Sleep Hygiene: 7 Simple Changes for Dramatically Better Rest
By Daniel Febbroriello | May 4th, 2025
Quality sleep remains elusive for millions of Americans, with the CDC reporting that one-third of adults don't get the recommended 7+ hours of sleep each night. While natural supplements, like NightRoot, can provide valuable support for better rest, they work best when combined with proper sleep hygiene—the habits and environmental factors that set the stage for quality sleep.
In this guide, we'll explore seven evidence-based sleep hygiene practices that can dramatically improve your sleep quality when implemented consistently. These simple changes complement natural sleep aids and help create the optimal conditions for restorative rest.
1. Optimize Your Sleep Environment
Your bedroom environment plays a crucial role in sleep quality. Research consistently shows that small adjustments to your sleep space can lead to significant improvements in both falling asleep and staying asleep.
Temperature Matters Most
Studies have identified temperature as the single most important environmental factor affecting sleep quality [1]. The ideal sleeping temperature for most adults is between 60-67°F. This range facilitates the natural drop in core body temperature that signals your brain it's time to sleep.
Quick Fix : Set your thermostat to automatically lower the temperature about an hour before bedtime. If precise temperature control isn't possible, use breathable bedding and consider a bedroom fan.
Embrace Total Darkness
Even minimal light exposure during sleep can disrupt your circadian rhythm and melatonin production. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found that room light during sleep suppressed melatonin by more than 50% [2].
Quick Fix : Invest in blackout curtains or a sleep mask. Remove or cover electronics with LED lights, and consider using red-spectrum night lights if you need illumination for nighttime bathroom visits.
Manage Noise Disruptions
While some people can sleep through significant noise, research shows that even when you don't fully wake up, noise can cause shifts to lighter sleep stages, reducing sleep quality [3].
Quick Fix : Use a white noise machine or app to mask disruptive sounds. Earplugs are another simple, effective option for noise-sensitive sleepers.
2. Develop a Consistent Sleep Schedule
Your body thrives on regularity. Maintaining consistent sleep and wake times—even on weekends—is one of the most powerful ways to improve sleep quality over time.
The Weekend Consistency Challenge
Many people maintain good sleep habits during the week but stay up late and sleep in on weekends. This "social jet lag" disrupts your body's internal clock and can make Monday mornings particularly difficult.
Research from the Sleep and Chronobiology Laboratory at the University of Colorado found that inconsistent sleep schedules are associated with poorer academic performance, increased risk of metabolic problems, and greater daytime sleepiness [4].
Quick Fix : Limit weekend sleep-in time to no more than one hour past your normal wake time. If you stay up later than usual, still try to wake within an hour of your regular time and consider a short afternoon nap instead of sleeping in.
3. Create a Wind-Down Ritual
The transition from daytime activities to sleep is crucial. Your brain needs clear signals that it's time to shift gears and prepare for rest.
The Power of Routine
A consistent pre-sleep routine leverages the power of behavioral conditioning. When you repeat the same relaxing activities in the same order each night, these activities become cues that tell your brain sleep is approaching.
A study in Sleep Medicine Reviews found that consistent bedtime routines are associated with better sleep quality, longer sleep duration, and fewer nighttime awakenings [5].
Quick Fix : Create a 30-minute wind-down ritual that includes 2-3 relaxing activities like gentle stretching, reading (not on a screen), or meditation for better sleep . Perform these activities in the same order each night.
The Natural Supplement Window
If you use natural sleep supplements like our NightRoot formula , the wind-down period is the ideal time for administration. The calming herbs and amino acids in NightRoot, including ashwagandha , lemon balm , chamomile , and L-theanine , work best when taken 30-60 minutes before bedtime, allowing their natural properties to gently shift your nervous system toward sleep-readiness.
4. Manage Blue Light Exposure
The blue wavelength light emitted by digital devices and many LED bulbs is particularly problematic for sleep because it suppresses melatonin production more powerfully than other light wavelengths.
The Digital Sunset Approach
A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that using light-emitting devices before bed prolongs the time it takes to fall asleep, reduces evening sleepiness, decreases melatonin secretion, delays the circadian clock, and reduces next-morning alertness [6].
Quick Fix : Implement a "digital sunset" by turning off screens 1-2 hours before bed. If that's not practical, use blue light blocking glasses and enable night mode/blue light filters on your devices after sunset.
Bright Days, Dark Nights
For optimal circadian rhythm function, aim for bright light exposure during the day (especially morning) and minimal light exposure at night. This contrast helps reinforce your body's natural wake-sleep cycle.
Quick Fix : Get 10-15 minutes of direct sunlight within an hour of waking, and gradually lower light levels in your home as evening progresses, shifting to warmer, dimmer lighting.
5. Watch What You Consume (And When)
What goes into your body in the hours before bed can significantly impact sleep quality. Three factors deserve particular attention:
Caffeine's Long Half-Life
Caffeine has a half-life of 5-7 hours, meaning half the caffeine from your 3pm coffee is still active at 8-10pm. A study in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that consuming caffeine even 6 hours before bedtime reduced total sleep time by more than an hour [7].
Quick Fix : Establish a caffeine curfew of 12pm-2pm, depending on your sensitivity and bedtime. Remember that coffee isn't the only source—tea, chocolate, and some medications also contain caffeine.
The Alcohol Myth
While alcohol may help you fall asleep initially, it severely disrupts sleep architecture later in the night. Research shows alcohol reduces REM sleep, increases sleep fragmentation, and worsens sleep-disordered breathing [8].
Quick Fix : If you choose to drink alcohol, try to finish your last drink at least 3-4 hours before bedtime to allow for substantial metabolism before sleep.
Timing Your Final Meal
Eating too close to bedtime can lead to digestive discomfort and acid reflux, both of which interfere with sleep quality. Additionally, late-night eating, especially of high-carbohydrate foods, can disrupt the relationship between sleep and metabolism.
Quick Fix : Try to finish your last substantial meal 2-3 hours before bedtime. If you need something closer to bed, opt for a small protein-rich snack like a handful of nuts or plain yogurt.
6. Address the Mind-Racing Problem
One of the most common sleep disruptors is a mind that won't quiet down at bedtime. Racing thoughts, worries, and mental to-do lists can significantly delay sleep onset.
The Brain Dump Technique
Research from Baylor University found that writing a to-do list for the next day before bed helped participants fall asleep significantly faster than those who wrote about completed tasks [9]. This "offloading" appears to reduce cognitive arousal, worry, and rumination.
Quick Fix : Keep a notebook by your bed and spend five minutes before turning out the lights writing down tomorrow's tasks and concerns. Be specific—the more detail you capture on paper, the less your mind needs to rehearse these thoughts while trying to sleep.
Pair Mental Calming with Physical Calming
Mental relaxation works best when your body is also relaxed. The potent combination of herbs in NightRoot helps create this dual calming effect—L-theanine promotes alpha brainwaves associated with relaxed focus, while ashwagandha helps reduce cortisol levels that can keep the body physiologically aroused [10]. For a deeper exploration of how to calm your mind before sleep, check out our article on Rooted in Stillness: The Science of Meditation .
7. Know When to Reset
If you've been in bed for 20+ minutes and aren't falling asleep, staying there often increases frustration and anxiety about sleep, making the problem worse.
The Stimulus Control Approach
Sleep specialists recommend getting out of bed if you haven't fallen asleep within 20-30 minutes. This approach, called stimulus control, helps strengthen the mental association between your bed and actual sleep rather than wakefulness and frustration.
Research shows that stimulus control is one of the most effective components of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), the gold-standard non-pharmaceutical treatment for chronic sleep problems [11].
Quick Fix : If you're not asleep within 20-30 minutes, get up and move to another room. Do something relaxing and non-stimulating under dim light until you feel sleepy, then return to bed. Repeat as necessary.
Putting It All Together: Your 7-Day Sleep Reset
Implementing all these changes at once might feel overwhelming. Instead, consider a progressive approach over one week:
Day 1 : Focus on optimizing your sleep environment
Day 2 : Add the consistent sleep schedule
Day 3 : Develop your wind-down ritual
Day 4 : Implement blue light management
Day 5 : Address consumption habits
Day 6 : Try the brain dump technique
Day 7 : Practice stimulus control if needed
By the end of the week, you'll have built a comprehensive sleep hygiene system. Remember that consistency is key—these practices become more effective with regular implementation over time.
The Holistic Approach: Supplements and Sleep Hygiene
For optimal results, combine good sleep hygiene with targeted natural support. Our NightRoot formula works synergistically with these sleep hygiene practices—the habits create the right conditions for sleep, while the carefully selected botanicals and L-theanine in NightRoot provide gentle support for your body's natural sleep mechanisms.
This holistic approach addresses both the environmental and physiological aspects of sleep quality, helping you achieve the deep, restorative rest your body needs without relying on habit-forming medications or experiencing morning grogginess.
References
Okamoto-Mizuno K, Mizuno K. Effects of thermal environment on sleep and circadian rhythm. J Physiol Anthropol. 2012;31(1):14. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3427038/
Gooley JJ, Chamberlain K, Smith KA, et al. Exposure to room light before bedtime suppresses melatonin onset and shortens melatonin duration in humans. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2011;96(3):E463-E472. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3047226/
Halperin D. Environmental noise and sleep disturbances: A threat to health? Sleep Sci. 2014;7(4):209-212. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4608916/
Phillips AJK, Clerx WM, O'Brien CS, et al. Irregular sleep/wake patterns are associated with poorer academic performance and delayed circadian and sleep/wake timing. Sci Rep. 2017;7(1):3216. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-03171-4
Mindell JA, Williamson AA. Benefits of a bedtime routine in young children: Sleep, development, and beyond. Sleep Med Rev. 2018;40:93-108. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6587181/
Chang AM, Aeschbach D, Duffy JF, Czeisler CA. Evening use of light-emitting eReaders negatively affects sleep, circadian timing, and next-morning alertness. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2015;112(4):1232-1237. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4313820/
Drake C, Roehrs T, Shambroom J, Roth T. Caffeine effects on sleep taken 0, 3, or 6 hours before going to bed. J Clin Sleep Med. 2013;9(11):1195-1200. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3805807/
Ebrahim IO, Shapiro CM, Williams AJ, Fenwick PB. Alcohol and sleep I: effects on normal sleep. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2013;37(4):539-549. https://doi.org/10.1111/acer.12006
Scullin MK, Krueger MI, Ballard HK, Pruett N, Bliwise DL. The effects of bedtime writing on difficulty falling asleep: A polysomnographic study comparing to-do lists and completed activity lists. J Exp Psychol Gen. 2018;147(1):139-146. https://doi.org/10.1037/xge0000374
Chandrasekhar K, Kapoor J, Anishetty S. A prospective, randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study of safety and efficacy of a high-concentration full-spectrum extract of ashwagandha root in reducing stress and anxiety in adults. Indian J Psychol Med. 2012;34(3):255-262. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3573577/
Edinger JD, Wohlgemuth WK, Radtke RA, Marsh GR, Quillian RE. Cognitive behavioral therapy for treatment of chronic primary insomnia: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2001;285(14):1856-1864. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.285.14.1856