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Better sleep starts with what happens in the hour before bed, and specialists say small routine changes beat late-night scrolling every time. Here is what sleep experts recommend, plus the common mistakes worth cutting from your evenings.
What are the best screen-free habits for better sleep?
Screen-free wind-down activities can help calm the mind and prepare the body for sleep. Rather than replacing phone time with another stimulating activity, sleep experts recommend choosing low-effort habits that encourage relaxation and signal that the day is coming to an end.
Some of the most effective screen-free bedtime habits include reading a physical book or magazine, practicing gentle stretching or yoga, journaling, or writing a gratitude list. Other relaxing options, such as listening to calming music or a sleep story, trying a short meditation or breathing exercise, taking a warm bath or shower, working on a puzzle, coloring, knitting, or preparing for the next day can also help reduce stress and bedtime anxiety.
The goal is not to create a complicated nighttime routine, but to give your brain a chance to slow down. The most successful habits are the ones you can repeat consistently, so start with one or two calming activities that fit naturally into your evening. Over time, these small changes can help your body recognize when it’s time to rest and make falling asleep feel easier.
Why does phone use before bed hurt sleep quality?
Scrolling before bed keeps the brain stimulated and floods it with content that delays sleep, according to sleep researchers. Both stressful material and exciting positive material can push back the moment your body actually powers down.
AASM Past President Dr. James Rowley told the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, “Internalizing topics that are stressful or worrisome before bed makes it difficult to have the deep, restorative sleep that is imperative to overall health. Phone use before bed should be limited altogether, but it’s important to also be mindful of the type of content you view near bedtime.”
Jamie Zeitzer, PhD, Co-Director of the Stanford Center for Sleep and Circadian Sciences, told Stanford Lifestyle Medicine, “In order to fall asleep, we need to reduce stimuli exposure and calm our mind and body. Even if you’re watching something positive, if it stirs excitement, the brain will release dopamine, and over time we can develop a dopamine addiction, making staying awake playing games or on social media much more fun than going to sleep.”
What are the worst mistakes that ruin a good night’s rest?
Late-day caffeine, alcohol near bedtime and clock-watching top the list of habits that quietly wreck sleep. Each disrupts either how quickly you fall asleep or how well you stay asleep through the night.
Writing for Real Simple, Jennifer Benjamin and Maggie Seaver explain, “Sure, a glass or two of wine might give you that soothing, sleepy buzz, but once the effect wears off, you may find yourself awake with sweats, a headache, or the need to urinate frequently. Alcohol is tricky It helps prompt the mechanism that makes us sleepy at first, but this typically doesn’t last and can disrupt REM sleep and your ability to stay asleep through the night.”
Staring at the clock only builds anxiety about how much sleep time is slipping away, so keep it out of view. Caffeine late in the afternoon or evening is another frequent misstep. Athena Care therapist Kristen Marcantel, LMFT, told Athena Care, “Avoiding food at bedtime, as well as caffeine, can help improve sleep quality. Sleepy time tea is a great option during the evenings instead of caffeinated drinks.”
The takeaway: better sleep often comes down to small nighttime choices. By replacing habits that overstimulate the brain with calming rituals, it becomes easier to create a routine that supports consistent, restorative rest.
This article was created by content specialists using various tools, including AI.
