While melatonin supplements can be a valuable tool for improving sleep, they work best when combined with good sleep hygiene practices. Sleep hygiene refers to the habits, behaviours, and environmental factors that influence your sleep quality. By optimising these elements, you create the ideal conditions for restful, restorative sleep every night.
This guide covers ten evidence-based sleep hygiene habits that can transform your sleep quality, whether you use melatonin or not.
1. Maintain a Consistent Sleep Schedule
Your body thrives on routine. Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day—yes, even on weekends—helps regulate your circadian rhythm, making it easier to fall asleep and wake up naturally.
When you keep irregular hours, you essentially give yourself jet lag without travelling anywhere. Your internal clock becomes confused, leading to difficulty falling asleep when you want to and excessive grogginess when you need to be alert.
Set phone alarms for both bedtime and wake time. Start by keeping your schedule within 30 minutes of your target times, even on weekends. Your body will adapt within 1-2 weeks, and you may find you no longer need an alarm to wake up.
2. Create a Relaxing Bedtime Routine
A consistent pre-sleep routine signals to your brain that it's time to wind down. Think of it as a gradual transition from the alertness of day to the restfulness of night.
Effective bedtime routines typically begin 30-60 minutes before sleep and might include:
- Taking a warm bath or shower
- Reading a physical book (not on a screen)
- Gentle stretching or yoga
- Meditation or deep breathing exercises
- Journaling or writing a to-do list for tomorrow
- Listening to calming music or podcasts
The key is choosing activities that relax you personally. Avoid stimulating activities like work, intense exercise, or stressful conversations during this wind-down period.
3. Optimise Your Sleep Environment
Your bedroom should be a sleep sanctuary. Environmental factors have a profound impact on sleep quality, yet many people overlook them.
Temperature
The ideal bedroom temperature for sleep is between 16-19°C (60-67°F). Your body temperature naturally drops as you fall asleep, and a cooler room supports this process. If you often wake up sweating or shivering, temperature regulation might be your issue.
Darkness
Even small amounts of light can disrupt melatonin production and sleep quality. Invest in blackout curtains or a quality sleep mask. Cover or remove any light-emitting devices, including standby lights on electronics.
Noise
A quiet environment is ideal, but consistent background noise (like a fan or white noise machine) can actually improve sleep by masking disruptive sounds. Avoid intermittent or unpredictable noises.
Think of your bedroom as serving only two purposes: sleep and intimacy. Remove work materials, exercise equipment, and anything else that might trigger alertness or stress. Your brain should associate your bedroom exclusively with rest.
4. Limit Screen Time Before Bed
The blue light emitted by phones, tablets, computers, and televisions suppresses natural melatonin production and stimulates alertness. Even if you don't feel more awake, screen exposure before bed delays sleep onset and reduces sleep quality.
Beyond the light itself, the content we consume on screens often keeps our minds active and engaged when they should be winding down.
Practical Strategies
- Establish a "screens off" time at least one hour before bed
- Use night mode or blue light filtering apps if you must use devices
- Keep phones and tablets out of the bedroom entirely
- Replace evening screen time with reading, conversation, or relaxation
5. Watch Your Caffeine Intake
Caffeine has a half-life of approximately 5-6 hours, meaning half of the caffeine from your afternoon coffee is still in your system at bedtime. For some people, even morning caffeine can affect sleep.
Caffeine blocks adenosine, a sleep-promoting chemical that builds up throughout the day. Even if you can fall asleep after consuming caffeine, it often reduces sleep quality and time spent in deep sleep stages.
Remember that caffeine isn't just in coffee. Watch out for tea, chocolate, soft drinks, energy drinks, some medications, and even decaf coffee (which contains small amounts). If you're sensitive, cut off caffeine by noon or earlier.
6. Be Strategic About Naps
Napping can be restorative, but it can also interfere with nighttime sleep if not done correctly. The key is timing and duration.
Napping Guidelines
- Timing: Nap before 3pm to avoid interfering with nighttime sleep
- Duration: Keep naps to 20-30 minutes (a "power nap") to avoid sleep inertia
- Consistency: If you nap regularly, try to do so at the same time each day
- Listen to your body: If you struggle to fall asleep at night, consider eliminating naps temporarily
Some people thrive with daily naps; others find they disrupt nighttime sleep. Experiment to find what works for you.
7. Exercise Regularly (But Time It Right)
Regular physical activity is one of the most effective natural sleep aids. Exercise reduces stress hormones, tires the body, and has been shown to improve both sleep duration and quality.
However, timing matters. Vigorous exercise too close to bedtime can be stimulating, raising body temperature and releasing adrenaline when you should be winding down.
Exercise Timing Recommendations
- Ideal: Morning or early afternoon exercise
- Acceptable: Light exercise in the early evening
- Avoid: Vigorous exercise within 2-3 hours of bedtime
Even a 30-minute walk during the day can significantly improve sleep quality. The key is consistency—regular exercise is more beneficial than occasional intense workouts.
8. Mind Your Evening Meals
What and when you eat affects how well you sleep. Heavy, rich, or spicy meals close to bedtime can cause discomfort and indigestion that interferes with sleep.
Evening Eating Guidelines
- Finish large meals at least 2-3 hours before bedtime
- If you're hungry before bed, opt for a small, light snack
- Avoid spicy, fatty, or acidic foods in the evening
- Limit fluid intake close to bedtime to reduce nighttime bathroom trips
- Consider sleep-promoting foods like cherries, kiwi, or nuts (which contain natural melatonin)
9. Manage Stress and Racing Thoughts
An overactive mind is one of the most common barriers to falling asleep. If you lie in bed worrying about tomorrow's tasks or replaying the day's events, sleep becomes elusive.
Strategies for a Calmer Mind
- Brain dump: Write down tomorrow's tasks and worries before bed to get them out of your head
- Gratitude journaling: End the day by noting three things you're grateful for
- Breathing exercises: Try the 4-7-8 technique: inhale for 4 counts, hold for 7, exhale for 8
- Progressive muscle relaxation: Systematically tense and release each muscle group
- Mindfulness meditation: Apps like Calm or Headspace offer guided sleep meditations
If you can't fall asleep within about 20 minutes, get out of bed and do something relaxing in dim light until you feel sleepy. This prevents your brain from associating the bed with wakefulness and frustration.
10. Get Morning Light Exposure
While we often focus on evening habits, what you do in the morning significantly impacts sleep quality at night. Exposure to bright light, especially natural sunlight, in the morning helps regulate your circadian rhythm and supports healthy melatonin production later.
Morning light exposure tells your body it's time to be awake, which helps you feel more alert during the day and naturally sleepy when evening arrives.
Morning Light Tips
- Get outside within an hour of waking, even briefly
- Open curtains immediately upon rising
- Have your morning coffee or breakfast near a window
- Consider a sunrise alarm clock during darker months
Putting It All Together
You don't need to implement all ten habits at once. Start with one or two that seem most relevant to your situation, practice them consistently for a couple of weeks, then gradually add others.
Remember, sleep hygiene practices and melatonin supplementation work synergistically. Good habits enhance melatonin's effectiveness, and melatonin can help support your body's natural sleep processes as you build healthier routines.
The goal isn't perfection—it's progress. Even small improvements in sleep hygiene can yield noticeable benefits in sleep quality and overall wellbeing.