Sleep Hygiene Checklist

The daily habits that make or break your sleep.

Sleep hygiene is the set of daily behaviors that either help or hurt your sleep - from when you drink your last coffee to what you do in the hour before bed. The research consistently identifies a handful of high-impact habits: consistent timing, light exposure management, caffeine and alcohol control, exercise timing, and wind-down routines. Doing these right often transforms sleep more than any gadget, supplement, or app. This interactive checklist covers 15 research-backed habits. Check the ones you already do; for each unchecked item, get a specific, actionable suggestion.

Timing & Routine

I go to bed within 30 minutes of the same time every night
I wake up within 30 minutes of the same time every morning
I have a 30-60 minute wind-down routine before bed
I avoid naps after 3 PM

Caffeine, Alcohol, Food

I do not drink caffeine within 8 hours of bedtime
I do not have alcohol within 3 hours of bedtime
I do not eat a large meal within 2 hours of bedtime

Light & Screens

I get bright light within 30 minutes of waking
I dim lights in the evening
I avoid screens for 30-60 minutes before bed

Activity

I exercise regularly (but not within 2 hours of bedtime)
I get outside during the day

Mindset

I do not lie in bed awake for more than 20 minutes
I do not use bed for work, eating, or phone scrolling
I have a way to manage bedtime anxiety or rumination

The Science

Sleep hygiene research dates back to the 1970s. The habits on this list have the strongest evidence base. Cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is built on a foundation of sleep hygiene plus cognitive work - and CBT-I outperforms sleep medications for chronic insomnia in head-to-head studies. Good hygiene does not fix every sleep problem, but bad hygiene prevents most other interventions from working.

How It Works

1

Check the habits you already consistently follow.

2

Get your score and priority recommendations.

3

Work on 1-2 new habits per week for sustainable change.

Related Tools

Sleep Environment Checklist

Audit your bedroom

Sleep Efficiency Score

Rate your quality

Sleep Cycle Calculator

Plan your bedtime

Caffeine Cutoff Calculator

When to stop coffee

When to Use This Checklist

Frequently Asked Questions

For most people: consistent timing. Going to bed and waking at the same time produces more improvement than any single other change.
Possible but rarely sustainable. Most behavior change research supports adding 1-2 habits per week.
Possible reasons: sleep disorder, medical condition, medication side effects, chronic stress/anxiety, or environmental issues.
Yes. If you are not asleep within about 20 minutes, get out of bed, do something calm, and return when sleepy.
Something calm, not stimulating, and not on a screen. Reading a physical book, light stretching, a warm shower, or journaling.
Yes, according to multiple studies. Even 10 minutes of guided meditation before bed reduces time to fall asleep.