The short answer
Fix wake time before bedtime, get 10 minutes of daylight within an hour of waking, keep the bedroom at 16–19°C and dark, and stop caffeine 8–10 hours before bed. These four beat every supplement.
Sleep advice is drowning in gadgets. The interventions with the strongest evidence are free.
Step by step
- Pick one wake time and keep it seven days a week, including weekends.
- Get outside for 10 minutes within an hour of waking.
- Set a caffeine cutoff 8–10 hours before bed — its half-life is around 5–6 hours.
- Cool the bedroom to 16–19°C and block all light.
- Keep alcohol away from the last three hours; it fragments the second half of the night.
- If you are awake more than 20 minutes, get up and do something dull in dim light.
- Give any change two weeks before judging it.
What it costs
| Item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Blackout curtains | $30–$90 |
| Earplugs | $5–$25 |
| Sunrise alarm | $35–$100 |
| Sleep tracker | $0 — optional, often counterproductive |
Common questions
Does melatonin work?
Useful for shifting the body clock (jet lag), weak as a general sleeping pill. Low doses, 0.5–1mg.
Naps?
Under 25 minutes, before 3pm, otherwise they eat into night sleep pressure.
Should I track sleep?
Only briefly. Anxiety about the numbers is a documented problem.