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10 of the world's best sleep experts share their nighttime routines for better sleep
If you're having trouble sleeping and are looking for ways to sleep better then your nighttime routine is a great place to start. While often overlooked in favour of the latest viral sleep hacks, a good, consistent nighttime routine can help you fall asleep fast, enjoy a better quality of sleep overall, and wake up feeling rested.
For Sleep Awareness Week 2025 we've spoken to 10 of the world's best sleep experts to discover the specific nighttime routines and sleep tips, methods and products they use to enjoy great sleep night after night.
The good news is that nearly all of these tips are simple to follow and easy to implement, so you'll be on your way to better sleep in no time. Here's what they told us...
10 experts share their nighttime routines for better sleep
A consistent nighttime routine will improve your sleep quality, promote calmness and in turn elevate your overall health and wellbeing. Here's what the experts do to get a good night's sleep, night after night.
1. “Whenever I travel or go on holiday, I always make sure that I take my sleepy teabags with me”
Although she is a good sleeper normally, Dr Browning never takes her sleep for granted.
She consistently follows her nightly ritual of making her sleepy-time tea (she loves the Clipper Sleep Time tea) half an hour before bed, drinking it while turning the pages of a good read and then spritzing a bit of her lavender pillow spray, which in her words helps her get into a “relaxing sleepy and happy state.”
She also explains the logic behind how indulging in a particular nighttime ritual helps you sleep.
“Doing a similar activity every day before bed can start to build up an association between your pre-bed routine and the onset of sleep,” she says. This is why she packs her bedtime tea bags everywhere she goes so she can have the same drink every night.
Dr Lindsay Browning, BSc MSc (Oxon) CPsychol AFBPsS, is a chartered psychologist, neuroscientist, sleep expert and author of Navigating Sleeplessness. Dr Browning is also the founder of Trouble Sleeping, a leading sleep disorders clinic and can be found on social media @DrBrowningSleep.
2. “I engage in about 15 minutes of yoga therapy”
Dr Leah Kaylor takes a very serious approach to getting her body and mind ready for sleep. She starts with a very hot shower which not only physically and symbolically washes the day off, but is also a well-researched and effective method for improving sleep onset and quality.
Getting into comfy clothes immediately after tells the brain that it's time to switch to a relaxed mode. She also eats an early dinner as this will ensure the digestion process is complete before bedtime.
However, the most important part of her routine is her 15-minute yoga therapy right before getting into bed.
Yoga therapy is a combination of specific gentle movement and breathing practices to promote relaxation and move specific areas of the body similar to that of physical therapy.
"Even if I am not feeling sleepy, by the time I am finished with my 15 minute yoga therapy routine, I start to yawn. I also perform my yoga therapy exercises in a very dimly lit room with soothing ocean sounds," she explains.
"My body knows to associate this with sleep and helps make sure I am in a very relaxed state, especially because of the breathing that I do to promote parasympathetic (rest and digest) activation," adds Dr Kaylor.
Dr Leah Kaylor Ph.D. PLLC is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in sleep and trauma, at the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Dr. Kaylor completed her residency at the Memphis VA Medical Center, where she worked in the sleep clinic helping veterans with sleep hygiene, nightmares, insomnia, and CPAP adherence. She has also written 5 book chapters and over 15 peer-reviewed journal articles.
5. "Reading switches my mind off the cares and worries of the day"
Having been involved in sleep research for 42 years, Dr Stanley underlines that worry, stress, and tension are the enemies of sleep.
"You need to put your day to bed long before you get into bed," he says. A nighttime routine helps you achieve just that by letting you relax and quieten the noise in your head.
He follows a simple yet effective routine of changing into his comfy nightwear and grabbing a book to read in bed. This distracts him from the events of the long day and promotes relaxation and rest.
Dr Stanley says that your nighttime routine should always include activities you enjoy. "One man's relaxation is another man's torture, so what helps you may annoy someone else," he adds.
It's all about knowing what will get you settled and ready for bed, rather than conforming to other's advice.
Dr Neil Stanley is an independent sleep expert who has been involved in sleep research for 42 years. He is the former Chairman of the British Sleep Society (2000-2004) and a member of the European Sleep Research Society, the American Academy of Sleep and the World Sleep Society. Dr Stanley is also the author of the books 'How to Sleep Well’ and ‘Sleep Divorce: How to Sleep Apart, Not Fall Apart’.
3. " Light has a huge impact on sleep"
As someone to tends to travel a lot, Dr Cann finds that following a consistent nighttime routine is tricky especially when she's staying in different places and frequently changing time zones.
However, there are a few things she always try to include in her nighttime routine regardless of where she is.
For Dr Cann, creating the right environment to rest is crucial. "I dim the lights or switch from overhead lights to lamps a couple of hours before bed," she explains.
"Light has a huge impact on sleep and this is something I’m particularly sensitive to."
She then typically engages in some gentle yoga or even watches TV to help her relax and be ready for bed.
When asked for her top tip to sleep well every night, this is what she said: "Only go to bed when you’re feeling sleepy. It’s helpful to have a planned bedtime but if you try to force yourself to sleep when you’re not ready you’re more likely to spend time laying awake in bed,"
This, she says, can lead to feelings of frustration which will make it even harder to fall asleep. The key is to roughly go to bed at the same time each night (to regulate your circadian rhythm) when you’re sleepy and not delay it any further than usual, as this can end up confusing your body and brain.
Dr Nicola Cann is a sleep psychologist, passionate about helping everyone to achieve better sleep health. She is the founder and director of a telehealth sleep service offering consultations, training and workshops for individuals and organisations in the UK and internationally.
6. "Setting your alarm for the same time every morning"
As a sleep physician, Dr Lu follows a rigid routine checking off all the main boxes aimed at relaxing the body and getting ready for bed.
He has his last meal of the day at least 2 hours before bed. Then, he takes a hot shower and sets his bedroom temperature to 68 degrees, both aimed to aid the process of lowering the core body temperature closer to bedtime.
He also makes it a point to stick to his sleep and wakeup time no matter the day of the week. "We typically get sleepy 15 hours after waking up so sleeping in can alter your ability to consistently get good sleep," he explains.
Exercise and sun exposure is also key during the day. Dr Lu recommends at least 30 minutes of sunlight during the day and 45-60 mins of exercise 3-4 days per week for a goodnight's rest.
Dr William Lu is the medical director of Dreem Health, an online sleep clinic. He is a sleep physician with primary speciality in family medicine. His area of expertise include disorders like sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome.
4. "I try to get sunlight almost as soon as I wake up"
Dr Perry sticks to the basics which have proven benefits for your sleep health. According to her, your habits during the day have significant impact on how you sleep during the night.
The first thing she does after waking up is to try and expose herself to sunlight. She suggests a light therapy lamp as an alternative if you don't have access to the sun.
"Seeing the sun first thing in the morning and later towards the evening really helps your circadian rhythm to stay on track," she says.
Exercising daily and avoiding caffeine after 11am are two other habits she follows diligently to get a goodnight's sleep.
Her actual nighttime routine, on the other hand, starts about two hours before she gets in bed. The first step is to turn off over the head lights and use low lighting instead. She also avoids all screens and any type of work that could stimulate her brain.
The bedroom temperature is then set to 65 degrees (within the optimum range for restful sleep) and she indulges herself in a relaxing activity like reading, meditation or some stretching.
Her biggest tip to sleep well every night is to consistently follow your nighttime routine, even on weekends.
Dr Chelsea Perry is the founder of Sleep Solutions, a Westborough Massachusetts-based clinic where she focuses on treating sleep apnea and snoring. Dr Perry is also a member of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine.
7. "I go to sleep at 6 PM and wake up somewhere between 11:30 PM and 1:30 AM"
Dr Mercola has designed his entire routine based on what works best for him. His day typically starts at 1:30 am.
"I’ve chosen this schedule because I’m the most productive during early morning hours. My primary meal of the day is around 6 AM," he says.
This schedule may seem like it goes directly against all general advice. However, a person's sleep routine should reflect what's best for him or her, physically and mentally.
Dr Mercola goes for a beach walk between 11:30 am and 1 pm for optimum sunlight exposure which aids sleep. He has his dinner around 1:30 or 2 PM which leaves four hours of not eating before bedtime.
He also takes a 15-minute sauna at 160-degrees, which helps prepare his body for sleep. By 6pm he is in bed after taking a shower.
According to Dr Mercola, minimizing exposure to blue light is one of the most important nighttime routines. Sleep posture is another aspect which he says has more impact on your sleep quality and spinal health than most people think.
"Many people sleep in positions that put unnecessary strain on their neck and shoulders, leading to pain and stiffness over time. When you sleep on your back with proper neck support, you keep your spine in a neutral position, which helps your body fully relax and recover overnight," he says.
Dr Joseph M Mercola is a board-certified family medicine osteopathic physician. He founded mercola.com in 1997 as a way to share his own experiences and vital health information. He has also written a total of 15 books and over 30 scientific reports and studies in medical journals and publications.
8. "All of those boring jobs means my brain understands what time it is"
Like the others, Piper has a fixed winddown routine which starts right at 9 pm every night with the TV being switched off and phone put on charge in sleep mode.
He then finishes his daily chores like washing up and letting the dog out which instantly sends a reminder to his brain that it's nearing bedtime.
He also wakes up at 6 am every day (including weekends) which means he rarely needs an alarm. This habit also regulates his circadian rhythm promoting better sleep and rest.
Piper's top tip to improve sleep quality is making your bedroom a sleep haven. He suggests to keep electronics and gadgets away from the bedroom and to avoid working or gaming there.
This is because such activities inside the bedroom can harm the association between your bedroom and sleep.
Joshua Piper is a sleep clinician at ResMed UK. He is a seasoned sleep clinician with experience in both the private and public health sectors, including the NHS. His passion lies in advancing sleep education and emphasising its significance in today’s fast-paced lifestyle.
9. "It's vital that the sleep routine is not an itinerary, but is in the same order"
Dr Mercer's sleep routine starts every night with a mug of mint tea. After making one and setting it to cool, he finishes all the chores which gives him a sense of closure on the day and proves as an effective distraction from any work stresses.
He then engages in a relaxing activity like watching a bit of television or reading a book by the window.
"This shows me the darkness of the back garden (which promotes melatonin— the sleepy hormone production) and I enjoy the mint tea until I start to notice cues my body gives me that it's time for sleep," he says.
Dr Mercer also mentions that a nighttime routine should not be an itinerary but has to be in the same order. It does not matter if it starts early or late.
"Once I've signalled to myself that bedtime is starting with the mint tea, everything should run in order as much as possible," he says.
Dr Tim Mercer is an NHS GP Partner, GP Trainer, and a trusted voice in holistic health care. His expertise spans chronic pain, mental health, insomnia, and other complex areas where his patient-centred, pragmatic approach helps people navigate health challenges. In collaboration with Opera Beds, he provides specialist insights on improving sleep, pain management, and life quality for those needing tailored solutions.
10. " Setting a consistent bedtime routine, even on weekends"
According to Moran, who heads a sleep clinic, consistency is the one thing that promises a restful night's sleep.
This has many advantages including triggering your brain to release sleep hormones like melatonin, reducing stress and anxiety that can interfere with falling asleep and most importantly, creating behavioral conditioning that helps your body recognize when to start winding down.
In addition to following all the basics, he makes sure to maintain a cool, dark and quiet sleeping environment and even suggests using a white noise machine if that helps you relax further.
Andres Moran is the co-founder and CEO of Complete Sleep, a clinic aimed at providing easy access to high-quality sleep apnea solutions.
Tom's Guide created this content as part of a paid partnership with Helix Sleep. The contents of this article are independent and solely reflect the editorial opinion of Tom's Guide.
