Struggling with sleep? 10 tips to fix your sleep schedule

Struggling to wake up feeling refreshed? You’re not alone. With the demands of daily life, it’s easy to sometimes overlook how much our sleep patterns impact our health, energy, and overall wellbeing. But, did you know that the consistency, timing and regularity of our sleep schedule is more important for our long term health than the actual hours of sleep we get each night? 

A ‘sleep schedule’ simply means the patterns of sleeping and waking, and keeping it healthy and regular is one of the best ways to support good health. Read on for evidence-based tips on how to get yours sorted!

Tip 1: Get lots of morning light in your eyes

One of the strongest influences on our sleep schedules is the exposure to light. When the eyes are exposed to light, the brain sends signals that are associated with wakefulness. Try spending at least 20-30 minutes outside in the morning without sunglasses to boost alertness and keep your internal body clock in sync. When the internal body clock is aligned with the external environment, it not only supports healthy sleep but also contributes to other aspects of wellbeing, including mental wellbeing and metabolism.

Tip 2: Put yourself into dim light conditions

On the flip side, when light exposure decreases at night, our bodies receive signals that promote relaxation and sleep. It’s super important to be aware that the main hormone that supports sleep is melatonin. Melatonin is called “the hormone of darkness” which refers to the fact that the body needs to be in dim light or dark conditions to be produced. 

Once it is dark outside in the evening, be mindful of how much light you are exposing yourself to. Try to ensure you have the overhead lights off, or dimmed, and that your devices such as phones and computers are not emitting too much bright light. This will help create an environment that encourages melatonin production and sets you up for a better night’s sleep.

Tip 3: Make sleep a priority and make time for it!

It might sound obvious, but this crucial tip is so often overlooked by busy people struggling with sleep.. However, if we regularly short-change ourselves on sleep, then it can have serious consequences for many aspects of physical health and mental wellbeing. Try to remind yourself that sleep is just as important as fresh water, good food and exercise. To prioritise it, focus on managing workload effectively—delegate tasks and don’t hesitate to ask for support. This can help prevent the need for late-night work or study sessions. Making enough time for sleep may also sometimes mean leaving a party early or choosing your social engagements carefully.

Tip 4: Exercise regularly (30 mins a day)

Not only is regular exercise good for your cardiovascular health, it also helps you to have healthy sleep. Even mild physical activity, like going for a walk, can be beneficial and is a great opportunity for that all-important morning daylight exposure.. While exercising at any time of the day is beneficial, if opting for high-impact exercise, try to finish a couple hours before bed so it doesn’t interfere with your sleep.

Tip 5: Eat a healthy diet and minimise alcohol, caffeine and preservatives

What we eat and drink can have an influence on how well we sleep. To support better rest, try to keep to regular meal timings and portions of food, and aim to eat as fresh as possible to minimise preservatives as some foods can interfere with sleep. Be mindful of caffeine, which is a stimulant, and remember that while alcohol has a sedative effect, it has been shown to disrupt sleep. See guidelines from Australia’s Sleep Health Foundation about intake of caffeine and alcohol amongst other things. 

Tip 6: Make changes gradually

A common trap or mistake that many people make when trying to improve their health is to make too many changes all at once. Instead of overhauling your sleep schedule overnight, start small—like adding just 15 minutes more sleep in your first week. Gradually increase your goals from there. Think of it like training for a marathon. You wouldn’t suddenly decide to run 42 kilometres without any preparation; you’d start with shorter distances, gradually increasing as your body adapts. Apply this same principle to your sleep schedule: take baby steps, focus on one change at a time, and aim for lasting improvements rather than quick fixes. Tip 7:

Tip 7: Don’t aim for perfection

Did you know that sleep isn’t just one solid block of time? Throughout the night, we experience various light and deep sleep stages, with brief periods of wakefulness in between - and that’s completely normal! Therefore, it’s important to not label waking at night as necessarily problematic. 

It’s also important to resist the urge to check the clock if you wake up during the night. Watching the time can create unnecessary worry and frustration, making it harder to get back to sleep. .Instead, keep your eyes closed, remind yourself that waking up occasionally is just a part of the sleep cycle, and adjust your mindset to not expect an ‘unbroken sleep’.

Tip 8: Before making changes, monitor your sleep

This is an important step before you make any changes to your sleep pattern. You can do this simply by jotting down your sleep times on a piece of paper or using a wearable device that tracks your sleep. Just remember that both techniques are estimates and aren’t necessarily 100% accurate. It can surprise people once they start to monitor their sleep patterns that they are indeed OK and not as bad as they thought. In any case, it’s important to have a baseline record of your sleeping patterns so you can track progress, and it can help you to stay on track as you work towards healthier sleep habits.

Tip 9: Limit your naps! Introduce strategic napping

Naps can be a game changer for shift workers, and others such as those with small children, who struggle to get enough sleep and have to be alert at irregular times. However, while short daytime naps can be beneficial, having long or irregular naps can interfere with getting a good night’s sleep. The trick is to keep daytime naps to 15-30 minutes. This way, there is less chance of waking up out of deep sleep, and minimises negative effects on the ability to sleep properly later that night. These short, purposeful naps can enhance alertness, improve cognitive performance, and help reduce fatigue, particularly during times of reduced sleep. 

Tip 10: Stick to a regular sleep routine 

Try to pick a regular bedtime and wake up time that suits you and your body clock, plus your family and work commitments,  and stick to it as closely as possible. Being consistent with your sleep timings supports overall  health (not just sleep!), so try to stick to your set timings on both work days and days off. 

If you work rotating shifts, maintain your routine for each night and day shift. And if you find yourself feeling sleep-deprived, don’t hesitate to allow yourself an extra sleep-in of 1 to 2 hours on your days off. This way, you can catch up on rest without derailing your healthy sleep habits.

The bottom line

As you can see, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to improving your sleep schedule. It requires a combination of consistent routines, patience (knowing it could take many weeks if not many months to notice improvements) and having realistic expectations of your sleep. 

You can’t expect your sleep to be perfect; instead, try to do your best to be aware of the key elements that contribute to  healthy sleep patterns and strive to implement them. It’s worth putting things in place to get your sleep schedule serving you well so you have the energy, alertness and health to live your healthiest life.

Related:

• Why do I always feel so tired and what do I do about it?
• What happens when you don’t sleep?
• How to sleep better

Reviewed by Healthylife Advisory Board December 2024