Sleep Hygiene Checklist and Diary

Sleep shapes almost everything else. Ongoing poor sleep is linked to a higher risk of heart problems, weight gain, and diabetes, and it wears on relationships too — when you are running on empty, it is harder to feel warmly toward the people closest to you. The good news is that small, steady changes to your habits and your bedroom often make a real difference.

What may be making your sleep worse

Check each one that is true for you most nights.

• [ ] I watch TV in bed
• [ ] I use a phone, tablet, or laptop in the hour before bed
• [ ] I get ready for bed under bright bathroom lights right before sleeping
• [ ] I have caffeine — coffee, tea, cola, energy drinks, or hot chocolate

How many caffeinated drinks do you have in a day? (0–20)

____

What time is your last caffeinated drink, usually?

e.g. Aim for nothing with caffeine after about 6 pm

______________________________________________

• [ ] I drink alcohol in the evening (it tends to break up sleep later in the night)
• [ ] I eat a heavy meal less than three hours before bed
• [ ] I smoke or vape at night when I can't sleep (nicotine is a stimulant)
• [ ] I drink a lot of fluids in the evening
• [ ] I nap during the day
• [ ] I stay in bed awake for a long time when I can't sleep

What tends to help

Check the ones you already do, and circle back to pick one or two to try this week.

• [ ] Moving your body regularly — about 30 minutes, at least three times a week, finishing three or four hours before bed
• [ ] Writing down what's bothering you earlier in the evening, at least an hour before bed, then setting it aside until tomorrow
• [ ] Relaxation practice, such as slow breathing or progressive muscle relaxation
• [ ] A calming bedtime ritual — reading, prayer, meditation, music, journaling, or a warm bath or shower
• [ ] Going to bed when you feel sleepy, and not before
• [ ] Getting out of bed if you're still awake after about 15 minutes, and going somewhere else until you feel sleepy
• [ ] Getting up at the same time every day, and getting bright light — sunlight if you can — soon after waking

Setting up your bedroom for sleep

• Make it as dark as you can — blackout curtains are inexpensive and work well
• Keep it slightly cool
• Save the bed for sleep and sex. If a little reading doesn't make you drowsy, read somewhere else
• Turn the clock away so you can't watch the minutes
• Keep kids and pets out of your bed if their movement wakes you
• If a partner's snoring keeps you up, try earplugs, gently rolling them onto their side, or sleeping in separate rooms for a while

Resetting your wake-up time

• Start with a wake-up time that gives you just barely enough sleep
• Each week, move it 15 minutes later
• Stop adjusting once you start waking a few minutes before the alarm on your own

Snoring or gasping? See a doctor: If you snore loudly, wake up gasping or choking, or still feel exhausted after a full night in bed, talk with your doctor. A physical sleep condition such as sleep apnea can keep sleep from being restful no matter how good your habits are, and it is very treatable.

Seven-day sleep diary

Fill this in each morning. Best guesses are fine — you don't need exact times. Two weeks gives the clearest picture, so start a fresh copy for week two.

My sleep diary

Day 1

• Went to bed: ____________________
• Time to fall asleep: ____________________
• Got up: ____________________
• Woke in the night? How often, how long, got out of bed?: ____________________
• Total sleep: ____________________
• Tiredness (1 = rested, 5 = very tired) (1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5): ____________________
• What I noticed about my habits: ____________________

Day 2

• Went to bed: ____________________
• Time to fall asleep: ____________________
• Got up: ____________________
• Woke in the night? How often, how long, got out of bed?: ____________________
• Total sleep: ____________________
• Tiredness (1 = rested, 5 = very tired) (1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5): ____________________
• What I noticed about my habits: ____________________

Day 3

• Went to bed: ____________________
• Time to fall asleep: ____________________
• Got up: ____________________
• Woke in the night? How often, how long, got out of bed?: ____________________
• Total sleep: ____________________
• Tiredness (1 = rested, 5 = very tired) (1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5): ____________________
• What I noticed about my habits: ____________________

Day 4

• Went to bed: ____________________
• Time to fall asleep: ____________________
• Got up: ____________________
• Woke in the night? How often, how long, got out of bed?: ____________________
• Total sleep: ____________________
• Tiredness (1 = rested, 5 = very tired) (1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5): ____________________
• What I noticed about my habits: ____________________

Day 5

• Went to bed: ____________________
• Time to fall asleep: ____________________
• Got up: ____________________
• Woke in the night? How often, how long, got out of bed?: ____________________
• Total sleep: ____________________
• Tiredness (1 = rested, 5 = very tired) (1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5): ____________________
• What I noticed about my habits: ____________________

Day 6

• Went to bed: ____________________
• Time to fall asleep: ____________________
• Got up: ____________________
• Woke in the night? How often, how long, got out of bed?: ____________________
• Total sleep: ____________________
• Tiredness (1 = rested, 5 = very tired) (1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5): ____________________
• What I noticed about my habits: ____________________

Day 7

• Went to bed: ____________________
• Time to fall asleep: ____________________
• Got up: ____________________
• Woke in the night? How often, how long, got out of bed?: ____________________
• Total sleep: ____________________
• Tiredness (1 = rested, 5 = very tired) (1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5): ____________________
• What I noticed about my habits: ____________________

The diary tells the truth: How you feel you slept and how you actually slept are often different. A week of honest notes shows you which habits really matter for you — and turns “I never sleep” into a pattern you can change.

Go deeper

Ready for more? These lessons pick up where this worksheet leaves off.

• The Body, from The Neurodivergent Brain. The physical side of neurodivergence: interoception, co-occurring conditions (EDS/hypermobility, POTS, gut, sleep), and sensory sensitivity.
• ADHD Rarely Travels Alone, from The Adult ADHD Course. ADHD's common companions — anxiety, depression, autism (AuDHD), and sleep — and how to untangle which thread is which so each gets the right help.