The sleep hygiene protocol that enables me to push myself hard physically at 8:00am
Sleep may be the most neglected, most undervalued pillar of health.
“Sleep deficiency can lead to physical and mental health problems, injuries, loss of productivity, and even a greater likelihood of death.”
[source]
We’ve all had the experience of working at half-speed after a poor night’s sleep. It doesn’t feel good.
Whoop data April 4, 2025
I’ve been someone who likes going to sleep as long as I can remember. Still, there are times I have to remind myself to stop doing whatever it is I’m doing, like watching television, get up, and go to bed. I pause. I remind myself that the earlier I go to bed, the better I feel the next day.
I’m a light sleeper. I spent many years waking up at ~3:00am, not able to fall back asleep. It was hard to shut my brain off. My sleep quality has improved over the last 2-3 years. Being awake and struggling to fall back asleep in the middle of the night is now the exception, not the rule.
Of the books, articles, and podcasts I’ve watched focused on sleep, I recommend Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker, PhD and Rich Roll’s interview with Matthew Walker.
Arianna Huffington’s The Sleep Revolution, published in 2016, was the book that initially pushed me to take my sleep quality more seriously.
How do I measure good sleep?
Energy
Motivation
Cognitive pace & creativity
If the word creativity doesn’t resonate with you, think of it as another word for problem solving.
Our brains function better on sleep. Not just by a little.
Mood
Whoop data
I like data. It’s objective. Both subjective (how you feel) and objective data are useful.
I look at amount of time spent in restorative sleep (deep and REM) and resting heart rate (RHR). Two measurements that tell me whether or not I’m on the right track.
Knowing my RHR and how much restorative sleep I’m getting also helps me assess the behaviors that positively and negatively impact my sleep.
My resting heart rate on dinner out with two glasses of wine.
I’ve been experimenting with the sleep habits I’m sharing in this post for at least the last year, some for much longer.
These are the habits that are working. The list is long. They’re all important.
High-quality sleep must-haves
Early bed time
10pm is OK. 9:30pm is even better. By even better I mean my sleep quality is better.
Is your circadian clock different than mine? Maybe. But. It’s fair to say none of us would be awake at 11:00pm and later without modern lighting.
9 hours in the bed if your goal is 8 hours of sleep
8 hours in the bed is not 8 hours of sleep.
No screens at least 1 hour before bed
Really. No screens. Two hours before bed is even better.
If the device says it’s designed for nighttime, if it says it has reduced blue light, that’s fine, but it’s still a screen. No screens.
I watch television at night. Mostly the mindless kind. It’s how I turn my brain off. I have a 40” television screen that’s more than 7 feet from my face. I’m able to reach my goal of 4 hours of restorative sleep watching the television screen up until the time I go to sleep.
7 feet of distance between my face and the screen is much different than 12 inches.
While watching television ‘works’ for me, it may not work for you. The more interested I am in what I’m watching, the more likely it is to be stimulating (not what I’m going for at night).
If I take a look at my phone (I try not to!) after 8:00pm, I put on my blue light glasses. Anecdotally, I think they help.
Don’t sleep with your phone or other electronics
I have to get a little aggro on this one too. Electronics near our beds are not our friends.
Leave the phone outside of your room.
I know I can’t sleep through a ring tone (the one that sounds like an actual phone) on max volume from a phone that’s just a few feet outside of my bedroom door. If there’s an emergency call, I’ll get it.
I also remind myself there was a time before cell phones.
Sleep mask
I’ve talked about sleep masks before. Life changing. If you live in the countryside with no external light pollution, and there are no lights from devices in your home, you may not need a sleep mask.
Cool room
I have a lot less control over the temperature in my bedroom than I do putting on a sleep mask to mimick darkness. Central air is mostly not a thing in New York City apartments. My apartment has packaged terminal air conditioners (ugh). They’re loud. I avoid using them when I can.
If the temperature of my room happens to be around 65 degrees, I’ll sleep better than I will if I’m waking up hot.
Caffeine cut-off
Figure out the time that works for you. For some, it’s 11am. For others, it may be noon. It could be 10:00am. If you use a device like Whoop or the Oura ring, you can test this.
My coffee cutoff is ~12:00pm. I can go a little later with matcha and other green teas.
Stop eating 2 hours before bed
Give your system time to digest dinner and any other food you’re eating 2 hours before bed.
1 hour is better than no hours. 3 hours are better than 2 hours. Fruit is more easily digested.
This is a tough one, especially for those who commute to work. It takes planning.
If I finish eating by 7:00pm, that’s a win. Sometimes it’s 7:30pm. Now that I’m no longer commuting, 8:00pm happens sometimes, but not often.
If you’ve implemented all of these strategies and you’re still struggling to get high-quality sleep, you can also look at what type of foods you’re eating at night, and even during the day. Are they easily digested? Are they stimulating, like sugar or caffeine in chocolate?
No alcohol
It’s fun. It’s also a toxin. If it’s still in your system, it impacts your sleep.
Consistent bed and wake times
This one’s from Why We Sleep. I haven’t been able to sleep in for years, so this habit comes easily. I didn’t have to make any changes to my routine.
View morning light
Get natural light into your eyes. No sunglasses, not through a window or windshield. Do it within 1 hour of waking (ideal), or prior to 9:00am. The angle of the sun should be low in the sky, not overhead.
View early evening light
Morning light is most important. Evening light is also helpful. Similar to morning light, the angle of the sun should be low in the sky.
Natural light plays a critical role in regulating our circadian rhythms.
Don’t set an alarm
Get to know your body’s natural sleep and wake times without stimulation like screens and alarms.
Do it when you can, even if just on weekends and vacations.
I stopped setting an alarm on most mornings, including work days, when I moved to NYC. I was able to do this because most of my meetings were with people on the west coast. This was after using an alarm for >15 years prior.
Alarms are jarring. They may elicit a stress response. Not the ideal way to start my day.
I don’t restrict water at night, even if that means getting up more often. I drink herbal tea most nights after dinner.
Bottom line on why I care about and prioritize sleep:
I want to feel good.
I want to be able to take advantage of each (most) days.
I have things to do.
I want more healthy years, not fewer.
If you’re not waking up feeling like you got enough rest,
If you’re tired during daylight hours,
I hope this post gives you some ideas on routines and habits you can experiment with to improve your sleep quality.
Expect setbacks. Keep going.
Did I leave anything off this list? Let me know!
Thanks for reading!
