Sleep Hygiene Checklist: 15 Habits for Better Sleep

"Sleep hygiene" simply means the daily habits and environment that set you up for good sleep. Get these right and everything else — including any supplement — works better. Here is your 15-point checklist.

What is sleep hygiene?

Sleep hygiene is the collection of behaviours and conditions that make quality sleep more likely: your schedule, your bedroom, and what you do in the hours before bed. None of these are dramatic on their own, but stacked together they are the foundation of good sleep.

The 15-point checklist

Your schedule

• Go to bed and wake up at the same time daily, even on weekends
• Get 10–20 minutes of natural light early in the day
• Avoid long or late-afternoon naps (keep them under 30 minutes)

Your bedroom

• Keep it cool, around 65°F / 18°C
• Make it as dark as possible with blackout curtains or an eye mask
• Keep it quiet, or use white noise to mask disruptions
• Reserve the bed for sleep, not work or scrolling

The hours before bed

• Stop caffeine 8–10 hours before bed
• Avoid alcohol within 3–4 hours of bed
• Finish big meals 2–3 hours before sleep
• Dim screens and lights in the last hour
• Build a repeatable wind-down ritual (shower, stretch, read)
• Do a five-minute brain-dump if your mind is busy

During the day

• Exercise regularly, but not intensely right before bed
• Manage stress with a short daily practice such as a walk, journaling or breathing

Where supplements fit in

Good sleep hygiene is the foundation. A well-formulated sleep supplement can support the process by calming the mind and reinforcing melatonin timing, but it works best alongside these habits, not instead of them. For more, see how to fall asleep faster.