How to Sleep Better Naturally: 15 Simple Changes to Try Tonight
Better Sleep
The most reliable ways to sleep better naturally are surprisingly ordinary: get up at the same time every day, see some daylight in the morning, keep caffeine and alcohol light, wind down properly and make your bedroom cool, dark and quiet. None of these is a quick fix, but together they give your body the best chance of settling into a steadier, more restful pattern.
Below you will find 15 simple changes you can start tonight, grouped by time of day so they are easy to follow. You do not need to do them all at once. Pick two or three, give them a couple of weeks and build from there.
Key takeaway
Better sleep usually comes from a handful of small, steady habits rather than one big change. If you try the tips below for a few weeks and sleep is still a struggle, speak to your GP or pharmacist.
The 15 changes at a glance
Here is a quick overview. Each change is explained in more detail further down.
| When | What to try | Why it may help |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Same wake-up time | Get up at about the same time every day, including weekends | Helps your body clock settle |
| 2. Morning daylight | Spend time outdoors soon after waking | Daylight supports your sleep-wake rhythm |
| 3. Daytime movement | Walk, stretch, swim or dance | Regular activity supports better sleep |
| 4. Earlier caffeine | Keep tea and coffee to the morning or early afternoon | Caffeine can linger for hours |
| 5. Short, early naps | Keep naps brief and well before the evening | Protects your sleepiness at bedtime |
| 6. Lighter alcohol | Cut back, especially close to bedtime | Alcohol can fragment sleep |
| 7. Earlier, lighter evening meal | Avoid large meals late at night | Feeling too full can make settling harder |
| 8. A wind-down hour | Relax for around an hour before bed | Gives your mind and body time to slow down |
| 9. Screens away | Put phones and tablets down before bed | Stimulating content can keep you alert |
| 10. Write it down | Jot tomorrow's to-do list earlier in the evening | Gets worries out of your head |
| 11. A cooler bedroom | Keep the room comfortably cool | Too warm a room can disturb sleep |
| 12. Dark and quiet | Curtains, blinds or a sleep mask; reduce noise | Light and noise can interrupt sleep |
| 13. Comfortable bedding | Light layers and a pillow that suits you | Being comfortable makes settling easier |
| 14. Bed for sleep | Keep work and TV out of bed | Strengthens the link between bed and sleep |
| 15. Do not force it | If awake for about 20 minutes, get up and relax | Reduces frustration and clock-watching |
Morning and daytime changes
Good sleep often starts well before bedtime. These five habits shape how sleepy you feel when evening arrives.
1. Get up at the same time every day
If you only change one thing, make it this. The NHS suggests getting up at about the same time each day, including weekends. A steady wake-up time helps your body clock learn when to feel alert and when to feel sleepy.
After a poor night, it is tempting to lie in. Try to resist a long lie-in, as it can make the following night harder.
2. Get outside in the morning
Natural daylight early in the day helps tell your body that the day has begun. The NHS suggests trying to spend around half an hour outdoors first thing in the morning where you can.
It does not need to be a big outing. A cup of tea in the garden, a walk to the shops or sitting by a bright window all count, even on a grey UK morning.
3. Move your body during the day
Regular activity supports better sleep and can lift your mood too. Choose something you enjoy so you will keep doing it, such as brisk walking, swimming, yoga, gardening or dancing in the kitchen.
Try to finish more vigorous exercise a few hours before bed, as it can leave some people feeling too alert to settle.
4. Move caffeine earlier in the day
Caffeine is found in tea, coffee, cola, energy drinks and chocolate, and it can stay in your system for hours. Many sleep guides suggest keeping caffeine to the morning or early afternoon, often with a cut-off around 2pm, although how sensitive you are varies from person to person.
If you love your cuppa, try switching to a decaffeinated or herbal option after lunch for a couple of weeks and see whether your nights feel different.
5. Keep naps short and early
A nap can be a lovely treat, but a long one late in the day can take the edge off your sleepiness at bedtime. If you need a nap, keep it short and take it early in the afternoon.
Evening changes
The evening is where small tweaks can make the biggest difference to how easily you drift off. If you would like a full step-by-step plan, our guide to creating a comfortable bedtime routine shows how to put these pieces together.
6. Go easy on alcohol
A glass of wine in the evening can make you feel drowsy, but alcohol tends to disturb sleep later in the night, leading to lighter, more broken rest. If you notice you wake more after a drink, try having your glass earlier with food, having less, or having more alcohol-free evenings.
7. Eat your evening meal a little earlier
Large, heavy or very spicy meals late at night can leave you feeling uncomfortable in bed. Try to eat your main meal a few hours before bedtime. If you get hungry later, a light snack is usually fine.
8. Build a wind-down hour
The NHS suggests relaxing for at least an hour before bed. It does not need to be fancy. The key is doing roughly the same calming things in the same order each night, so your body begins to recognise the signal.
- Dim the main lights and switch on a lamp instead.
- Take a warm (not hot) bath or shower.
- Read a few chapters of a book, listen to quiet music or do some gentle stretching.
- Make a hot caffeine-free drink such as a herbal tea.
9. Put screens away
Phones, tablets and televisions can keep your mind busy right when you want it to slow down. Emails, news and social media in particular can be stimulating. Try putting your phone on charge outside the bedroom, or at least out of reach, and choose a book or a podcast instead.
10. Write tomorrow's list down
If your mind starts racing through your to-do list the moment your head touches the pillow, set aside ten minutes earlier in the evening to write it all down. Add anything you are worried about, and a first small step for each. Once it is on paper, it is easier to let go of until morning.
Bedroom changes
Your bedroom should feel like a calm place built for rest. For more ideas, see our guide to creating a cooler sleep environment.
11. Keep the room comfortably cool
A room that is too hot or too cold can make it harder to get to sleep and stay asleep. Many sleep guides suggest a bedroom somewhere around 16 to 19°C, but what feels right is personal, so adjust it to suit you.
- Turn the bedroom heating down or off before bed.
- Open a window slightly or use a fan to keep air moving.
- Close curtains during hot days so the room does not heat up.
12. Make it dark and quiet
The NHS recommends a bedroom that is dark, quiet and comfortable. Fully closing the curtains helps, and blackout blinds or a soft sleep mask can be useful if streetlights or early sunrises wake you. If noise is a problem, earplugs or a gentle fan sound can help mask it.
13. Make your bed comfortable
Being physically comfortable matters. Light layers you can add or remove are easier than one heavy duvet, and a pillow that suits your sleeping position can make settling easier. If you often wake with a stiff neck or sore hips, it may be worth reviewing your pillow and mattress. Our guide to why sleep can feel different during menopause also explains some common reasons for nights feeling restless in midlife.
Changes for when you are in bed
14. Keep your bed for sleep
Try not to work, scroll or watch television in bed. The idea is to strengthen the link in your mind between your bed and sleeping, not between your bed and being awake and busy.
15. Do not force sleep
Lying awake watching the clock tends to make you more frustrated and more awake. If you have been awake for around 20 minutes, the NHS suggests getting up and sitting somewhere comfortable until you feel sleepy. Keep the lights low and do something calm, like reading or listening to quiet music, then go back to bed when you feel drowsy.
Try turning your clock to face away from you so you are not tempted to check the time.
Tonight's quick checklist
- Decide on tomorrow's wake-up time and stick to it
- Caffeine kept to the morning or early afternoon
- Evening meal finished a few hours before bed
- Tomorrow's to-do list written down
- Screens away and lights dimmed for the last hour
- Bedroom cool, dark and quiet
- Phone out of reach and clock turned away
How long before you notice a difference?
Sleep habits usually take a few weeks to settle, so be patient. Changing one or two things at a time makes it easier to see what is working for you. It can also help to keep a simple sleep diary for two weeks, noting roughly when you went to bed, when you woke, and anything that stood out, such as a late coffee or a stressful day.
If your sleep seems to change in your forties and fifties, you are far from alone. Hormonal changes can play a part for many women, and our guide to practical menopause sleep tips goes into more detail on hot nights and restless sleep.
A note on your health
This article is general lifestyle information. It is not medical advice and is not a substitute for speaking to your GP, pharmacist or another healthcare professional. These tips are not a treatment for any sleep condition, and everyone's experience is different.
When is it worth speaking to your GP?
Everyone has a bad night now and then, but it is a good idea to get advice if:
- You have had trouble sleeping for months
- Poor sleep is affecting your daily life or making it hard to cope
- Changing your sleep habits has not helped
- You feel very sleepy during the day
- You snore loudly, or someone has noticed that your breathing stops and starts or that you make gasping or choking noises in your sleep
- You feel low, anxious or overwhelmed
Your GP can check for other causes of poor sleep and talk through the options available, which may include cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I).
Frequently asked questions
What is the quickest way to start sleeping better naturally?
Start with a consistent wake-up time and some daylight in the morning. These two changes are free, simple and form the foundation for most of the other tips.
What time should I stop drinking tea and coffee?
Many sleep guides suggest stopping caffeine by around 2pm, but sensitivity varies. If you often struggle to get to sleep, try moving your last caffeinated drink earlier and see how you feel.
Is it bad to look at my phone before bed?
It is not necessarily harmful, but it can keep your mind active when you want it to slow down. Choosing calm content, or putting the phone away for the last hour, tends to make winding down easier.
Is it normal to wake up during the night?
Brief waking is common. If you wake and cannot get back to sleep after around 20 minutes, get up, keep the lights low and do something calm until you feel sleepy again.
How long does it take for new sleep habits to work?
It varies, but give new habits a few weeks before judging them. Changing one or two things at a time helps you see what makes the difference.
Final thoughts
Sleeping better naturally is rarely about one dramatic fix. It tends to come from a handful of kind, consistent habits: a steady wake-up time, a bit of morning daylight, an easy evening and a bedroom that feels calm and comfortable.
Start with the two or three changes that feel easiest, be patient with yourself on the rougher nights, and ask your GP for support if you need it.