7 Habits That Make or Break Your Sleep

Hook

Most people think insomnia starts at night. In reality, your sleep success is set in motion the moment you wake up. Morning light, late caffeine, endless screens — these daily choices can either wire you for rest or ruin your night.

Context

Sleep hygiene isn’t just about a quiet bedroom. It’s about how your entire day lines up with your body’s natural rhythm. Ignore it, and even the best mattress won’t save you. Nail it, and you’ll fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer, and wake up sharper.

Your Take

Here are the 7 habits that matter most:

1. Keep a strict schedule — Bedtime and wake time, even on weekends.
2. Get morning light — Anchor your circadian clock with daylight, not your phone screen.
3. Cut caffeine after lunch — That 4 p.m. espresso is still in your system at midnight.
4. Power down screens — Blue light + doomscrolling = wired brain.
5. Dim lights before bed — Signal to your body that night has arrived.
6. Cool, dark, quiet bedroom — Temperature and noise matter as much as comfort.
7. Get up if you can’t sleep — Don’t train your brain to see bed as “awake” time.

Implications

You can’t hack your way around biology. Good sleep hygiene sets the stage for rest. If your insomnia persists despite these basics, that’s the point when CBT-I — the structured, gold-standard therapy — comes in.

Further Reading

• Healthy Sleep Hygiene Guide
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I)

Closing

Your nights don’t start at bedtime. They start the moment you open your eyes. Treat your habits like they matter — because for your sleep, they do.