Want Better Sleep? Experts Say Your Evening Routine Should Look Like This

Do you regularly wake up feeling like eight hours wasn't enough? Your nighttime routine (or lack thereof) could be the root of your sleep and restfulness woes. While there’s no perfect, one-size-fits-all sleep or morning routine, small habits and choices can make rest easier and more restorative. 

To crack the code, we spoke to one sleep health expert and two clinical psychologists. They weighed in on the benefits of a quality night routine, plus the specific habits and tips that’ll help you make it happen.

Build a Predictable Wind-Down

A wind-down you can count on sends your body a signal that sleep is coming. “Dimming the lights, getting off screens, engaging in relaxing activities such as stretching or deep breathing, and going to bed at roughly the same time each night are a few things that signal to the body that the day is coming to an end,” says Jordan Burns, a sleep health expert for Amerisleep. Because the brain loves patterns, predictability is helpful for the nervous system to downshift more quickly.

Dr. Michael G. Wetter, a clinical psychologist, recommends keeping this transition simple and consistent. Even a 20- to 40-minute wind-down helps move the body from alertness into a restorative state. And if your evenings aren’t identical every night, that’s OK. “Consistency in sequence often matters more than consistency in clock time, and flexibility is key for long-term adherence,” Wetter says. This means that repeating the same few steps can be more effective than rigidly adhering to a set bedtime.

Swap Stimulating Habits for Calming Ones

We’re all guilty of doing some less-than-restorative things before attempting to get some shut-eye. But with some adjustments, your evening routine can feel much more relaxing. Here’s what the experts suggest swapping out:

• Instead of leaving all the lights on, Dr. Sarah Gray, clinical psychologist at Integrative Psych, recommends dimming the lights 1.5 to 2 hours before falling asleep. She explains that this is “so that you can produce more melatonin naturally (light suppresses melatonin production).”
• Instead of scrolling on your phone, Gray suggests reading an easy book. Things like responding to stressful work emails or watching suspenseful shows can also keep your brain going.
• Instead of drinking alcohol or caffeine before bed, consume earlier in the day, preferably before noon. “Alcohol alters your sleep architecture and makes you more prone to lighter (less-restorative) sleep and frequent wakenings,” Gray explains.
• Instead of ruminating in your head, Burns suggests writing things down so your mind can unwind. Writing down your thoughts (or to-dos) helps you get them out.
• Instead of a lukewarm shower, Gray recommends taking a hot bath an hour and a half before bedtime. “The subsequent drop-off in temperature can help signal that it's time for bed, and the bath itself can be a wonderful, relaxing bedtime ritual in and of itself,” Gray says.
• Instead of lying in bed for hours before falling asleep, Gray says to reserve the bed or bedroom only for sleep. “This helps condition the brain to know that when you are in bed, it's time to wind down and sleep instead of being active,” Gray adds.
• Instead of working out right before bed, try light stretching. Gray says a vigorous sweat sesh can “energize you too much, and cause your core body temperature to rise, both of which can interfere with being able to fall asleep as easily.” 

Adjust Your Evening Timing for Better Sleep

The timing of your evening routine matters just as much as what you do before bed. In the two to three hours before bed, your circadian system is especially sensitive to light, stimulation, and activity. And if you do triggering activities during this period, you risk shifting your body clock later, Wetter explains. 

“Research consistently shows that maintaining relatively stable evening routines helps anchor circadian rhythms, even when exact bedtimes vary slightly from night to night,” Wetter says. Gray adds that regular timing of meals and bedtime helps “bookend the day,” cueing your body to release sleep-promoting chemicals more smoothly.

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Create a Sleep-Friendly Bedroom

Yes, your bedroom should support your sleep. Sheer curtains, while beautiful, are not the best choice for a bedroom. “Darkness supports healthy melatonin secretion,” Wetter explains. Instead, opt for blackout curtains to block any light attempting to peek through the windows (day or night).  

Burns also suggests making sure your room is adequately cool at night. “A cooler environment facilitates the body’s natural temperature drop during sleep,” Wetter adds. Plus, noise should be kept to a minimum (if at all possible). “Reduced noise prevents brief arousals that fragment sleep,” Wetter explains. 

“Also, make sure the mattress and pillow are comfortable,” Burns says. “While there is a lot of sleep technology out there that is supposed to aid one in getting a good night’s sleep, the reality is that one needs to get the basics right before one can start worrying about the technology.” 

Wetter adds that supportive bedding matters, but gadgets are overhyped. “If the environment is bright, warm, or noisy, no supplement or device will override those fundamentals,” Wetter says. 

Quick Tips for a Sleep-Friendly Night Routine

• Make your wind-down time an appointment: Almost like you’d attend a doctor’s appointment marked in your calendar, wind-down time should be something you do for your well-being. Burns says once you’re consistently honoring your evening appointment, your sleep quality will improve.
• Simplify choices an hour before bed: “An underrated habit is protecting the hour before bed from unnecessary stimulation and decision making by simplifying choices, reducing input, and allowing the brain to gradually disengage,” Wetter explains. “In clinical practice, sleep improves most reliably when people remove obstacles rather than add pressure.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​”
• Create a short and a long night routine: Some days are busier than others, so it’s good to be prepared. Gray recommends having a longer and a shorter routine on hand, depending on the time you have available on a particular evening. That way, it won’t feel like an all-or-nothing approach.
• Focus on anchors: “For people with busy or unpredictable evenings, the most sustainable approach is to focus on anchors rather than rigid routines,” Wetter says. “Instead of a long checklist, identifying one or two consistent cues, such as dimming lights at a certain point or repeating the same brief wind-down activity regardless of location, creates reliability without being unrealistic.”