Your Phone, Late Dinner and Afternoon Coffee All Made the CDC’s Sleep Hit List

Some solid health advice from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention needs no prescription. Its “About Sleep” page offers a short list of everyday habits that can help people sleep better, and most of them can start this week.¹

This is long-standing guidance, not a new study. The CDC presents the habits as general advice and does not attach a measured effect to each one.¹

Why sleep is worth the effort

The CDC calls good sleep essential for health and emotional well-being. According to the agency, getting enough can help you get sick less often, stay at a healthy weight, reduce stress and improve mood. It also lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke and car crashes.¹

Plenty of people are missing out. Harvard Health Publishing, citing the CDC, says more than one-third of U.S. adults don’t get enough sleep.²

How much is enough depends on age. The CDC recommends 14 to 17 hours a day for newborns, eight to 10 for teens, and seven or more for adults ages 18 to 60. For people 61 to 64, it’s seven to nine hours, and for those 65 and older, seven to eight.¹

Six habits to try, and when to see a doctor

The sources agree on the basics but differ on some timings, so treat the numbers below as general guidance rather than strict rules.

1. Keep the same schedule every day. The CDC advises going to bed and getting up at the same time every day.¹ A CDC workplace safety bulletin adds that this includes days off, which is the part of the advice most weekends will test.³

2. Make the bedroom quiet, relaxing and cool. That’s the CDC’s three-word recipe.¹ Harvard Health puts a number on “cool”: about 65 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit.²

3. Turn off screens before bed. The CDC suggests shutting off electronic devices at least 30 minutes before bedtime.¹ Harvard Health suggests a longer wind-down of about an hour, and recommends keeping electronics out of the bedroom entirely.²

4. Go easy on late dinners and drinks. The CDC recommends avoiding large meals and alcohol before bedtime.¹ Harvard Health suggests finishing evening meals at least three hours before bed and skipping alcohol in the evening.²

5. Move your caffeine earlier. The CDC advises avoiding caffeine in the afternoon or evening.¹ Harvard Health’s version is a bit more personal: avoid it after lunch if it keeps you awake.²

6. Exercise regularly and eat well. Both are on the CDC’s list.¹ Timing varies by person, according to Harvard Health. For many people, a workout within two hours of bedtime makes it harder to fall asleep, while others do fine exercising in the evening.²

7. Know when to call a doctor. The CDC lists signs of poor sleep quality: trouble falling asleep, waking repeatedly during the night, and feeling tired even after getting enough sleep. Some people have sleep disorders, such as insomnia, restless legs syndrome, narcolepsy or sleep apnea, that keep them from getting quality sleep no matter how hard they try. If you regularly have trouble sleeping, the agency advises talking to a healthcare provider.¹

A provider may run tests, including sleep studies, and may ask you to keep a sleep diary. That diary tracks bedtime, night wakings, morning waking, naps, exercise, medications and alcohol or caffeine, so the fourth cup of the afternoon goes on the record.¹

None of these habits comes with a guarantee. But they’re free, and picking just one to try for a week is a reasonable place to start.