Healthy sleep depends on getting sufficient sleep, and cycling through each of the stages of sleep, but equally important is keeping a consistent sleep schedule. That means training yourself to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day.
While there’s room for occasionally breaking out of your routine to enjoy some extra “me time” on the weekends, a set sleep schedule can enhance your health and performance. And, on the flip side, throwing your sleep schedule out the window can have some major consequences.
Here’s a breakdown on the importance of a healthy sleep schedule, along with tips from experts on how to get back on track if you stray from your routine.
The art of crafting a healthy sleep schedule
A healthy sleep schedule consists of three things:
- Set wake-up time
- Set bedtime
- Overall sleep duration
These three elements are closely intertwined, says Julia Kogan, a health psychologist who focuses on behavioral sleep medicine at the Department of Veterans Affairs.
“By waking up at a consistent time every day, it helps set our body’s clock, known as the circadian rhythm, which also helps us feel sleepy at the same time every day and have a sufficient window of time for sleep,” she explains. “All of this can help us get good quality sleep and the proper quantity of sleep.”
The importance of keeping a good sleep routine
One of the main reasons why it’s so important to keep a consistent sleep schedule is because of its close ties with your circadian rhythm. Think of this system like your body’s “master clock,” which keeps various physical, mental, and behavioral processes on a 24-hour cycle, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
“Humans really love to have a routine. Having your circadian rhythm all over the place forces you to go into sleep deprivation mode, and it also really confuses our brains,” says Christine Stevens, a sleep consultant for exhausted parents and professionals, and founder of Sleep Solutions by Christine.
Not only is sticking to a set sleep and wake time important for your brain, it has serious benefits to your overall physical health and could potentially extend your life. Recently, a study revealed that better sleep consistency was associated with a significantly lower risk for mortality — those with the most consistent sleep schedule had a 30% lower risk for mortality and a 38% lower cardiometabolic (common and often preventable chronic diseases that affect your cardiovascular system) mortality risk, marking sleep consistency as a more important factor than sleep duration for health.
Keeping your sleep schedule consistent also feeds into how much shut-eye you get and how well that sleep restores your body. Research on college students in Taiwan found that those with more irregular bedtime schedules had an greater likelihood of insufficient sleep and poorer sleep quality.
That, in turn, can affect your quality of life in noticeable ways. It could impair your long-term memory, decision-making abilities, attention span, and other cognitive functions, according to a study in the journal Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment. Scientists have found that sleep quality makes a big difference on your mood, hence why you tend to feel more irritable, sad, angry, or frustrated after a bad night’s sleep.
Sleep deprivation — whether it’s from an irregular sleep schedule or pulling late nights at work — can also harm your productivity, which could have long-term consequences for your career. One study found that people were 19% less productive when they got five to six hours of sleep, and 29% less productive when they got less than five hours of sleep, compared with those who got seven to eight hours of Zzz’s.
Health benefits of a balanced sleep schedule
A balanced sleep schedule can make a noticeable difference in your overall health. A consistent sleep schedule helps ensure you get sufficient sleep, which provides you benefits such as:
- lower stress levels
- better mood
- maintaining a healthy weight
- stronger immune system function
- reduced risk of accidents and injuries
- improved cognitive function
On the other hand, an irregular sleep schedule has the potential to harm your health and well-being, especially if it prevents you from getting enough sleep. Stevens says that being consistently sleep deprived affects your immune system and leaves you more vulnerable to getting sick. “Your body is spending so much energy just trying to keep you going, so it doesn’t have as much energy to devote toward fighting germs,” she explains.
What’s even scarier is the effect of sleep irregularity on your long-term physical health. A 2023 study from the American Heart Association found that people who slept varying amounts each night and kept unpredictable bedtime schedules experienced an increased risk of hardened arteries. It echoed the findings of a 2019 report, which found that inconsistent sleep schedules not only put you at a higher risk of hypertension and high cholesterol, but also increase your risk of experiencing a metabolic issue (like diabetes) by 27%.
A regular sleep schedule may even make an impact on how long you live, according to a 2014 study on adults between 85 and 105 years old. It found that the oldest participants who maintained a strict bedtime and wake-up time had better measurements of cardiovascular health than other adults in the study, which may be a contributing factor to their longevity.
Why our sleep schedules get messed up
Perhaps the most common reason why our sleep schedules get messed up is the weekend. No longer tied down with the commitments of work or school, we can stay up late bingeing our favorite shows or going out with friends, knowing we can sleep in the following morning.
But by the time the weekend’s over, you find yourself struggling with social jet lag or Sunday scaries keeping you up late and feeling groggy when your alarm goes off on Monday morning. Boom — your sleep schedule is thrown off for the start of the week.
Weekends aren’t the only things that can botch your bedtime, though. Here are some other common culprits behind irregular sleep schedules.
Jet lag
Jet lag happens when you travel across time zones quicker than your body’s internal clock can adjust, per the Mayo Clinic.
“It usually only takes a couple of days to adjust to a one- or two-hour time difference, but if you’re talking about a six-hour difference or more, you might need one or two weeks to adjust,” notes Stevens.
Travel
Even if you never leave your time zone, travel itself can interrupt your sleep schedule. Blame it on the “first-night effect,” which keeps half your brain on guard the first night you sleep in a new place (like a hotel). Being on night-watch can lead to reduced sleep time and other sleep problems, which could leave you feeling extra tired well before your bedtime the next day, especially if you’re already exhausted from sightseeing.
Shift work
Shift work might be the ultimate enemy of a regular sleep schedule. Working nontraditional hours forces you to stay awake at times when your body is naturally primed to sleep. Likewise, rotating shifts, in which you work during the day for a little while and then switch to overnight work, make it impossible to stick to a dedicated bedtime.
Recently, a new study looked at the effects of shift work on sleep and found that shift workers were more likely to have a sleep disorder. Additionally, when compared to day workers, researchers found that night workers were more likely to report short sleep, with 50% of night workers reporting less than six hours of sleep. Which is why you might find your sleep schedule is perpetually in shambles as a shift worker.
Parenting
Becoming a parent can wreak havoc on a well-tuned sleep schedule. Between nighttime feedings and getting woken up to deal with wet beds, it’s no wonder parents agree that their sleep was better before having children. In one recent study, parents of children with sleep disorders experienced heightened levels of tension, fatigue, and anger. Parents were also shown to be more vulnerable to high pre-sleep arousal and poor overall sleep, which are indicative of insomnia.
Caffeine
Caffeine might pick you up from an afternoon slump, but that cup of Joe or an energy drink is not doing your sleep schedule any favors. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), consuming caffeine within six hours of your bedtime can cause you to lose an hour of sleep time. Caffeine has also been shown to cause delays in your circadian clock, which scientists say reinforces the advice to avoid the substance late in the day if you want to sleep well.
Stress
Stress can create ripple effects disrupting many elements of your well-being, and sleep is no exception. “Stress can affect your sleep schedule in many ways,” warns Kogan. “It makes it hard to fall asleep and stay asleep. It can also wake you up earlier than you want to.”
Unfortunately, sleep loss can exacerbate stress, making for a self-perpetuating cycle that also includes overwhelmed feelings, irritability, and loss of patience with loved ones, according to the American Psychological Association. That can turn into a sleep-stress cycle that’s difficult to break, no matter how hard you try to stick to a regular bedtime.
Daylight saving time
Adjusting the clocks every spring and fall for daylight saving time causes a communal shift in sleep schedules, so it’s no wonder the AASM advocates for eliminating the practice. For now, it can help to adjust your bedtime gradually in the days leading up to the big clock shift.
How to fix a sleep schedule
If you want to get your sleep schedule back on track, here are some things you can try.
Calculate your bedtime
Chances are good that you have an obligation, like school or work, that drives your morning routine. So work backward from the time you know you need to be awake in the morning to figure out an ideal bedtime that will allow you to get the proper amount of sleep (seven to nine hours for most adults, according to the National Institutes of Health).
If you have more flexibility in your bedtime and wake time, create a sleep schedule that complements your sleep chronotype. Night owls might feel they’re best going to bed at midnight and waking up at 8 a.m., while a lark would probably prefer to doze off around 9 or 10 p.m. and get up before dawn.
Make gradual adjustments
Try to make gradual changes to your sleep schedule. It’s a lot easier to adjust your bedtime by 15 to 20 minutes every few days for a week or two than trying to hit the hay two hours earlier than usual.
Create a bedtime “buffer zone”
Think of the hour before bedtime as your “buffer zone” that can help you wind down and drift off at the right time, says Kogan.
“This is where we’re actively calming the body and mind for bed,” she says. “Power down your devices, listen to light music, read a book, or do other relaxing activities. This can help get your sleep schedule back on track.”
Keep it consistent
Consistency is key when it comes to fixing your sleep schedule. Resist the temptation to stay up late and sleep in on the weekends, or when you discover a great binge-worthy show.
Avoid napping as you adjust
You might feel a little more tired during the day as you adjust to a new sleep schedule, but try to avoid napping.
“Napping can throw things off,” says Kogan. “I highly encourage you to power through the first few days of trying to reset your sleep schedule. You should be feeling better after the first or second day.”
Be patient
As with any new habit, adjusting to a regular sleep schedule can take some time.
“It takes about three weeks for adults to form new habits,” says Stevens. “Any change requires motivation and consistency to help your brain get used to the new way of doing things.”
Finding the best sleep schedule
The exact time you should go to bed and wake up every day varies from person to person. A parent who needs to clothe and dress their kids before the school bus comes at 7:45 a.m. will probably be on a very different sleep schedule than a college student whose first class doesn't start until 11 a.m. Some lucky folks may have complete control over their days and can set a sleep schedule that matches their chronotype.
But what’s important for everyone is to ensure you give yourself enough time in bed to get the amount of sleep they need. “It doesn’t matter which hours you sleep, as long as you’re keeping consistent and feeling well rested when you wake up,” advises Kogan.
Mastering your sleep routine: tips for quality rest
Keeping your sleep routine on track also requires good sleep hygiene and other strategies for promoting restorative slumber. Here are some tips on getting quality rest.
Create a sleeping sanctuary
Dark, quiet, and cool environments help the body slip into sleep mode more easily. Use blackout curtains or an eye mask to block stray light. A white noise machine or ear plugs can help you tune out distracting noises. And consider lowering your thermostat or turning on a fan when bedtime rolls around.
Turn off electronic devices
“The blue wavelength light from screens, including laptops, phones, tablets, and TVs, is almost like standing out in sunshine. It tells our brains that we’re supposed to be awake,” says Stevens.
Keep these devices out of your bedroom and try to avoid them an hour or two before bedtime.
Put stress to bed
Stressful thoughts have the habit of creeping into your mind the moment your head hits the pillow, which can make it hard to fall asleep at your chosen bedtime.
“Being able to deal with stress and anxiety in healthy ways through exercise, meditation, and journaling can help,” says Stevens.
She recommends using a pen and paper to jot down a few positive things that happened during the day and record any lingering worries that you’ll deal with tomorrow. That can help your mind settle.
Get a dose of morning sunshine
Just as you should block light at night to encourage sleep, light is critical as an alertness cue for helping your body set its sleep schedule. Try to get some exposure to natural light in the first hour after your wake-up time.
The benefit of a good sleep schedule
Keeping a consistent sleep schedule is a key factor in healthy sleep. It can help you get the proper amount of sleep, feel rested when you wake up, and avoid tossing and turning at night. Waking up and going to sleep at the same time every day also impacts your health and well-being. You’ll feel better, have higher productivity, and reduce your risk of serious health problems down the road.
Make sure you figure out a bedtime and wake-up time that allows you to get sufficient sleep. Then stick with it as closely as you can — even on weekends. Consistency helps train your body to follow your sleep schedule in a natural way, allowing you to feel rested and energized in the morning and drowsy right when it’s time to catch some Zzz’s.
