Can't Sleep? Try These 7 Morning and Night Habits for Better Sleep

Sleep insomnia? We've all been there. Tossing and turning, with the urgency to fall asleep growing as time ticks. Frustrated, because your eyes are sleepy but your brain isn't. What can you do to fall asleep in a jiffy? Turns out, there's many tricks and habits you can do during your day to get the rest you deserve. Your quality of sleep and/or speed in falling asleep isn't determined by just the last 30 minutes before you sleep; small things during your day such as your morning light exposure, daytime activity, caffeine timing, evening routine, and bedroom environment can all influence how ready your body is for sleep.

Why Your Daytime Habits Can Affect Your Sleep at Night

Your body is stubborn. When it becomes used to something, it overreacts to changes. It has an internal clock set up for when you wake up and sleep, and it likes to stick to that. Your body also factors in light exposure, physical activity, consistency in sleeping and waking, stress, your bedtime environment, and other factors to decide when it is ready to sleep. If your body's timing doesn't align with the one you want, you can actively change your habits to make your body cooperate more.

7 Morning and Night Habits That May Help With Insomnia

1. Go outside and get sunlight in the morning!

As I mentioned earlier, your body is stubborn and wants to follow a routine. I'd say that the key idea to consider when trying to keep a healthy sleep schedule is your circadian rhythm, which is the internal clock your body keeps to determine when to wake up or sleep. One big thing that tells your body to get active during the day is sunlight. Sunlight during the day is a sign to your body to get active, so when it is dark at night your body understands it is time to start settling down for sleep.

2. Wake up and sleep at a consistent time

Your circadian rhythm is mostly built on the time you wake up and sleep regularly. If you can slowly shift your sleep and wake up times to a time fit for you, your circadian rhythm will follow. It's not something that can happen in one night; you can't go from sleeping at 3 AM regularly to 10 PM over one night, your body most likely isn't going to adjust that quickly. The key is consistency, so choose a wake up and sleep time that is doable for you commonly.

3. Time your caffeine right

Caffeine is the killer of sleep. It literally blocks the signals in your brain to sleep, hence a caffeine crash after because the signals pile up and hit after the caffeine wears off. Caffeine in any form—coffee, tea, energy drinks, or other caffeinated beverages or food, can stay in the body for hours. I'm not saying that you have to cut off caffeine, but I'd recommend having it earlier in the day like mornings so it doesn't interfere with sleep. Of course, this varies from person to person.

4. Move during the day

Another habit that can help adjust your circadian rhythm is movement during the day. Movement during the day is another sign for your body to know when during a day to be active, and when the time comes to start winding down. Also, many people can't sleep because of stress and anxiety. Physical activity actively (get it) lowers the signals in your brain that cause you to stress and overthink. Movement during the day also creates the physical drive to sleep, because it expels energy and tires you out, creating the need for recovery which your body finds in your sleep.

5. Create a wind-down routine at night

Going directly from homework, work, screens, stress, and other mentally taxing activities into bed doesn't necessarily give your brain much opportunity to transition into sleep. A slow transition from an active mind to a relaxed one can greatly benefit how easily you fall asleep, compared to a mind that's still in work mode trying to sleep. A routine at night right before sleeping can involve any relaxing activity, such as reading, gentle stretching, calming music, a warm shower or bath, journaling, or prepping for the next day. Essentially, the goal here is to slowly transition into sleep mode instead of trying to force it like flipping a switch.

6. Make your bedroom comfy for sleeping

A comfortable temperature (generally a little low), darkness or low light, minimal noise, comfortable bedding, and no unnecessary distractions are all components to a great sleeping environment. You want to keep your mind free from possible activators. If not an AC, then I would definitely recommend opening your window. No one wants to sleep on a warm pillow.

7. Stop tossing and turning

Commonly, tossing and turning in bed can just become a source of frustration or overthinking. It can associate going to bed with being awake. If you find yourself tossing and turning for long periods before falling asleep, it's probably best if you get up and do something briefly in dim light would be beneficial. Something calming, like reading or writing.

What If You Still Can't Sleep?

1. Don't panic over one bad night. It won't throw off your whole schedule.
2. Avoid constantly checking the clock. That might just make you more anxious or frustrated.
3. Bounce back to your regular schedule the next day.
4. If it persists, talk to a professional.

When Should You Talk to a Doctor About Insomnia?

Sometimes, there's issues you can't solve yourself, and that's okay! There's nothing wrong with getting help from your doctor. Many people shy away from consulting a professional because they think they can fix their sleep schedule themselves, but professional intervention can greatly improve their sleep quickly.

You Should Talk to Your Doctor If Your Sleep Problems:

1. Continue consistently
2. Persist even after changing sleep habits
3. Affect school or work, mood, concentration, or just daily life
4. Are with other concerning symptoms

Summary

For those who skipped to here to save time, I commend you. Here's a recap:

During the day:

Get daylight, wake up consistently, stay active, and be mindful of caffeine timing.

Before bed:

Wind down, create a good sleeping environment (cold, quiet, dark), and don't spend hours frustrated in bed