments the second half of the night. Keep a steady sleep and wake time, get morning light, exercise regularly but not too late, and keep caffeine to earlier in the day. Most adults need seven to nine hours; protect that window rather than borrowing from it. If poor sleep persists for weeks despite good habits, see a doctor.