Sleep Hygiene Checklist: 18 Habits for Better Sleep

Sleep hygiene is the set of everyday habits that make good sleep more likely: when you go to bed, what you drink, how your bedroom is set up and what you do when you can't sleep. This sleep hygiene checklist pulls together the advice from Australia's main sleep health sources, so you can tick off what you're already doing and see what to change.

The short answer: keep the same bed and wake-up times every day, get daylight in the morning, keep caffeine to the first half of the day and alcohol away from bedtime, wind down without screens, and keep your bedroom cool, dark and quiet. If you can't sleep, get up for a while rather than lying there.

The sleep hygiene checklist

During the day

• ☐ I get up at the same time every day, including weekends.
• ☐ I get outside in daylight, ideally early in the day.
• ☐ I exercise, but not just before bed.
• ☐ I keep naps short, around 20 to 30 minutes, and not late in the day.
• ☐ I stop caffeine well before bed. healthdirect says at least 3 to 7 hours before. See caffeine and sleep.

In the evening

• ☐ I finish dinner at least two hours before bed.
• ☐ I avoid alcohol for at least four hours before bed. See does alcohol help you sleep?
• ☐ I don't smoke or vape close to bedtime. healthdirect says to avoid cigarettes for at least two hours before bed.
• ☐ I turn screens off before bed. The Sleep Health Foundation suggests one to two hours before.
• ☐ I have a wind-down routine, such as a shower, reading or music.

In the bedroom

• ☐ My bedroom is cool. For most people, 17 to 19°C is about right, according to Better Health Channel.
• ☐ My bedroom is dark and quiet. See do sleep masks work? and does white noise help you sleep?
• ☐ I use my bed for sleep and intimacy only, not work, scrolling or TV.
• ☐ My phone charges somewhere else. See alarm clock without a phone.

In bed

• ☐ I go to bed at about the same time each night, when I'm sleepy.
• ☐ I don't spend too long in bed. healthdirect suggests no more than 8 hours.
• ☐ If I'm not asleep within 20 to 30 minutes, I get up, do something quiet in dim light, and go back when I'm sleepy.
• ☐ I don't watch the clock.

Sources: Sleep Health Foundation, Better Health Channel and healthdirect.

Which habits matter most?

If the whole list feels like too much, start with three:

1. A fixed wake-up time. It anchors your body clock, and everything else follows from it. See how to fix your sleep schedule.
2. Morning light. Light in the early waking hours helps set your body clock.
3. A caffeine cut-off. It's the easiest change to make and one of the most common problems.

Give any change a couple of weeks. Sleep doesn't improve the first night.

How much sleep are you aiming for?

Most adults need about 7 to 9 hours a night. Teenagers need more. See how much sleep do I need? and what time should I go to bed?

When sleep hygiene isn't enough

Good habits help most people sleep a bit better, but they aren't a cure for everything. Better Health Channel notes that sleep hygiene on its own is not a treatment for insomnia. For chronic insomnia, which healthdirect describes as trouble sleeping at least three nights a week for at least three months, the recommended treatment is cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I).

See your GP if you've had trouble sleeping for weeks, if you snore loudly or wake up gasping, or if tiredness is affecting your work, driving or mood. This guide is general information, not medical advice.

Where the Sovune Nudge fits

We make the Sovune Nudge, a vibrating alarm wristband, so we're not neutral. It helps with a few items on the checklist:

• A fixed wake-up time. It's set on the band, and each alarm vibrates for a full minute, building through three intensity levels.
• A phone-free bedroom. There's no app, so your phone can charge in another room.
• A quiet bedroom for two. It's silent, so one person's alarm doesn't cut the other's sleep short.
• No clock-watching. When you trust the alarm, you can stop checking the time.

It comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Quick answers

What is sleep hygiene? It's the set of daily habits and bedroom conditions that help you sleep well, such as regular times, a cool dark room, and limiting caffeine, alcohol and screens before bed.

What is the most important sleep hygiene habit? A regular wake-up time, seven days a week. It sets your body clock.

How long does sleep hygiene take to work? Allow a couple of weeks of consistent habits before judging the result.

Does sleep hygiene cure insomnia? Not on its own. For chronic insomnia, see your GP about CBT-I.

For every type of silent alarm compared, see our complete guide to vibrating alarms in Australia.

See the Sovune Nudge →