Make 2026 The Year You Finally Hit Your Sleep Goals: 15 Tips
Tired but can’t sleep? Keep waking up at night?
If restless nights have plagued you for years, you’re not alone. Learn how to get more deep sleep, how to sleep faster, and more tips for your best nights yet.
January 1st: "This is my year for better sleep!" …
Then hits the first week back. Work gets busy. Life gets crazy. Before you know it, all those aspirational resolutions you made, starry-eyed amidst holiday celebrations get deprioritized in favor of getting through the day alive.
If you’ve started January with the resolution of improving sleep, you’re not alone. The Pew Research Center reports that 79% of people who made resolutions in 2024 listed better health as a goal, with sleep being a non-negotiable cornerstone. 1 But with experts suggesting 80-90% of New Year’s Resolutions hit the goal graveyard by February, making progress on sleep goals can be harder said than done…
The good news? 2026 can be different. And luckily, you don't need to overhaul your life to see real improvements. Below, we've pulled 15 neuroscience-backed, simple tips for better sleep to help you unlock your best nights (and days!) yet.
15 Research-backed tips for naturally better sleep
① Goal 1: I want to fall asleep faster!
Core problem: Tired, but can’t sleep? Stuck staring at the ceiling, tossing and turning for hours?
Tip 1: Take a hot shower or bath 1-2 hours before bed
This trick has worked so reliably in dropping core body temperature and supporting faster, better sleep, researchers have dubbed it the “warm bath effect.” Bonus: research shared by Dr. Walker has found it can increase deep sleep by 10-15%. 2
Tip 2: Dim the lights 2 hours before bed
Room light has been found to suppress melatonin onset in 99% of people. Start dimming the lights earlier to trigger your brain’s melatonin before you slip into bed. 3
Tip 3: Go on an HD mental stroll instead!
Research by UC Berkeley Professor Allison Harvey found that mentally envisioning (in high-definition) going on a walk you know well actually outpaces counting sheep in helping your mind let go of thoughts and relax for easier rest. 4
② Goal 2: I want more REM and deep sleep!
Core problem: Do you wake up every morning still exhausted, feeling like you didn’t sleep at all? It could be your deep sleep.
Tip 4: Get 30+ minutes of exercise daily
Being physically active with moderate to vigorous exercise significantly boosts deep sleep and REM sleep. Just finish at least 3 hours before bed so your body has time to wind down.
Tip 5: Skip the nightcap
Alcohol might help you fall asleep faster, but it's "one of the most potent suppressors of REM sleep," shares Dr. Walker. It also reduces deep sleep quality, leaving you feeling unrefreshed even after a full night in bed. 5
Tip 6: Get bright light first thing when you wake up
Morning light exposure helps set your circadian rhythm, which directly impacts when and how much deep sleep and REM sleep you get. Try to get 5-10 minutes of bright, natural light within an hour of waking up to help regulate your sleep wake cycle.
③ Goal 3: I want fewer wake-ups!
Core problem: Can’t sleep through the night or shake those 3am wake-ups that leave you feeling permanently fatigued?
Tip 7: Aim to hit your water goals 2 hours before bed
Front-loading your hydration goals for earlier in the day gives your body time to process fluids before you lie down, decreasing those ‘middle of the night’ bathroom trips that fragment sleep.
Tip 8: Experiment with lower AC temperatures
Research has found that, at peak sleep, the body’s core temperature consistently drops by 1-2°F. Lowering the AC can help hack this temperature-sleep system, helping people fall asleep faster and reducing wake-ups by up to 45%. 2
Tip 9: Cut caffeine after 12pm
A quarter of your afternoon coffee is still active in your system 10-12 hours later, making sleep more fragmented and unstable. Even modest doses in the evening can decrease deep sleep by up to 30% and increase nighttime wake-ups, especially in your first sleep cycle. 6
④ Goal 4: I just want more sleep, in general
Core problem: Restless energy or anxious thoughts keeping you up at night? Waking up and unable to get back to sleep? Just wish you could get more sleep?
Tip 10: Start your wind-down routine 30 minutes earlier
Give your brain and nervous system more time to relax from the day by sending sleep signals earlier: dim the lights, play calming music, a hot shower, or other gentle activities.
Tip 11: Build your own personal relaxation routine (and stick with it!)
Strengthen your brain’s “sleep muscle” by building a personalized relaxation routine you do night after night. This trains your brain to react more swiftly to the ‘sleepy’ signals over time. Try: reading, light stretching, aromatherapy, calm music, breath exercises, or other relaxation techniques.
Tip 12: Can't sleep after 20 minutes? Get out of bed
If you’re not asleep after 20 minutes, Dr. Walker's advice: "Get out of bed, and, in dim light in a different room, just read a book or relax, do some stretching. Only come back to bed when you're sleepy." This retrains your brain to link bed exclusively with sleep.4
⑤ Goal 5: I want to fix my sleep schedule!
Core problem: Stuck on a cycle of falling asleep at 1am and wake-ups at 10am, and wish you could get on track with a 11pm-7am schedule?
Tip 13: Don’t hit snooze
Even if you’re feeling sleepy, bite the bullet and force yourself to get out of bed the first time the alarm rings. Silver lining, the tiredness that builds over the day will help you feel naturally sleepier at your new target bedtime.
Tip 14: Skip naps (or keep them short and early)
Napping releases sleep pressure (adenosine), making it harder to fall asleep at night. If you're really crashing, limit it to a 20-minute power nap max and finish before 3pm.
Tip 15: Stay consistent on the weekends
Sleeping in on Saturday/Sunday actually can undo your progress! Remember, consistency is king for the brain, so try to stick with your new schedule 7 days a week for at least 2-3 weeks.
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