Why a Consistent Sleep Schedule Matters

Going to sleep at the same time each night and waking up at the same time each morning may sound, well, boring. However, keeping an unchanging sleep schedule offers numerous health benefits you probably don’t want to miss.

A consistent sleep routine assists with productivity and overall feelings of well-being. And by the way, that consistent sleep schedule includes weekends and holidays (commence groans here)!

Hopefully, this article will give you enough positive information to want to stick to that schedule.

How to Stick to a Sleep Schedule

Sticking to a sleep schedule is just like shaping any other habit, it takes time and effort. On average, a habit takes about 66 days to form. Keep this in mind when trying and sticking to anything new.

It all takes commitment and work, but then most important things in life do. And getting into the habit of a sleep schedule? Never underestimate how important of action this can be to your overall well-being.

And the bottom line? When it comes to sleeping, your body craves consistency. Your brain and body work best when on a set routine. And part of that routine is a consistent sleep schedule.

According to Everyday Health magazine, your brain releases hormones that make you sleepy and awake at certain times. [1] The more you stick to a regular schedule, the stronger those sleep and wake signals get (meaning, you spend less time trying to fall asleep or tossing and turning).

Health Benefits of a Sleep Schedule

Just as exercise and nutrition are paramount to a healthy lifestyle, so is keeping to a sleep schedule.

Sleep Study: A recent study has concluded that maintaining a consistent sleep schedule is more important than getting more sleep.

Below are some of the many benefits people who stuck with a sleep schedule achieve:

1. They were more likely to maintain a healthy weight.
2. They got sick less often.
3. They decreased their risk for serious health issues like diabetes and heart disease.
4. They had lower overall levels of stress and improved mood.
5. They were more focused with fewer issues of brain fog.
6. They got along better with people. [2]

Best Sleep Schedule for Health

According to the Mayo Clinic, it goes without saying that sticking to a schedule is the best thing you can do to ensure that you get proper rest. [3] The recommended number of hours for an adult is typically between 7-8.

Anything more or less usually doesn’t allow a person to feel rested.

The Importance of Sleep

We all know from personal experience that getting the right amount of quality sleep each night helps us think clearly and feel our best. So much so that sleep is recognized as one of the four pillars of health (experts widely agree that exercise, proper nutrition, and relaxation are the other three). When we don’t sleep or get junk sleep, we cannot be our best. Sleep is never overrated!

Read More: What is Sleep Health and Why is It Important?

Committing to and sticking to a consistent sleep schedule helps you to build on a healthy life by getting the right amount of sleep for your own unique individual needs and in fact, going to sleep and waking up at about the same time each day (don’t forget!

Even on holidays and weekends) makes it so much easier to fall asleep at night. Your body craves that training and schedule, which shows by feeling refreshed and restored when you wake in the morning.

How to Fix a Sleep Schedule

Sometimes people don’t think that they can keep a sleep schedule, or the one they typically use is somehow “broken” and not allowing them to get restful, quality sleep. Or some people have a difficult time actually starting a schedule.

Below are some simple tips to fix that schedule.

Tip 1. Stick to a Schedule

It’s the most obvious one. We can’t say it enough! Going to bed and waking up at the same time each day over time will allow you to have that schedule and soon enough, your body and your mind will thank you. And have we mentioned that you need to stick to that schedule on weekends and holidays, yep, we said it again.

Tip 2. Discover Your Perfect Bedtime

One of the best ways to repair your sleep schedule is to assure you set aside enough time each night to get proper rest. That means figuring out the time that works best for you actually to go to sleep. A perfect bedtime is a unique thing. Each person requires a somewhat different one that works best for them.

Tip 3: Skip Weekend Sleep-Ins

We get it. We truly understand. It's nice to sleep late on the weekends. Some people even feel that it's the only way they are actually able to catch up on lost weekday sleep. Unfortunately, sleeping in on the weekends only makes it more difficult to wake up at the right time during the week.

Get Some Exercise

Fact. When we exercise, we sleep better. [4] The only caveat to this tip is to avoid vigorous exercise before bed. It can exhaust you physically but amp you up mentally.

Read More: Does Exercise Help You Sleep?

Tip 5: Be Mindful

Be mindful of caffeine, alcohol, and tobacco products close to bedtime. All three of these things can interfere with a person’s sleep schedule and ability to fall and stay asleep.

Tip 6 Limit Electronic Devices

Stop the scroll/ power off the electronic devices. Try to limit the time spent on electronics close to sleep time. Take it a step further and shut them off at night. The tiny lights they emit interfere with sleep.

Read More: Does Blue Light Keep You Awake?

Tip 7: Sleep Temperature

This one is our favorite. Sleep at the right temperature. This actually means falling asleep at the right temperature and then staying asleep at the right temperature. Our Sleep Systems are the perfect antidote to do just that.

Science has proven that cool sleep is better sleep. And in order to sleep great throughout the night, you need to sleep at the correct temperature. For most, that means climbing into a nice warm bed and having the temperature cool down while you are sleeping.

What to Do If Nothing Works

In rare instances, a sleep disorder could be why no sleep schedule will work for you. In a recent blog post titled Common Types of Sleep Disorders, we discussed in-depth the most typical sleep disorders.

If you believe you may suffer from one, we recommend you seek the advice of a medical professional.

A sleep disorder is recognized as a disturbance to sleep that happens on a regular basis. [5]

Some of the more common signs and symptoms of sleep disorders are:

• Trouble falling or staying asleep.
• Still tired after a good night’s sleep.
• Sleepiness in the daytime makes it difficult to accomplish your normal day-to-day activities.
• Loud snoring.
• Gasping or pausing in breathing while sleeping.
• An extreme level of difficulty in moving when you first wake up.[6]

Conclusion

Overall, the biggest takeaway from keeping a regular, daily sleep schedule is that it’s good for your health and your overall daily life. A sleep schedule allows a person to maintain the timing of their internal clock and assists in helping them fall asleep, stay asleep and wake easier.

Even if a sleep schedule isn’t always perfect, making just a few small changes to your sleep routine will change your sleep drastically.