# How to sleep better: what the evidence says works

Source: https://sleepfacts.uk/sleep-better/
Author: Tess Marlow · Updated 2026-11-04

**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.

## 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](/about/evidence-grades/).

| Habit | Grade | What the studies show |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [Cutting caffeine after early afternoon](/sleep-better/caffeine/) | 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](/sleep-better/alcohol/) | Strong | Alcohol helps you drop off but breaks up sleep in the second half of the night, as many lab studies show. |
| [Regular exercise](/sleep-better/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](/sleep-better/bedroom-temperature/) | 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](/sleep-better/warm-bath/) | 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](/sleep-better/screens-and-blue-light/) | 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](/sleep-better/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](/sleep-better/sleep-hygiene/) | 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:

1. **Get up at the same time every day,** including weekends. It anchors your [body clock](/how-sleep-works/body-clock/).
2. **Get daylight soon after waking,** ideally outdoors.
3. **No caffeine from early afternoon** if you are sensitive to it.
4. **Keep alcohol modest,** and not in the last few hours before bed.
5. **Make the bedroom cool, dark and quiet,** with blackout curtains or an eye mask in summer.
6. **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](/sleep-problems/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](/sleep-problems/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](/sleep-problems/when-to-see-a-gp/).

## Frequently asked 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

1. [NHS Every Mind Matters. How to fall asleep faster and sleep better.](https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/mental-wellbeing-tips/how-to-fall-asleep-faster-and-sleep-better/)
2. [Irish LA et al. The role of sleep hygiene in promoting public health: a review of empirical evidence. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 2015.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25454674/)
3. [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.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33164742/)
4. [Drake C et al. Caffeine effects on sleep taken 0, 3, or 6 hours before going to bed. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 2013.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24235903/)
5. [Kredlow MA et al. The effects of physical activity on sleep: a meta-analytic review. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 2015.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25596964/)