So Your Sleep Routine Is Trash. Here's How to Fix It

With all the parties, rich food, stress and break from routine that the holidays can cause, it’s no wonder that your sleep may suffer. (Not to mention the overwhelming urge to take a late afternoon nap — thanks, Big Dark.)  

As we head into the new year, it’s a great time to focus on rest — and assess whether your original routine was working in the first place.  

“Not getting enough sleep can compromise relationships, increase mood problems and irritability, and maybe even contribute to depression,” says Nathaniel Watson, MD, a neurologist, sleep medicine specialist and director of the Sleep Center at Harborview Medical Center.  

Resetting your sleep routine — or establishing a bedtime routine at all — is key for getting back to quality shuteye. It takes some commitment, but it’s not as complicated as you may think.

How to know if you’re not getting enough sleep

Your sleep is governed by your circadian rhythm, a roughly 24-hour internal alarm clock that controls when you feel sleepy and awake.

First, let’s get a misconception out of the way: Waking up during the night does not mean you aren't sleeping well. In fact, most people will wake up while they sleep — to roll over, go to the bathroom or simply transition into a different phase of sleep.

There are other tell-tale signs that you aren’t getting enough sleep, though.  

“If you’re not able to remain awake and alert throughout the day without needing caffeine or a nap, that’s an indicator you’re not getting enough sleep or might have a sleep disorder,” says Watson.

If you aren’t sleeping well, your body isn’t getting the deep, restorative sleep that it needs. Every 90 to 120 minutes during sleep, you cycle through four different stages: 

• Stage 1, aka N1, which is when you’re first falling asleep
• Stage 2 or N2, when your body enters deep relaxation
• Stage 3 or N3, when you sleep deeply
• Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, when you dream 

Researchers suspect that stage 3 sleep is the most important for recovery, boosting the immune system and maintaining core body processes, Watson says; when someone is sleep-deprived and then finally gets some sleep, they tend to quickly enter stage 3 sleep.  

Of course, to get to N3 sleep, you need to get through the first two stages, which means you need to be able to fall and stay asleep — which is why having a bedtime routine is so important.  

How to fix your bedtime routine

If your sleep routine is less than ideal, despair not: it won’t take you too long to get back on track.  

“If you sleep saturate yourself — or sleep extra — for two to three weeks, you should be able to pay off any sleep debt you have,” Watson says.

Here are the key elements of a healthy sleep routine.  

Keep a consistent bedtime

“Inconsistency before bed is the worst thing to do,” Watson says.

That’s because your body and brain pay attention when you start to wind down, and your bedtime routine tells both that sleep is imminent.  

Your bedtime routine doesn’t have to be elaborate, despite those social media influencer videos with 12-step skincare regimens. It could be as simple as brushing and flossing your teeth and putting PJs on, or you could add in a calming activity like reading or deep breathing. 

Watson’s even OK if people want to scroll on their phone a little before bed, as long as it helps you relax. True, blue light can wake up your brain, but if watching baking videos is part of your routine, keeping that routine is more important than what the routine consists of.  

That also means sticking to your routine on non-workdays, too.  

Avoid caffeine, exercise, food and long naps before bed

If you really want to sleep better, you’ll have to try to avoid downing that extra coffee during your late-afternoon slump. Try to stop drinking caffeine by 2 p.m. — that may seem early, but caffeine can linger in your system for up to 12 hours.

Even if it wears off quickly, the post-caffeine lull can tempt you to take a long afternoon nap, which could also mess with your sleep. (If you must nap during the day, limit it to 20 minutes max.)  

Eat your last meal of the day several hours before bedtime to prevent acid reflux. And avoid exercising before bed, which can make you too energized to fall asleep.  

Don’t put so much pressure on yourself to sleep

The more pressure you put on yourself to sleep well, the less you’re likely to. Sure, a night of insomnia isn’t fun, but not sleeping won’t ruin the following day.  

Understand that there will always be variation in the quality of your sleep. Some nights will be better than others, and that’s normal.  

“Good sleep isn’t something you do; it’s something you give yourself the opportunity for,” Watson says.

If you’re having more sleepless nights than not, it’s time to get curious about why it’s happening and try adjusting some things. Go to bed earlier or give yourself more time to fall asleep. Do a quick meditation in bed if you find yourself worried about sleeping. And if nothing is working, it’s a good idea to talk with your doctor, just in case you have a sleep disorder you’re unaware of.

Many adults need around seven hours of sleep each night to feel rested, but you may need more. Experiment with how much you sleep to see what feels most helpful.  

Recognize that good sleep is a balance between consistency and adapting to occasional changes in routine. Some days you’ll go out with friends and get home late; other days you’ll be stressed and not sleep as well. Being consistent in your sleep routine is important, but not at the expense of sleep itself because you’re associating bedtime with worrying about sleeping.  

“If you want to present the best version of yourself to the world, you would do well to optimize your sleep,” says Watson.