How to Sleep Better: Evidence-Based Sleep Tips & Healthy Habits

Good sleep supports concentration, mood, physical recovery and long-term health. If you regularly struggle to fall asleep, wake through the night or feel unrefreshed in the morning, improving your nightly habits can make a meaningful difference.

There is no single trick that fixes every problem. The most useful approach is usually to combine a consistent routine, a restful environment and sensible daytime habits, while also recognising when persistent difficulties need medical assessment.

How much sleep do adults need?

Most adults do best with around seven to nine hours per night, although individual needs vary. What matters is not only the number of hours you spend in bed, but also whether your rest is reasonably continuous and leaves you feeling restored during the day.

Regularly getting too little rest can affect attention, reaction time, mood and appetite. Over the longer term, insufficient sleep is also associated with poorer health outcomes, which is one reason good rest deserves the same attention as nutrition and exercise.

Why is a regular schedule helpful?

Going to bed and waking at similar times helps reinforce your body’s natural day-night rhythm. A consistent wake time is especially useful because it anchors your daily routine, even after a poor night.

Large swings between weekday and weekend bedtimes can make it harder to feel sleepy at the right time. You do not need a rigid schedule, but a reasonably stable routine can make your nights more predictable.

Can caffeine interfere with sleep?

Yes. Caffeine can stay in the body for many hours, so coffee, energy drinks, pre-workout products and some teas can interfere with falling asleep even when consumed earlier than you expect.

If you have trouble at night, consider reducing caffeine after lunch or experimenting with an earlier cut-off time. Sensitivity varies considerably between people, so pay attention to how your own body responds.

Does alcohol help or hurt sleep?

Alcohol may make you feel sleepy initially, but it can reduce rest quality later in the night and contribute to more fragmented sleep. It can also worsen snoring and disordered breathing in some people.

If better sleep is your goal, reducing evening alcohol is often more helpful than using it as a night-time aid.

Do screens and bright light affect sleep?

Bright light in the evening can delay the body’s normal preparation for bed. Phones, tablets, computers and televisions may also keep your brain engaged when you would benefit from winding down.

You do not necessarily need to avoid every screen for hours before bed, but dimming lights and reducing stimulating screen use during the last hour of the evening can make it easier to transition toward rest.

What should your bedroom be like?

A bedroom that is dark, quiet, comfortable and slightly cool tends to support better sleep. Blackout curtains, earplugs or white noise can help if light or sound is a problem.

A supportive mattress and pillow matter too, particularly if pain or discomfort wakes you during the night.

Can exercise improve sleep?

Regular physical activity is associated with better sleep quality for many people. Both aerobic exercise and resistance training can help, and the benefits are strongest when exercise is part of a consistent routine.

Very intense exercise immediately before bed can make some people feel more alert, so if that happens to you, move hard training earlier in the day.

What should you do if you cannot fall asleep?

If you are lying awake for a long time, repeatedly checking the clock and becoming frustrated can make things harder. A better approach is to get out of bed for a short time, keep the lights low and do something quiet until you feel sleepy again.

This helps preserve the association between your bed and rest rather than wakefulness and frustration.

Can stress and worry cause insomnia?

Yes. Stress, anxiety and a busy mind can make it difficult to switch off at night. Relaxation exercises, slow breathing, meditation, journalling or a short wind-down routine can help reduce mental arousal before bed. You may also find these practical strategies for coping with stress useful.

If persistent worry is driving chronic insomnia, addressing the underlying stress or anxiety is often just as important as changing bedtime habits.

Does magnesium help with sleep?

Magnesium is involved in normal nerve and muscle function, and correcting a genuine magnesium deficiency is important for overall health. However, evidence that magnesium supplements reliably treat insomnia in otherwise healthy adults is limited and mixed.

Magnesium should not be viewed as a universal remedy. If you are considering supplements, especially if you have kidney disease or take regular medication, discuss this with a qualified health professional first.

When should you seek help for poor sleep?

Seek professional advice if problems are persistent, significantly affect daytime functioning or have lasted for several weeks despite improving your routine. Chronic insomnia can respond well to structured treatment such as cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia.

You should also seek assessment if you snore loudly, stop breathing during the night, wake gasping, have severe daytime sleepiness or regularly wake with morning headaches, as these can be signs of sleep apnoea or another disorder. For additional Australian health information, see Healthdirect’s sleep tips.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best way to fall asleep faster?

Keep a regular schedule, reduce evening stimulation, dim the lights and use a short wind-down routine. If you are not sleepy, avoid forcing it.

Should I sleep in after a bad night?

A little extra rest can be reasonable, but large sleep-ins can make it harder to fall asleep the following night. Keeping your usual wake time is often more helpful for resetting your rhythm.

Are naps bad for sleep?

Not necessarily. Short naps can be useful, but long or late-afternoon naps may reduce sleep pressure and make it harder to fall asleep at night.

Is reading in bed a good idea?

It can be if reading helps you relax and does not keep you awake for long periods. If you repeatedly spend a long time awake in bed, it is better to get up briefly and return when sleepy.

Can eating late affect sleep?

Large meals close to bedtime can cause discomfort or reflux in some people. If that happens, allow more time between dinner and lying down.

Can snoring be a sign of a sleep disorder?

Yes. Loud snoring, witnessed pauses in breathing and marked daytime sleepiness can be signs of sleep apnoea and should be assessed.

How long should I try healthy bedtime changes before seeking help?

If poor sleep continues for several weeks or affects your daytime function, speak with a health professional rather than relying only on self-help strategies.

About Mick Jordan

Mick Jordan is a naturopath and Sports and Remedial Massage Therapist based in Brighton, Melbourne, with more than 30 years’ experience in natural therapies. He has a particular interest in nutrition, digestive health, sports performance and recovery, and takes an individual approach to helping clients improve their health and wellbeing.

Disclaimer: This article provides general health information and does not replace individual medical advice. Persistent insomnia, significant daytime sleepiness, suspected sleep apnoea or other ongoing sleep problems should be assessed by an appropriately qualified health professional.