Sleep
Tips & Tricks
Tips & Tricks for Better Sleep
- First Last
- February 12, 2026
- Stay on a schedule
- Have a consistent bed time and wake up time (even on weekends)
- Achieve 7-8 hours of sleep during this schedule. Not many more, not many less.
- If you don’t fall asleep within 20 minutes of laying down, shift gears and do something that relaxes you instead
- Calm Yourself Down
- Limit screen time as you approach bedtime
- Screens time can cause the release of dopamine in the body
- Dopamine can cause a rush of energy and contribute to wakefulness; preventing sleep
- Perform calming activities as you approach bedtime
- Baths
- Meditation
- Reading
- Prayer
- Perform Physical Activity During the Day
- Regular physical activity promotes sleep
- Exercise at least 1-2 hours before bed, allowing cool down time after the exercise
- Yoga or breathing exercises can be a good form of exercise as it relaxes the body and mind, priming someone for sleeping
- Exercise helps to regulate your body’s circadian rhythm. Therefore helping you sleep better at night
- Something is better than nothing. Light walks can improve sleep patterns
- It is especially good to get in a couple of more vigorous workouts each week
- Eat and Drink Properly
- Caffeine and Nicotine are stimulants that can keep you awake. Avoid these for at least 5 hours before bedtime
- Caffeine reportedly has an average half life of about 5 hours (1. Institute of Medicine).
- This means it takes an average time of about 5 hours for caffeine to be eliminated from your body.
- Nicotine reportedly has an average half life of about 2 hours (2. Xue)
- Caffeine reportedly has an average half life of about 5 hours (1. Institute of Medicine).
- Eating or drinking too much or too little before bed can leave you uncomfortable and limit sleep as well
- Caffeine and Nicotine are stimulants that can keep you awake. Avoid these for at least 5 hours before bedtime
- Limit Naps During the Day
- Naps are OKAY. However, you should stick to 1 per day and no longer than 1 hour per nap.
- Do not nap too late in the day; this can throw off your sleep schedule
Sources:
- Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Military Nutrition Research. Caffeine for the Sustainment of Mental Task Performance: Formulations for Military Operations. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2001. 2, Pharmacology of Caffeine. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK223808/
- Xue, Y., Zhou, H., Jiang, C., Liu, X., Zhou, Z., & Wang, J. (2020). Two-Hour Tobacco Abstinence Has No Effect on Cognitive Control in Male Patients With Nicotine Dependence: An ERP Study. Frontiers in psychiatry, 11, 604684. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.604684
- Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2025, January 31). 6 steps to better sleep. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/sleep/art-20048379
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