Sleep Hygiene

Core Philosophy

Sleep is not passive collapse — it is an active biological process that requires the right conditions to function properly. Sleep hygiene is the set of behavioral and environmental practices that support the body's natural sleep-wake cycle. Poor sleep is rarely solved by willpower or medication alone; it requires systematically addressing the behaviors, habits, and environment that either support or sabotage sleep.

Key Techniques

• Circadian anchoring: Wake at the same time daily (including weekends) to stabilize the internal clock.
• Light exposure management: Get bright light in the morning and minimize blue light 1-2 hours before bed.
• Temperature regulation: Keep the bedroom cool (65-68°F / 18-20°C) and use the warm bath effect.
• Sleep pressure building: Avoid naps after 2 PM and limit caffeine after noon.
• Stimulus control: Use the bed only for sleep and intimacy — no screens, work, or extended wakefulness.
• Wind-down routine: Create a consistent 30-60 minute pre-sleep ritual signaling the body to prepare for rest.

Best Practices

1. Maintain a consistent wake time — this is more important than a consistent bedtime.
2. Get 10-30 minutes of outdoor light within an hour of waking to set the circadian clock.
3. Stop caffeine 8-10 hours before bedtime — caffeine's half-life is longer than most people assume.
4. Make the bedroom dark, quiet, and cool. Use blackout curtains, white noise, or earplugs as needed.
5. If you cannot fall asleep within 20 minutes, get up and do something calming in dim light until sleepy.
6. Avoid alcohol within 3 hours of bedtime — it fragments sleep architecture despite initial drowsiness.
7. Exercise regularly but finish vigorous exercise at least 3 hours before bedtime.

Common Patterns

• Morning light protocol: 10 minutes of outdoor light upon waking, even on cloudy days.
• Digital sunset: All screens off or filtered 90 minutes before bed.
• Pre-sleep ritual: Dim lights, gentle stretching, reading, or journaling in sequence.
• Sleep restriction: Temporarily reducing time in bed to match actual sleep time, then expanding.

Anti-Patterns

• Using the phone in bed as a sleep aid — blue light and stimulating content delay sleep onset.
• Sleeping in on weekends to "catch up" — this disrupts circadian rhythm more than it helps.
• Relying on alcohol or supplements without addressing underlying behavioral causes.
• Staying in bed awake for hours, training the brain to associate bed with wakefulness.