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Adult Sleep Hygiene Checklist
A calm nervous system supports healing, recovery, energy, hormones, mood, focus, and resilience.
Create a Consistent Sleep Rhythm
- Go to bed and wake up at the same time daily — even weekends.
- Aim for 7–9 hours of sleep consistently.
- Start your bedtime routine 60–90 minutes before sleep.
- Dim lights in the evening to signal your brain that it is time to slow down.
Reduce Nervous System Stimulation
- No TV, phones, tablets, scrolling, or computer screens for 1–2 hours before bed.
- Avoid emotionally stimulating conversations, stressful phone calls, or drama late at night.
- Avoid scary movies, suspenseful books, upsetting podcasts, or negative news before bed.
- Choose calming music, gentle reading, gratitude, journaling, prayer, or quiet reflection instead.
Support Your Body with Movement
- Move your body daily:
- Walking
- Mobility work
- Strength training
- Yoga
- Stretching
- Try to get outside and expose your eyes to morning sunlight within the first hour of waking.
- Avoid intense exercise immediately before bed if it energizes your system.
Chiropractic & Nervous System Care
- Regular chiropractic check-ups may help support spinal movement, posture, muscle tone, and nervous system regulation.
- Reducing tension patterns through the spine and surrounding muscles can help the body transition more easily into rest and recovery.
- Pay attention to posture during the day:
- Head over shoulders
- Ribs over pelvis
- Frequent movement breaks if sitting long hours
Breathing & Calm Down Practices
Before bed, try:
- Slow nasal breathing
- Box breathing
- 4-6 breathing (inhale 4 seconds, exhale 6 seconds)
- Gentle meditation or prayer
- Gratitude practice
- Progressive muscle relaxation
The goal is to shift the body from “fight or flight” into a calmer healing state.
Hydration & Nutrition
- Hydrate consistently throughout the day.
- Reduce large amounts of fluids right before bed to avoid waking overnight.
- Avoid caffeine later in the day.
- Avoid alcohol close to bedtime as it disrupts sleep quality.
- No late-night snacking 1–2 hours before bed.
- Aim for balanced meals with protein, healthy fats, and fiber throughout the day to support stable blood sugar.
Create a Sleep-Friendly Environment
- Keep the bedroom:
- Cool
- Quiet
- Dark
- Calm
- Use blackout curtains if needed.
- Consider white noise or calming sounds if helpful.
- Reserve the bed for sleep and connection rather than work or scrolling.
Evening Wind-Down Ideas
Choose calming rituals your body begins to recognize nightly:
- Warm bath with Epsom salts
- Gentle stretching
- Herbal tea (non-caffeinated)
- Reading calming or uplifting material
- Light mobility work
- Deep breathing
- Gratitude journaling
Things That Often Disrupt Sleep
- Irregular schedules
- Late meals or sugar
- Excessive caffeine
- Alcohol
- Screen exposure
- Overtraining
- Emotional stress late at night
- Doom scrolling
- Overthinking in bed
- Working from bed
Simple Reminder
Your nervous system responds well to repetition, rhythm, safety, and consistency.
Small daily habits repeated consistently often create the greatest long-term shifts in sleep, recovery, and overall health.