Your Sleep Schedule Needs a Reset
Time to snap your circadian rhythm back into sync, boosting focus, mood, and energy.
As adults, we toss any discipline aside that we had growing up. We stay up late, sleep in on weekends, and convince ourselves we can “catch up” later. But your body’s clock doesn’t work that way. It’s still running the same playbook it did in childhood, and it thrives on consistency.
So here are 5 ways to get your sleep back on track!
- Pick (and stick) to your wake-up time.
The biggest lever for circadian health isn’t your bedtime, it’s your wake-up time. Choose a realistic one and hold it steady, even on weekends. Within a week or two, your body will start adjusting naturally.
- Wake up time during the week between 4:30-5:30am so you can get that early morning workout in .. but then the idea of waking up at 5:30am on a weekend sound miserable? We get it – but guess what! Your body and mind will be better off waking up between 5:30-6am.
- Get morning light ASAP.
Natural light first thing in the morning signals your brain to start the clock on your next sleep cycle. Step outside for 5–10 minutes before coffee or screen time to anchor your rhythm.
- This is one of the hardest for people – especially during the winter months in New England. You’ll start to notice a difference with this one within weeks if you can be consistent.
- Wind down before you’re tired.
Don’t wait for exhaustion to hit. Create a pre-sleep ritual, like stretching, reading, or journaling, that cues your body to shift into rest mode about 30-60 minutes before bed.
- Falling asleep on the couch while Netflix binging? That’s your cue to head up to bed!
- Cut caffeine earlier than you think.
Caffeine has a half-life of about 5-6 hours, so that 3 p.m. latte may still be in your system at bedtime. If sleep is a priority, limit your caffeine consumption to before noon.
- You heard it here! If you feel you need that mid-afternoon pick me up, I challenge you to try 1) water, 2) a snack, or a 3) 10 min walk before you grab that extra cup of coffee.
- Reserve your bed for sleep.
Laptops, Netflix, and late-night TikTok scrolls all confuse your brain about what your bed is for. Not to mention the blue light from those devices which tricks our bodies into thinking it’s still daytime. Save your bed for sleep to strengthen the mental association and cut out blue light at least 1-2 hours before bed.
- Keep your bedroom gadget free, and cooler in temperature!
