Best Practices for Better Rest: The Ultimate Sleep Hygiene Checklist
A good night’s sleep is essential for physical and mental well-being, yet many people struggle to get the quality rest they need. The key to improving sleep often lies in the environment you create for yourself at night. Adopting sleep promoting practices and creating a sleep hygiene checklist are some effective ways to promote better, more restful sleep. So whether you currently live in a Denver, CO apartment, your home in Charleston, SC, or a rental home in Des Moines, IA, here’s your ultimate sleep hygiene checklist, with tips from our experts covering everything from room organization to bedtime routines.
1. Sleep hygiene fundamentals
While the optimal sleeping environment will differ from person to person, there are some general fundamentals that you should be mindful of when working to evaluate and improve your sleep hygiene. Simon Johnson, director at MyNextMattress shared some great tips to get you started on your journey:
“Creating the perfect bedroom for sleep is all about fostering a calm and restful environment. Start by choosing soft, muted colors and a comfortable yet supportive mattress. Keep the space free from distractions like bright lights and electronic devices, and opt for blackout curtains to block out unwanted light. Maintaining a cool room temperature and adding calming elements, such as soft lighting and natural textures, can further improve the quality of your sleep, night after night.”
Irene Fassler from Circadian Technologies also shared some expert advice to help make your environment suitable for a good night’s rest: “Any journey to a restful night begins by transforming a bedroom into a sleep sanctuary designed for optimal comfort and relaxation. CIRCADIAN sleep and fatigue experts recommend the following fundamentals when creating a sleep sanctuary:
- Embrace the darkness and use blackout curtains.
- Maintain a cool environment (between 60 to 67 degrees Fahrenheit or 15 to 19 degrees Celsius); and, reduce auditory disturbances using earplugs or white noise machines.
- Other evidence-based strategies to improve your sleep involve creating a clutter-free space, incorporating aromatherapy using bergamot, lavender, or chamomile scents, and surrounding yourself with breathable, natural fabrics that accommodate your favorite sleeping position.”
While taking steps to optimize your environment for a good night’s rest is great for improving your sleep hygiene, it’s not all that you should be concerned with. Abby Sharpe from Hey Abby Sleep Consulting, LLC provided advice on preparing your body for sleep that is sure to help you catch some extra z’s:
“Creating an environment conducive to sleep is one way we can help our bodies rest easier at night. I love the use of a sound machine to drown out extra noise! Another helpful tip is to have a simple bedtime routine that will signal to your body it is time for sleep. Keep it calm and the same each night. I also recommend aiming for a bedtime within the same time frame each night as well. This helps your body’s circadian rhythm regulate and fall into a sleeping pattern. Finally, and I know it’s hard, but ditch the phone! Plug it in in another room to resist the temptation for late night scrolling. Instead grab a book to settle your mind before sleep!”
To find more information on these suggestions as well as other must-try tips and tricks, take a look at the recommendations from our experts below.
2. Maintain a clean, organized and clutter-free space
If you find yourself surrounded by piles of clothes, papers, or other clutter, it might be time to make some changes to your sleep space. “Creating the perfect sleeping environment starts with decluttering and organizing your bedroom. A messy, disorganized space can increase stress levels and make it harder to relax, directly impacting your sleep quality. By removing excess items and keeping surfaces clear, you create a calm, serene atmosphere that promotes better sleep.
A clean, organized bedroom not only looks inviting but also improves air quality and reduces allergens, contributing to more restful sleep. Remember, a tidy space leads to a tidy mind, setting the stage for improved relaxation and deeper sleep. For a personalized plan to achieve your zen bedroom and optimize your sleep environment, use CleanAI to receive tailored cleaning and organization strategies,” shared Albert Cohen from CleanAI. A clean room enhances the feeling of tranquility and promotes relaxation, so make it a habit to tidy up before bed, so your mind doesn’t become overwhelmed by the mess when it’s time to sleep.
3. Select the perfect mattress
The quality of your mattress plays a significant role in your ability to get restful sleep. Choosing the right mattress should be based on comfort and support for your unique body. However it’s important to note that “Optimizing your bedroom for sleep involves a holistic approach that goes beyond just the mattress,” notes The team at BEDGEAR. “While choosing a mattress that suits your body type, sleep position, and temperature preferences is important, it’s only one piece of the puzzle.
Many mattresses, especially those made from memory foam, may feel cool initially but often trap heat, affecting airflow and disrupting your sleep. Prioritizing a breathable mattress that maintains airflow around your body is crucial for staying comfortable throughout the night.” Whether you prefer a memory foam mattress or an innerspring, test various options to determine what feels best for you. Last but not least,“Investing in a high-quality bed frame is highlighted as essential, as a broken or sunken bed base can lead to premature deterioration of the mattress and impact sleep quality.” shared Stan McGowan from EZ Living Furniture.
4. Ensure your pillow encourages proper spine alignment
Proper head and neck alignment is crucial for preventing discomfort and ensuring a restful sleep. While your mattress plays a part in this, the team at BEDGEAR says that “Equally important is the pillow you choose. For proper spine alignment and recovery, your pillow and mattress must work together. Without the right fit, even a high-quality mattress can’t provide the full support needed for neck and spinal alignment. Choose a pillow that supports your natural posture and promotes airflow, ensuring your sleep system is well-balanced.” Poor alignment can lead to neck pain and disruptions in sleep, so it’s important to find the right pillow for your needs when creating your sleep sanctuary.
5. Bedding material and sleepwear matter
The fabric of your bedding plays a role in your comfort during sleep. Linh Nguyen, spatial designer and founder of Maison Metisse shared that an “Important thing to consider is an investment in high-quality bedding. There is no better feeling than sliding into soft sheets at the end of the day, it instantly relaxes you. Bonus points if they are made from natural materials, like organic cotton or linen. These fabrics are not only soft and comfortable but also hypoallergenic, promoting a healthier sleep environment.”
In addition to cotton and linen, bamboo is another natural material that is a great option for your bedsheets. “Bamboo sheets are a luxurious and eco-friendly bedding option known for their softness and durability. Made from bamboo fibers, these sheets are naturally hypoallergenic and resistant to dust mites, making them ideal for allergy sufferers. They are also highly breathable and moisture-wicking, ensuring a cool and comfortable sleep even in warm climates. Additionally, bamboo sheets are environmentally sustainable, as bamboo grows quickly and requires fewer resources than traditional cotton. With their silky texture and eco-friendly benefits, bamboo sheets offer a premium sleeping experience while promoting a greener lifestyle.” Shared the team at SleepBamboo.
Nancy McGovern from Comfort Linen chimed in with some amazing sleep wear and bedding solutions and details the importance of proper bedding and sleepwear for your sleep hygiene checklist: “If you find yourself tossing and turning at night, it is the friction from your sheets and sleepwear that causes the disruption. By choosing a nearly frictionless combination, you can glide into different positions effortlessly, so you can stay in your comfort zone without waking up. Do you ever feel stuck in one position because it’s too much effort to shift? That’s where Comfort Linen’s specially designed sleepwear and sheets come in. They make it easy to move around, giving you the freedom to find your perfect sleeping position. With less friction, your sleepwear will stay comfortably in place without bunching or riding up, almost like a second skin.”
6. Choose a color scheme that promotes sleep
Don’t overlook your bedroom’s color scheme when making your sleep hygiene checklist, as the colors in your bedroom can significantly impact your ability to relax and fall asleep. Kim Heslip, interior designer at Nest And Flourish Interiors explained how to choose a color scheme and shared additional tips to promote sleep: “Prioritizing a good night’s sleep is one of the best things we can do to promote our health and wellbeing, so our bedrooms need to be designed with this in mind. When choosing a color scheme, soft, muted tones of blue, green, or white are known to induce relaxation, whereas more intense colors, such as reds and oranges, are stimulating and best saved for other areas of the home.”
Kim also shared that “Light control is another important factor, so choosing curtains or blinds that allow you to flood the room with natural light in the day, and create darkness at night, as well as choosing dimmable, amber bulbs for your electric lighting, helps to send cues to the brain when it’s time to sleep.” Take a look below for more tips from our experts on bedroom lighting to help you get a better night’s sleep.
7. Evaluate lighting and room temperature
Lighting and room temperature can have a profound impact on sleep, so it’s important to consider these factors when preparing for sleep at night. “There are a lot of factors that can go into the perfect sleeping environment, but we recommend focusing on two environmental factors – light and temperature – plus one behavioral factor, creating a wind down routine,” said Corrina from Bryte.
“Curate both the light and temperature in your bedroom. Two hours before bed, purposefully dim your bedroom lighting and try to limit blue light from screens. Keep your room slightly chilly – between 60 and 67 degrees – to signal to your body that it’s time to rest. Both light and temperature impact your body’s natural circadian cycles. Finally, create a wind down routine that’s meaningful and enjoyable. Choose something that’s relaxing and is designed to lower stress before bed.”
Ellie Coombs, managing director for Nulty, provided additional insight into how your room lighting affects your body and quality of sleep:
“The type of light, color of light and way that you consume light during the day can all have a significant effect on the body’s internal clock. To create the most optimum environment for sleep, you need to look at your 24-hour light health because the way that we consume light throughout the day has just as big an impact on our sleep as the light fittings in our bedroom. The ideal ‘light diet’ would include a strong dose of natural daylight in the morning, exposure to daylight at lunchtime, and then dim, warm, and low-level lighting in the evening to prepare us for sleep.
The lighting in your bedroom should mirror the way that light changes its tone and position during the day. This means cooler light in the morning and warmer light in the evening. It also means human-scale illumination before bed, such as a bedside lamp positioned at eye level, to reflect the changing position of the sun.”
8. The effect of darkness and noise control on your sleep hygiene
Darkness is a crucial element of sleep hygiene, and noise can significantly disrupt your sleep, whether it’s from traffic, neighbors, or household sounds. Luckily, our experts have shared some tips to improve both darkness and noise control in your bedroom:
“To create the perfect bedroom for sleep, focus on a dark, quiet, and cool environment. Use blackout curtains to block out light and promote natural melatonin. Consider using a sound machine to minimize disruptive sounds and help connect sleep cycles more effortlessly.” Irene Mackriplis from Lullaby & Me
“The best place to start is with window treatments. To block out light, start with a black-out shade, and layer with drapery panels to catch any light gaps. If you don’t care for drapery, Hunter Douglas’ Duette Honeycomb shade with the LightLock option may be your answer. Also consider that with every layer you introduce to your room – area rugs and drapery – you are creating a sanctuary that reduces noise from the outside world.”Troy from Knight’s Carpets and Interiors
9. Wake up with a sunrise alarm
“While we are not doctors and this is not formal medical advice, we do know a good deal about sleep. One of the best ways to wake up is naturally, letting your body decide when it’s ready, rather than through a sudden alarm,” shared the team at Sounds for Deep Sleep. “Buy a sunrise alarm to help ease yourself into a new day with the warm hue of the sun, even if you wake up long before that sun in an environment with blackout curtains.
Of course, if you decide to fall asleep with a sleep mask, these lights become more challenging. If that is the case, though, they often still can help you ease into a night of rest by creating an ambient warm light. For example, the Casper Glow Light mimics both the sunset to fall asleep and the sunrise to wake up. We highly recommend it, though we do not have any affiliation or sponsorship.”
10. Sleep routine and prioritization
In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to sacrifice sleep in favor of work, social activities, or entertainment. However, sleep is critical for overall health, and as such should be prioritized whenever possible. Stan McGowan from EZ Living Furniture shared some great tips to help prioritize sleep not only at bedtime, but throughout the day as well: “As Ireland’s largest furniture retailer, EZ Living Furniture understands the importance of creating the perfect sleeping environment. By assessing and even altering the below elements in your routine, you can ensure you’re experiencing a long and undisturbed night’s sleep night after night:
- Avoid consuming foods high in sugar and beverages containing caffeine close to bedtime, as they can disrupt sleep patterns. It’s recommended to refrain from these substances at least 4-6 hours before bed to support uninterrupted sleep.
- Engaging in relaxing activities, such as reading a book or taking a soothing bath, is recommended to calm the mind and prepare for a restful night’s sleep.
- Limiting exposure to electronic devices before bedtime is crucial as the light emitted from screens can interfere with the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle. Avoid using electronic devices at least one hour before bedtime to promote better sleep quality.”
When creating your personal sleep hygiene checklist and establishing a routine, prioritize sleep by setting consistent bedtimes and wake-up times. Avoid staying up late or waking up at irregular times, as this disrupts your circadian rhythm. Make sleep a non-negotiable part of your daily routine, and ensure you’re getting adequate sleep each night.
11. Limiting screens and blue light exposure
As mentioned above, exposure to blue light from phones, tablets, computers, and TVs right before bed can make it difficult for you to fall asleep. Anne Bartolucci, Ph.D., D.B.S.M. from Atlanta Insomnia And Behavioral Health Services shared the following insight into the effects of blue light exposure before bed:
“My advice for the ideal sleeping environment isn’t popular, but there is something to not having screened devices, including television, in the bedroom. Even if you’re watching t.v. to “relax” before sleep or, worse, fall asleep to, you’re stimulating your brain and possibly negating your body’s release of melatonin. If you’re having difficulty falling asleep without screens, then please reach out to a behavioral sleep medicine specialist. You can find a provider in your area at behavioralsleep.org”
If you must use electronic devices, consider using blue light-blocking glasses or apps that reduce blue light emissions. Creating a technology-free zone in your bedroom is also a good way to ensure that devices do not interfere with your sleep and a worthy note to detail in your sleep hygiene checklist.
12. Add soothing scents to your sleep hygiene checklist
Cultivate the perfect sensory experience by using scents known to promote relaxation and calmness, and add them into your bedtime routine using essential oils, diffusers, or scented candles. It seems the experts agree. The team at Prosomnia Sleep states: "Here at Prosomnia Sleep Health & Wellness we believe setting yourself up for a restful night includes some prep work in your sleep environment. One of our best tips would be to include your sense of smell to the party and add some calming essential oils to your room. You can do this by adding a few drops into a diffuser, or adding a few drops directly onto your pillowcase or bed covers. You could even add a drop to your wrists and neck if you prefer."
Stefano Zampieri from Oniusa Venezia also suggests using scents to prepare for bed, noting that "Creating the ideal sleep sanctuary involves more than plush bedding and soft lighting — it's about crafting a complete sensory experience that encourages relaxation. Oniusa Venezia’s Bòtanica Collection is inspired by Italian landscapes, bringing botanical notes that soothe and transform your space into a restful haven. The collection’s refined diffusers, candles and sprays allow you to seamlessly incorporate calming aromas into your nightly routine, promoting an environment conducive to deeper, quality sleep.
Pairing these delicate fragrances with warm lighting and natural textures enhances the overall sense of calm, signaling your mind and body to unwind. Establishing a consistent bedtime ritual with Bòtanica gently trains your senses to associate the scent with rest, turning your bedroom into a true retreat. With Bòtanica, quality sleep becomes an integral and rejuvenating part of your everyday life."
13. Air quality matters
The quality of the air in your bedroom can impact your sleep, with poor air quality potentially causing discomfort and disrupting your rest. It is highly recommended to regularly “evaluate air quality and ventilation, which are crucial for creating the perfect sleeping environment, because fresh air helps you breathe easily and sleep more comfortably.
Poor air quality can lead to stuffiness, allergies, or disrupted sleep due to irritants like dust or pollutants. Proper ventilation helps regulate room temperature, keeps air circulating, and reduces humidity, all of which contribute to better sleep and overall well-being,” said Mar De Carlo from International Parenting and Health Institute. Consider using an air purifier to improve the air quality in your bedroom, and note that keeping windows open when possible for ventilation can help maintain fresh air flow. Don’t dismiss air quality when evaluating your sleep and make sure to add regular air quality checks to your sleep hygiene checklist.
14. Start your sleep hygiene journey with a solid framework
Adhering to good sleep hygiene practices consistently can be challenging, but having a structured framework in place can make it easier. Fortunately, Nishi Bhopal, MD, founder & CEO of IntraBalance has shared a great framework to help you get started with your sleep hygiene checklist: “I’ve created this framework to help people create a sleep-promoting environment – I call it the “3CD” framework. It stands for cool, clean, calm, and dark.
- Cool: Your core body drops by 1-2 degrees Fahrenheit as your body prepares for sleep, so you can create an environment that supports that. I recommend turning down the thermostat, using cool, natural fiber bedding, and opening the windows to ventilate the room before bed.
- Clean: Clutter is like a visual to-do list, it creates more stress and anxiety. Decluttering the room and keeping it clean helps to calm the mind with the added bonus of reducing dust and allergens that can affect breathing at night.
- Calm: Use calming colors, scents, and decor that appeal to you. This will differ for everyone; consider emulating your favorite spa or hotel room.
- Dark: A dark environment is important for melatonin production and sleep maintenance. Use blackout curtains or blinds, and minimize overhead lights. I recommend dimmable lamps with yellow, orange, or red bulbs to create a dark, sleep-promoting room.”
Additionally, tracking your sleep habits with a journal or app can give you insight into patterns and allow you to adjust your routine for better results. By creating a framework that works for your lifestyle, maintaining sleep hygiene becomes a natural, easy-to-follow part of your daily schedule.
Wrapping up your sleep hygiene checklist
By following these simple yet effective sleep hygiene practices, you can create a sleep-friendly environment that promotes better rest and overall health. Prioritize your sleep, maintain a calm and organized space, and implement small changes to your bedroom setup to ensure that you get the most restful sleep possible. With these steps added to your sleep hygiene checklist, you’ll be well on your way to waking up feeling refreshed and rejuvenated each morning.