How to Adjust Your Sleep Schedule

Co-authored by Alex Dimitriu, MD and Devin McSween

Last Updated: October 2, 2024 Fact Checked

The sleep schedule is one of the most important rhythms in the human body. Our body needs anywhere from 6 to 8 hours of sleep every day in order to repair and refresh itself for the next 24 hours. Unfortunately, events outside of your control may interfere with your sleep patterns and make it necessary for you to change your sleeping habits, whether temporarily or permanently. As long as you take the time to understand your sleeping habits and practice discipline, you can learn how to adjust your sleep schedule.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Changing Your Schedule

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Alter your sleep schedule gradually. If you normally wake up at 10 A.M. but want to start waking up at 5 A.M., this isn't going to happen overnight. Sleep specialists suggest that the best way to change your sleep cycle is by making adjustments in 15-minute increments.^{[1]
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- For example, if you normally get up at 8 A.M. but want to start getting up at 5 A.M., set your alarm for and wake up at 7:45 A.M. Do this for 3 or 4 days until you feel comfortable with the time. Then, shave off another 15 minutes. Do this until you reach your goal time.
- If you're looking to change your sleep schedule sooner, try 30-minute increments.
Avoid hitting that snooze button. While it can be difficult to get up earlier, snoozing doesn't improve the situation and can in fact make you more tired since it doesn't give you the most restful sleep. Instead, get up when the alarm goes off. You can also put your alarm on the other side of the room. That way, when you wake up, you'll have to go to the other side of the room to shut off your alarm.^{[2]
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Be consistent. The key to effectively altering your sleep schedule is to be consistent. In other words, you need to stick to the sleep and wake times you set every day of the week—this includes weekends!^{[3]
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- You can sleep in a little bit on weekends, but sleep specialists only recommend allowing yourself an extra hour or so (to a maximum of 2 hours). This helps keep you on track for the upcoming work week.
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Calculate your optimal sleeping time. Most people require 6 to 8 hours of sleep every night, but the exact duration of necessary sleep differs from person to person. Determine when you need to fall asleep in order to wake up at your desired waking time.^{[4]
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- One way of figuring this out is to keep a sleep log. Document the hours you sleep every night for a couple of weeks. Average them and then work backward from there to determine what time you need to go to bed to get that average amount of sleep and get up at the time you desire. For example, if you usually sleep for about 6 hours on average and you want to wake up at 5 A.M., plan to fall asleep by 11 P.M.
- Doctors recommend that you aim for at least 7 hours of sleep every night.^{[5]
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Part 2

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Avoiding Food, Drink, and Stimulants

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Avoid eating a heavy meal before bed. Eat a light dinner early on in the evening and avoid eating heavy foods right before you go to sleep. Harvard researchers have found that when you eat affects your internal clock; changing when you eat can be helpful in adjusting to changes in your schedule, whether due to work, life, or travel.^{[6]
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- Aim to eat your last meal at least 2 to 3 hours before you go to bed.^{[7]
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  Research source} Then, wake up at the desired time and eat a healthy breakfast containing protein. This helps reset your internal rhythm clock to begin your day, which in turn helps set your new waking pattern in place.
- Going to bed hungry can negatively impact your sleep, too.^{[8]
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  Mayo Clinic
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  Go to source} If you get hungry before bed, eat a light and nutritious snack, like peanut butter toast or fruit. Some foods can even promote sleep, like tart cherries.^{[9]
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- Try to eat 3 regular meals spaced out evenly across the day. Make sure your diet is full of fruits, vegetables, protein, and grains. Avoid fatty foods, which can unsettle your stomach.^{[10]
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Avoid stimulants after mid-day. Depending on the size of your body, the amount you ingest, and your general health, the effects of caffeine can remain active in your body for up to 5 to 10 hours after initial consumption. So, avoid drinking coffee, caffeinated teas, and sodas in the late afternoon and evening.^{[11]
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National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
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- Nicotine should also be avoided because it is a stimulant and can keep you wired.
Alcohol is a depressant, which means it slows down your body. While this can help you fall asleep, alcohol also slows down your metabolism and interferes with your brain during its sleep cycles. You're likely to wake up more often if you've consumed alcohol before bed.^{[12]
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Avoid heavy exercise 1-2 hours before bed. Doctors advise that you avoid a heavy cardio workout a few hours before you plan to go to bed; this can unsettle your circadian rhythm and make your sleep less restful. That said, light stretching and exercising, such as an evening walk, can help you get ready to go to sleep.^{[13]
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- If you're someone who does intense exercises at night but sleeps well afterward, then there is no reason to change your routine. Just know yourself.

Part 3

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Creating an Environment Conducive to Sleep

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Wait until bedtime to sleep. Naps are a great way to recharge your batteries when you have a stable sleep schedule, but they can be counterproductive when trying to change sleeping patterns. Avoid napping during the day so that you can fall asleep at the appropriate time later.^{[14]
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- If you must nap, consider taking a power nap no longer than 20 minutes.
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Stay away from screens and monitors. About an hour before bed, dim the lights in your room and turn off all of your electronics. Doctors note that our eyes are sensitive to the blue light emitted by electronic screens.^{[15]
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Research source} Bright screens are not only hard on the eyes but also trick your body into thinking it's still daytime and that your mind should still be active.^{[16]
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- Instead of looking at a screen, read a book, write, or draw. Do something relaxing that calms you or makes you feel restful. You might consider turning down the lights while you do this activity.
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Set the temperature of the room and your body. Because your body drops in temperature when you fall asleep, you can trick your body into thinking it's time to sleep by simulating a temperature drop.^{[17]
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Research source} Keep your room cool, or around 60-67° F (15-19° C), to help prepare your body to rest.^{[18]
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Cleveland Clinic
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- If it's cold outside, take a hot shower so that when you come out, your body experiences a temperature drop.
- If it's hot outside, allow your room to heat up and then turn on the air conditioner.
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Keep your room dark at night and light in the morning. Sleep specialists note that our circadian rhythms are influenced by light and darkness. This means that many people have a hard time falling asleep when it's still light out, which happens in the summer thanks to daylight savings.^{[19]
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- At night, shut your blinds and curtains. Turn off bright overhead lights. Consider getting a blackout curtain that keeps any light from shining through. If it's still too bright or too much light is getting in, consider wearing a sleep mask.
- In the morning, turn on all the lights once you are awake. This helps kick-start your body for the day.
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Turn on some white noise. Listen to some light, relaxing music or turn a fan on for some background noise.^{[20]
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- Listen to the sounds of waves or rain—they can help calm your body and help you get a good night's sleep. Avoid music with lyrics or any songs you know really well because they might be too distracting for you as you try to fall asleep.
- You can also purchase white noise and other sound machines that have a variety of sounds for you to choose from.

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If you've tried these suggestions and still can't fall asleep at the right time in order to get up when you want, take a melatonin supplement. Melatonin is a hormone that your brain makes at night and helps to bring on sleep. Be sure to take a dose less or equal to 5mg (you can cut the supplement in half for a 2.5mg dose; more is not necessarily better). Most people fall asleep 15-30 minutes after taking it.^{[21]
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If you are unable to readjust your sleep schedule, consult your doctor. A sleep therapist can teach you better sleep habits and prescribe medication if necessary.^{[22]
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If you're trying to adjust your sleep schedule because you traveled to a different time zone, Dr. Alex Dimitriu, sleep medicine and psychiatry professional, says it usually takes 1 day per time zone you traveled across to adjust. For example, if you traveled across 7 time zones to reach your destination, it will take around 7 days to adjust to your new sleep schedule.^{[23]
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Alex Dimitriu, MD
Sleep Specialist

Expert Interview. 16 October 2019.}

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