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“The first thing you want to start with is maintaining a stable wake time,” says Prather. It can be trickier than it sounds, especially if you prefer to sleep in on the weekends. But according to Prather, sticking to a consistent wake-up schedule will set you up for sleep success in the long run. 

“Ultimately, it makes your bedtimes more predictable,” he says. “The one thing we can control is when we wake up, so for people that have insomnia, that’s a better approach.” Meaning, rather than putting in all the effort at bedtime (and potentially growing frustrated and even more wired), controlling your wake-up time each morning can help your brain learn that sleep-wake cycle. 

2.

Mind your light exposure. 

“Once you set that wake time, the next step is to try to get some early morning sunlight,” he continues. Bright natural blue light from the sun regulates your natural sleep and wake cycle1, helps boost alertness, and can even elevate your mood. If you live in an area that doesn’t get much natural light (or you tend to wake up before sunrise), Prather recommends investing in a lightbox of at least 10,000 lux. “[That light for] 30 minutes will help train your circadian rhythm,” he notes. 

Consequently, when the sun goes down, you’ll want to protect yourself against artificial light exposure. “Blue light exposure from screens can impact melatonin production2, so you just have to be thoughtful about that,” be says. “As the sun goes down and you begin that transition into bedtime, you certainly want to be protecting yourself against bright lights and screens.” Perhaps invest in a pair of blue-light-blocking glasses or certain apps that can soften the glare and counter flicker effects, like Iris Tech or f.lux. While you’re at it, feel free to snag a natural sleep aid for an extra sleep-supporting kick (here’s our expert-approved list).

3.

Keep meal times as consistent as you can. 

“The other thing that has been shown to be effective in maintaining people’s circadian rhythms is physical activity,” says Prather. “Doing physical activity, ideally around the same time each day, will train your rhythm [and] allow you to make it more predictable for your body.” 

Just make sure you don’t exercise too close to bed (like less than two hours before), or it might get you too wound up. See, vigorous exercise raises your core body temperature, which can make it harder for some people to fall asleep. A walk or quick stretch should be fine, but you might not want to engage in anything too intense.