How to Create Your Optimal Bedtime Routine

Routines, even when not fully followed, provide a guiding structure to the chaos of human life. “We do all this stuff so beautifully for our children,” says Rebecca Robbins, an instructor at Harvard Medical School and a sleep scientist at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital. “So, we can kind of classically condition ourselves to understand that the end of our bedtime routine is the time for sleep.” Intentionality can shift what was a thoughtless habit into an impactful routine. “But if one o'clock rolls around and I’m not hungry, I’m not gonna force food down my throat.” One caveat is that even if you go to sleep an hour or two later than normal, he advises people to still set their morning alarm for the usual time. He says, “It’s this idea that if you haven’t figured out the problem, you just haven’t bought the right solution.” Instead of buying a $500 piece of gear or testing out the latest sleep hack from TikTok, people who still experience issues should consider making an appointment with a sleep specialist who has a history of helping patients with sleep disorders, or conducting sleep studies.