Much of the advice about improving sleep focuses on what to do shortly before you go to bed. Turn down the lights, stop scrolling, keep your bedroom cool, close your curtains.
Those are all great strategies, said Joseph Dzierzewski, senior vice president of research and scientific affairs at the National Sleep Foundation. But many of the choices we make during the day are just as important for sleep as those we make at night, he said.
1. Soak in the morning sun.
Getting sun exposure within one hour of waking up can have a powerful effect on your sleep later that night, said Dr. Indira Gurubhagavatula, a professor of sleep medicine at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. The light suppresses hormones that make you sleepy and shifts your body into wake mode, setting you up to be tired again by bedtime, Dr. Gurubhagavatula said.
Ideally, we'd all get out in the sun for an hour every morning, Dr. Dzierzewski added, but that's not always possible. "You might have to get creative," he said: Open the blinds, have your coffee on the porch, do your work near the window. "Ten minutes is better than zero minutes," he added, even if it's cloudy.
You can also supplement a lack of sunshine by sitting in front of a bright light box (or a SAD lamp) for about 30 minutes shortly after you wake up. Even turning on all the lights in your home can be useful, Dr. Dzierzewski said.
2. Keep mealtimes consistent, and later meals lighter.
Some research suggests that people who regularly eat breakfast, lunch and dinner around the same times each day tend to sleep better than those who don't.
The body runs on an internal 24-hour clock called the circadian rhythm, which regulates when you feel sleepy and alert. Your gut plays a role in this system, Dr. Dzierzewski said, and it takes cues from when (not just what) you eat. So if you eat at inconsistent times, it can throw your circadian rhythm out of whack. More research is needed, though.
It may also be beneficial to eat heavier meals earlier in the day, since a big dinner too close to bedtime can cause digestive issues like acid reflux, which may disrupt sleep. (If you do need a late-night snack, try to keep it small, and low in fat and added sugars.)
3. Reassess your relationship with caffeine.
Most of us have heard the rule: No caffeine after 2 p.m. unless you want to have trouble falling sleep. But in certain cases, the clock might start even earlier.
Some people metabolize, or break down, caffeine more slowly than others, which causes them to feel alert for longer, said Dr. Charlene Gamaldo, a neurologist and sleep medicine specialist at Johns Hopkins Medicine. The caffeine from a morning coffee run, for instance, might linger in someone's body for over 12 hours, causing them to have trouble sleeping later that night. (People who metabolize caffeine more quickly, on the other hand, may be able to drink an espresso after dinner without concern.)
To determine if your caffeine habits are affecting your sleep, try weaning yourself off caffeine for two weeks and see if it improves your sleep, Dr. Gamaldo said. This includes caffeinated sodas, teas and certain desserts like chocolate and coffee ice cream.
4. Take sleep-affecting medications earlier.
Some drugs have stimulating effects that may make it harder to fall or stay sleep, especially if taken too close to bedtime, said Dr. Gurubhagavatula. These include decongestants like phenylephrine and pseudoephedrine; certain A.D.H.D. and asthma medications; antidepressants like fluoxetine (Prozac) and bupropion (Wellbutrin); and oral steroids like prednisone.
If you're having sleep issues, ask your doctor if you should take your medication earlier in the day, or if you should lower your dose — or switch to a new medication completely.
5. Wake up at the same time every day.
Resisting the urge to fiddle with your alarm, even on weekends, is one of the best things you can do for your sleep, Dr. Dzierzewski said.
Waking up earlier one day and later the next throws off your circadian rhythm, which can interfere with your sleep schedule for days.
It's important to get up at the same time each day, but it doesn't have to be exact, Dr. Dzierzewski added. Staying within about 30 minutes of your regular wake time probably won't affect your sleep quality.
6. Experiment with your workout schedule.
Many know that getting adequate exercise (at least 150 minutes per week of moderate aerobic activity) is associated with better sleep. For some people, though, working out within a few hours of bedtime makes sleep worse. The connection between late workouts and poor sleep isn't entirely clear, but exercise — particularly if it's strenuous — raises your body temperature and temporarily elevates endorphins and stress hormones, which could disrupt your sleep.
If you're able to work out in the evenings without any issues, don't change a thing, Dr. Gamaldo said. But if it causes you to feel "jazzed and pumped up" in a way that makes it challenging to fall or stay asleep, try shifting to a morning exercise routine and see if it helps, Dr. Gamaldo suggested.
As a bonus, she said: Do your morning exercise outside so you can reap the benefits of the sun.