The short answer
The changes with the best evidence are a fixed wake time, daylight in the morning, no caffeine for at least 6 hours before bed, little or no alcohol in the evening, regular exercise and a cool, dark, quiet bedroom. Each helps a little on its own. For insomnia lasting months, these tips alone rarely work: CBT for insomnia is the treatment to try.
On this page
What works, and how well?
Each habit below has been studied on its own. We grade how good the evidence is that it affects sleep, using our four grades.
| Habit | Grade | What the studies show |
|---|---|---|
| Cutting caffeine after early afternoon | Strong | Caffeine blocks the brain’s sleep signal for hours. In a home trial, even caffeine taken 6 hours before bed cut people’s sleep. |
| Limiting alcohol in the evening | Strong | Alcohol helps you drop off but breaks up sleep in the second half of the night, as many lab studies show. |
| Regular exercise | Moderate | A review of 66 studies found small benefits for sleep length and quality, and a moderate one for waking less at night. |
| A cool, dark, quiet bedroom | Moderate | Heat and noise increase waking and reduce deep and REM sleep in lab studies. |
| A warm bath or shower 1 to 2 hours before bed | Moderate | A review of 17 studies found people fell asleep faster and rated their sleep better. |
| Less screen time and bright light late at night | Weak | Bright tablets before bed delayed the body clock in a lab study, but the effect of normal phone use on sleep is small. |
| Short, early naps | Weak | Naps of 10 to 20 minutes boost alertness; long or late naps can make night sleep worse. |
| Sleep hygiene advice on its own, for insomnia | None | For people with chronic insomnia, a list of tips without other treatment does little in trials. |
Where should you start?
If you sleep reasonably well but want to sleep better, these are the changes most likely to make a difference:
- Get up at the same time every day, including weekends. It anchors your body clock.
- Get daylight soon after waking, ideally outdoors.
- No caffeine from early afternoon if you are sensitive to it.
- Keep alcohol modest, and not in the last few hours before bed.
- Make the bedroom cool, dark and quiet, with blackout curtains or an eye mask in summer.
- Wind down for an hour before bed with dim light and something calm.
What if none of this helps?
If you have had trouble sleeping on most nights for three months or more, and it affects your days, that is insomnia. The tips above are worth following, but they rarely fix it on their own, because long-term insomnia is kept going by the habits and worries that build up around sleep. CBT for insomnia targets those directly and is the first treatment NICE recommends.
If you snore loudly, stop breathing in your sleep or feel very sleepy in the day despite enough time in bed, see when to see a GP.
In this section
- Sleep hygiene: which sleep tips actually work?
The standard sleep hygiene rules checked against the research: which help, which are unproven, and why tips on their own rarely fix insomnia.
None - Caffeine and sleep: how late can you drink coffee?
How caffeine affects sleep, how long it stays in your body, how much is in coffee, tea and energy drinks, and when to stop drinking it.
Strong - Alcohol and sleep: why a nightcap backfires
How alcohol affects falling asleep, deep sleep, REM sleep and the second half of the night, how much it takes, and how long to leave before bed.
Strong - Screens, blue light and sleep: how much does your phone matter?
What studies show about phones, tablets, TV and blue light before bed, how big the effects are, and whether night mode or blue-blocking glasses help.
Weak - Exercise and sleep: does it help, and how late is too late?
What studies show about exercise and sleep quality, whether evening workouts keep you awake, and the best timing and type of activity for better sleep.
Moderate - The best bedroom temperature for sleep
How heat, cold and humidity affect sleep, what temperature to aim for in a UK bedroom, and how to sleep better in a heatwave.
Moderate - Does a warm bath before bed help you sleep?
What a review of 17 studies found about warm baths and showers before bed, why they help you fall asleep, and the best timing and temperature.
Moderate - Naps: are they good for you, and how long should they be?
What research shows about napping, why 10 to 20 minutes is the sweet spot, when naps make night-time sleep worse, and advice for people with insomnia.
Weak
Common questions
What is the fastest way to fall asleep?
There is no reliable trick. What helps most is going to bed only when sleepy, keeping the bedroom dark and cool, and not lying in bed awake for long: if you can't sleep after about 20 minutes, get up, do something calm in dim light and go back when sleepy. That is part of CBT for insomnia.
What time should I go to bed?
Work back 7 to 9 hours from the time you need to get up, and keep that wake time fixed every day. A regular wake time does more for your body clock than a fixed bedtime, and you'll naturally feel sleepy at a consistent time.
Does sleep hygiene work for insomnia?
Not on its own. Sleep hygiene advice is sensible, but trials in people with chronic insomnia find it does little by itself, and US sleep medicine guidelines advise against using it as the only treatment. It works best as part of CBT for insomnia.
References
- NHS Every Mind Matters. How to fall asleep faster and sleep better.nhs.uk
- Irish LA et al. The role of sleep hygiene in promoting public health: a review of empirical evidence. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 2015.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Edinger JD et al. Behavioral and psychological treatments for chronic insomnia disorder in adults: an American Academy of Sleep Medicine clinical practice guideline. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 2021.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Drake C et al. Caffeine effects on sleep taken 0, 3, or 6 hours before going to bed. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 2013.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Kredlow MA et al. The effects of physical activity on sleep: a meta-analytic review. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 2015.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
First published 4 November 2026. Spotted an error? Tell us and we'll correct it. Read our editorial policy.