Sleep Hygiene Checklist

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  1. Consistent Bedtime

  Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, including weekends.

  Irregular sleep schedules confuse your circadian rhythm. Pick a bedtime and stick to it within a 30-minute window. Your body will begin producing melatonin on cue within 3-5 days.
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  2. No Screens 1 Hour Before Bed

  Put away phones, tablets, and laptops at least 60 minutes before sleep.

  Blue light from screens suppresses melatonin production by up to 50%. Switch to a book, gentle stretching, or conversation. If you must use a device, enable warm-tone night mode and reduce brightness to minimum.
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  3. Cool Bedroom (18-20°C)

  Set your AC to 18-20°C for sleep. Body temperature drop triggers drowsiness.

  In Dubai, bedrooms often stay too warm even with AC. Set yours to 20°C before bed. Your core body temperature needs to drop by about 1°C to initiate sleep. A cool room accelerates this process.
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  4. No Caffeine After 2pm

  Caffeine has a half-life of 5-6 hours. Afternoon coffee stays in your system at bedtime.

  That 4pm coffee still has 50% of its caffeine active at 10pm. Switch to herbal tea (chamomile, chrysanthemum) after 2pm. If you rely on afternoon caffeine to stay alert, that itself may signal a sleep debt worth addressing.
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  5. Daily Exercise (Not Late Evening)

  30 minutes of moderate exercise improves sleep quality, but finish 3+ hours before bed.

  Exercise raises core temperature and cortisol. Both need time to come down before sleep onset is possible. Morning or early afternoon sessions are ideal. If evening is your only option, choose gentle yoga or walking over intense cardio.
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  6. Dark Room

  Use blackout curtains or an eye mask. Even small light leaks disrupt melatonin.

  Dubai apartments often have light gaps around curtains and standby LEDs on electronics. Cover all light sources with tape, invest in blackout curtains rated for UAE sun, or use a contoured sleep mask that does not press on the eyes.
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  7. No Alcohol as Sleep Aid

  Alcohol may help you fall asleep but fragments sleep architecture and reduces REM.

  Alcohol blocks REM sleep, the restorative stage responsible for memory consolidation and emotional processing. Even one drink within 3 hours of bedtime measurably reduces sleep quality. Replace the nightcap with a warm, non-caffeinated drink.
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  8. Relaxation Routine

  Establish a 15-20 minute wind-down ritual: breathing exercises, gentle stretching, or reading.

  Your nervous system needs a transition signal between wakefulness and sleep. Try box breathing (4 counts in, 4 hold, 4 out, 4 hold) for 5 minutes, followed by 10 minutes of reading physical material. Consistency matters more than the specific activity.
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  9. Acupressure: HT7 Self-Massage

  Press the Shenmen point on your inner wrist for 2-3 minutes before bed to calm the mind.

  Find HT7 (Shenmen) at the crease of your wrist on the pinky side, in the small depression between the tendons. Apply firm but gentle circular pressure for 2-3 minutes on each wrist. This activates the same calming pathway targeted during clinical acupuncture for insomnia.
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  10. Limit Naps to 20 Minutes

  Long daytime naps reduce sleep pressure and make nighttime sleep harder to initiate.

  If you nap, keep it under 20 minutes and before 2pm. Longer naps enter deep sleep stages, leaving you groggy (sleep inertia) and reducing the adenosine buildup your body needs to feel sleepy at night. Set an alarm.

For persistent insomnia that does not respond to sleep hygiene improvements alone, professional TCM treatment addresses root causes that lifestyle changes cannot reach.