How to Create a Night Routine That Helps You Sleep Better
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I’ve never been a great sleeper. For years, I thought being tired was just part of adulthood — too many tabs open in my brain, too much caffeine, too much everything. I’d go to bed late, scroll for an hour, and wonder why I felt like garbage the next morning.
Eventually, I realized I didn’t actually need a fancy sleep “hack.” I just needed to give my body a chance to slow down before expecting it to shut off.
This isn’t a guide to becoming a new person overnight — it’s about small, realistic things I’ve started doing that make me fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer, and actually wake up rested.
1. Start Slowing Down Earlier Than You Think
For most of my life, my “night routine” started five minutes before bed. I’d brush my teeth, wash my face, and then expect my brain to instantly power down — which, unsurprisingly, it didn’t.
Turns out, your body doesn’t work like a light switch. It’s more like a dimmer. About two hours before bedtime, your brain starts producing melatonin, the hormone that helps you sleep — but only if you’re giving it the right cues.
These days, I try to start slowing down about an hour before bed. That doesn’t mean doing anything fancy. It just means I stop answering messages, dim the lights, and shift out of “doing” mode. Sometimes I’ll stretch, sometimes I’ll just switch to a calmer playlist.
That little buffer between “day” and “sleep” has helped so much.
2. Light Is Everything
One of the biggest things that affects sleep — and no one tells you this — is light. Your brain takes light exposure as information: bright = daytime, dim = rest time.
When I used to scroll through my phone in bed, that blue light told my brain it was still daytime, which suppressed melatonin and made it harder to fall asleep. Now, I dim the lights around 9 p.m. and avoid overhead lighting. Lamps, salt lights, candles — anything soft and low is fair game.
I also use my Hatch Restore 3 on its wind-down mode. It has warm ambient light and built-in sleep sounds that automatically fade out as you drift off.
I love the Hatch Restore 3 Sunrise Alarm Clock for its nighttime settings just as much as the morning ones. It doubles as a sound machine, reading light, and gentle alarm — all without my phone involved.
Basically, it tricks me into acting like a well-rested person, even when I’m not.
3. Separate “Evening” from “Bedtime”
One big mistake I used to make was trying to unwind in bed — reading, scrolling, sometimes even emailing. But sleep experts say you should only use your bed for two things (sleep and, well, not sleep). Everything else confuses your brain about what it’s supposed to do when you’re under the covers.
Now, I end my day in the living room or kitchen, not my bed. I’ll make tea, read, or do a quick skincare routine before I even go near my bedroom. It’s a small boundary, but it helps signal that my night is winding down.
By the time I get in bed, my body knows what’s next.
4. Keep It Tech-Light
I’ll be honest — I’m not great at the “no screens after 9” thing. Sometimes I do end up watching a show or checking TikTok. But what’s helped me is setting guardrails instead of rules.
I use “night shift” mode on every device to reduce blue light. I also keep brightness low and switch to warmer tones.
On the nights I manage to go screen-free, I notice I fall asleep faster. But when I don’t? I don’t spiral about it — I just focus on making the next part of my routine a little more restful.
Progress, not perfection.
5. Create a Sensory “Wind-Down” Routine
Our brains respond to cues — and one of the easiest ways to tell your brain it’s time to relax is through your senses.
For me, it starts with smell. I’ll diffuse lavender essential oil or spray a linen mist on my pillow. Then I’ll put on my Nodpod — it’s like a weighted blanket for your face, and it helps calm the nervous system through gentle, even pressure.
The Nodpod Gentle Pressure Sleep Mask is the one I use — it’s soft, light-blocking, and actually stays in place (unlike most sleep masks). It’s one of the few “sleep tools” that made a noticeable difference for me.
Between the scent, the darkness, and that subtle pressure, my brain finally gets the message: we’re done for the day.
6. Temperature Matters More Than You Think
If you’re someone who wakes up in the middle of the night for no reason — check your room temperature. Research shows the ideal sleep temperature is around 65°F (18°C). Too warm, and your body can’t reach its natural drop in core temperature that triggers deep sleep.
I run a fan year-round and use breathable bedding. I also swapped my old comforter for a lighter quilt in summer and a weighted blanket in winter (which actually helps with anxiety and sleep quality).
The goal is simple: make your bedroom a place your body wants to fall asleep in.
pssst… need help creating calmer evenings?
These are my must-haves for better sleep.
7. Eat and Drink Like Future You Will Thank You
You’ve probably heard that caffeine after 2 p.m. is bad for sleep, but it’s still worth repeating. Caffeine has a half-life of about 5–6 hours, meaning half of it is still in your system even hours later. So that 4 p.m. latte? Still working its magic at 10 p.m.
I’ve also started paying attention to late-night snacks — heavy or sugary food too close to bed can spike blood sugar and keep you awake. I aim to stop eating about two hours before I go to sleep, or I’ll have something light like yogurt or a banana if I’m hungry.
Hydration matters, but so does timing. Nothing ruins good sleep like 2 a.m. bathroom breaks.
8. Journal or “Brain Dump” Before Bed
If your mind won’t stop running through everything you forgot to do, journaling can help. I used to roll my eyes at it, but even writing down a quick list of “stuff I don’t want to forget tomorrow” helps me turn my brain off.
There’s a reason it works: psychologists call it “cognitive offloading.” Putting thoughts on paper helps your brain stop cycling through them. It’s like telling yourself, “You don’t have to remember this right now — it’s safe somewhere else.”
No fancy journal required. Just a notebook and a pen that lives on your nightstand.
9. Use Sound Strategically
Silence isn’t always relaxing. For some people (me), silence means “time to think about everything I’ve ever done wrong.”
That’s why I use white noise or ambient sound at night — it gives my brain something neutral to focus on. The Hatch Restore 3 has built-in sleep sounds (rain, ocean, fan noise) that fade out automatically after a set time.
If you don’t have a sound machine, Spotify and YouTube have entire playlists for this. The key is consistency — using the same sound each night helps your brain associate it with sleep.
10. Go to Bed Around the Same Time (Most Nights)
I used to think bedtime routines were for kids. Then I learned that adults have circadian rhythms too, and they love consistency. Going to bed and waking up at roughly the same time (yes, even weekends) helps regulate your hormones and improve sleep quality.
It doesn’t have to be exact. Even a 30-minute window is fine. The point is to make sleep predictable for your body so it knows when to start winding down.
If you’re struggling with insomnia, experts say this is one of the best places to start.
What My Night Routine Actually Looks Like (on a Normal Day)
Let’s be real: I don’t light candles and journal every night. Most nights look like this:
- 9:00 p.m. — Turn off overhead lights, switch on the Hatch to dim light + white noise.
- 9:15 — Shower or skincare, put on comfy pajamas.
- 9:30 — Quick check that my phone’s charging outside the bedroom.
- 9:35 — Maybe a short book chapter, maybe just zone out.
- 10:00 — Nodpod mask on, lights out.
Simple. Repeatable. Actually doable.
What’s Changed
I still have nights where my brain won’t shut off, but now they’re the exception, not the rule. I fall asleep faster, wake up less, and — the real test — I don’t need three cups of coffee just to feel alive the next morning.
Sleep used to feel like something I had to chase. Now, it’s something I ease into.
And honestly? That’s been the biggest mindset shift: realizing rest isn’t something to earn. It’s something to practice.
If You Start Anywhere, Start Here:
- Make your room darker and calmer.
The Nodpod Gentle Pressure Sleep Mask is worth it — soft, light-blocking, and somehow makes sleep feel cozier. - Let light and sound work for you, not against you.
The Hatch Restore 3 is my all-in-one tool for winding down and waking up naturally.
These two changes alone made the biggest difference in my sleep — small habits that actually stick.
