Keep a consistent sleep schedule
Go to bed and get up at the same times every day, weekends included, and aim for at least 7 hours.
- How often
- Daily
- Time
- 7+ hours
- Recommended for
- 39 factors
How to do it
- Pick a wake time you can keep every day, then count back at least 7 hours for your bedtime.
- Keep weekend times within about an hour of your weekday times.
- Keep the bedroom quiet, dark, relaxing and cool.
- Get outside in daylight during the day, and stay active.
- If you nap, keep it to 20 minutes or less and take it earlier in the afternoon.
Why it helps
Your body clock runs on routine. Regular sleep and wake times make it easier to fall asleep and wake up rested. Most adults need 7 or more hours a night. Shift work, late screens and catching up on weekends all push the clock around.
Be careful
If you snore loudly, stop breathing in your sleep, or still feel exhausted after enough hours in bed, talk to a doctor. Shift workers who can't adjust should also ask about other options.
Recommended for
Airline pilot
Long seated duty days across time zones and through the night.
occupationAssembly line worker
The same motions, hundreds of times an hour, at the pace of the line.
occupationBarista
Tamping, pouring and steaming, hundreds of drinks a shift.
habitBinge-watching on the couch
One more episode, slumped into the cushions, snack within reach.
habitCaregiving for an adult
Helping a parent, partner or relative with daily life, often nonstop.
occupationCashier
Scan, bag, repeat, for hours in the same small space.
habitCollege student
Late nights, long study sessions, dining-hall meals and a new social world.
occupationContent creator
Streaming, editing and gaming for hours, often late into the night.
hobbyCrossFit and HIIT
Fast, hard intervals with jumps, lifts and very little rest.
habitDrinking alcohol
Social, relaxing, and harder on your body than it feels at the time.
occupationFirefighter
Extreme heat, heavy gear, smoke, sleepless shifts and traumatic calls.
occupationFlight attendant
On your feet in a moving cabin, across time zones, lifting bags overhead.
habitFrequent flying
Cramped seats, dry cabin air and crossed time zones, again and again.
occupationGraphic designer
Mouse, stylus and big screens, often against a deadline.
habitHeavy smartphone use
Head down, thumbs busy, screen inches from your face for hours a day.
habitHigh caffeine intake
Coffee, energy drinks or pre-workout, from first thing until late in the day.
habitHigh-stress periods
Deadlines, money worries, a move, a loss, or all of them at once.
occupationJanitor
Mopping, lifting and scrubbing, often on night shifts, with strong chemicals.
occupationLine cook
Heat, knives, hot oil and a ticket rail that never empties.
habitLong commute by car
An hour or more a day seated, braced and on alert behind the wheel.
occupationMusician
Hours of practice, loud stages, late nights and an instrument to hold.
habitNight shift work
Awake when your body expects to sleep, asleep when the world is loud.
occupationNurse
Twelve-hour shifts on your feet, lifting, turning and rarely sitting down.
occupationOffice worker
Desk, chair, screen, meetings, repeat.
habitOngoing sleep loss
Night feeds, early alarms or a busy mind, and never quite enough sleep.
habitParenting young children
Lifting, carrying, bending and rocking all day, on broken sleep.
occupationPhysician
Long, high-stakes days with little time to eat, move or sleep.
occupationPolice officer
Long shifts in a patrol car, heavy gear and moments of high stress.
hobbyReading
Hours curled up with a book or e-reader, head bent and eyes close.
occupationRemote worker
Laptop on the kitchen table, no commute, no reason to leave the house.
occupationRestaurant server
Miles on your feet, heavy trays and a dining room to keep happy.
occupationRetail worker
On your feet all shift, stocking shelves and helping customers.
occupationRideshare and delivery driver
In and out of the car all day, on a clock, chasing the next order.
occupationStay-at-home parent
Lifting, carrying and caring around the clock, with little time for yourself.
occupationTeacher
Talking all day, on your feet, with a classroom of needs to manage.
occupationTruck driver
Long hours behind the wheel, irregular sleep and food from truck stops.
hobbyVideo gaming
Long sessions seated, thumbs flying, eyes locked on a bright screen.
hobbyWeightlifting
Heavy loads through your back, shoulders and wrists, set after set.
habitWorking from the couch or bed
Laptop on your lap, pillows behind your back, no commute and no desk.