How you sleep at night certainly affects how you feel the following day. But you may not realize that what you do in the morning can affect how you sleep at night.
Getting into good daily habits when you first wake up, such as exercising, meditating, and eating a nutritious breakfast, can definitely set you up for better sleep at the end of the day, explains Peter Polos, MD, PhD, a sleep medicine specialist at Hackensack Meridian Health in Edison, New Jersey.
“Your daily routine directly impacts the quality of sleep you’re going to get at night,” he says.
Here are seven things that Dr. Polos and other sleep experts do early in the day to make sure they sleep soundly at night.
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1. Wake Up at the Same Time Every Day
You may be tempted to “catch up” on your sleep over the weekend, but Michael Breus, PhD, a clinical psychologist and sleep medicine expert based in Manhattan Beach, California, recommends waking up at the same time every day, even on the weekends.
Based on an overwhelming body of evidence, the National Sleep Foundation’s sleep timing and variability panel agreed in a consensus statement that regular sleep schedules are important for various measures of health and performance, including sleep duration and sleep quality.
However, when you don’t get enough sleep during the workweek (experts recommend that adults get at least seven hours per night), getting one to two extra hours on non-workdays may be beneficial, the panel added.
2. Get Out of Bed Right Away
For better sleep at night, don’t prolong getting out of bed in the morning. “When I wake up, the first thing I do is get out of my bed,” Polos says. “The bed should be reserved for sleep and sex, and when you spend too much time relaxing in bed in the morning, it prevents your mind and body from associating sleep with the bed.”
3. Open Your Blinds
After getting out of bed, Polos lets the light in. “The next thing I do [after waking up] is open my blinds,” he says. Why? “Experiencing daylight first thing in the morning triggers your mind to know it’s time to be awake.”
In the morning, as light exposure increases, your brain stops producing melatonin, a hormone that regulates your sleep-wake cycle and makes you feel sleepy. Your body temperature also rises, making you feel awake. Conversely, as the sun sets in the evening, your brain begins producing melatonin and your core body temperature drops, making you feel less alert.
In other words, for optimal sleep, you want your sleep-wake cycle to align with your body’s natural circadian rhythms.
The Sleep Foundation recommends getting at least 30 minutes of early exposure to daylight each day, either by stepping outside or letting natural light in through the windows, in order to align your sleep-wake pattern and make it easier to sleep at night.
4. Meditate First Thing in the Morning
Though more research is needed, one review suggests that mindfulness meditation may improve sleep quality.
Breus likes to start his day by meditating, and recommends the Muse headband, which includes several meditation practices and tracks some brain activity while you use it.
5. Do Breathwork
Breus also recommends doing breathwork to improve sleep. One small pilot trial found that slow breathing exercise prior to bedtime may improve some aspects of sleep, although more research is needed.
Other studies have found that mindful breathing can help improve insomnia and sleep quality.
6. Exercise on the Early Side
Polos’s morning routine includes exercise on most days. He does a cardio rowing and weight-training combination workout (usually for about 45 to 60 minutes) three to four times a week, and swims one day per week.
Getting enough to moderate- to high-intensity exercise comes with many health benefits, including improving sleep quality and preventing insomnia, notes one review.
But it’s important to point out that exercise, particularly higher-intensity exercise, raises your body’s core body temperature, and may actually make it tougher to fall asleep.
“If you can fit in a workout in your morning routine, I’d recommend doing it then rather than at night for that very reason,” Polos says.
Physical activity late in the evening may also lower levels of melatonin and make it harder to sleep, the review says.
But Polos adds that the extent to which various types of exercise affect your sleep also depends in large part on the individual. You might find that choosing a lower-impact workout like yoga, stretching, or brisk walking doesn’t impact your sleep at all, he says.
7. Eat a Balanced Breakfast
Polos says he doesn’t skip breakfast. He chooses a balanced meal that usually includes protein, some fat, and some carbohydrates within two hours of waking up. “Prior to the gym, I usually have a banana, yogurt, or some lightly buttered toast and water. Then when I come home, I have breakfast.” Breakfast might include cereal and milk, eggs, or oatmeal, as well as fruit and coffee.
“The morning fuel we take in can have a major impact on how we function during the day,” Polos adds.
One narrative review found that eating a balanced diet, including high-fiber meals that contain sufficient protein, carbohydrates, and fats, has a positive effect on sleep quality.
The Takeaway
What you do first thing in the morning can help prep your body for a good night’s sleep in the evening.
Exercising, meditating, and eating a balanced breakfast early in the day are just some of the healthy habits that can set you up for better sleep at the end of the day.
Having a regular sleep schedule, avoiding the bed when it’s not bedtime, and making sure you are exposed to natural light every day can also help you sleep better at night.
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
Helaakoski V et al. The importance of sleep regularity: a consensus statement of the National Sleep Foundation sleep timing and variability panel. Sleep Health. December 2023.
Bryan L et al. Circadian Rhythm. Sleep Foundation. March 15, 2024.
Rusch HL et al. The effect of mindfulness meditation on sleep quality: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. December 21, 2018.
Kuula L et al. The Effects of Presleep Slow Breathing and Music Listening on Polysomnographic Sleep Measures – a pilot trial. Scientific Reports. May 4, 2020.
Su H et al. Effects of mindful breathing combined with sleep-inducing exercises in patients with insomnia. World Journal of Clinical Cases. October 16, 2021.
Sejbuk M et al. Sleep Quality: A Narrative Review on Nutrition, Stimulants, and Physical Activity as Important Factors. Nutrients. May 2, 2022.
Abhinav Singh, MD, is a board-certified sleep medicine specialist and the medical director of the Indiana Sleep Center. He is also an associate clinical professor at Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Indianapolis, where he developed and teaches a sleep medicine rotation.
Dr. Singh’s research and clinical practice focus on sleep disorders, including excessive daytime sleepiness, narcolepsy, sleep apnea, insomnia, and sleep education.
Singh is a peer reviewer for the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, Sleep Health (from the National Sleep Foundation) and the Journal of Sleep Disorders: Treatment and Care, and is coauthor of the book Sleep to Heal: 7 Simple Steps to Better Sleep. He has received several Top Doctor recognitions and is the sleep specialist for the Indiana Pacers NBA team.
He lives in the Indianapolis area and enjoys music production and racquet sports.
Leah Groth is a Philadelphia-based writer and editor specializing in health, wellness, and lifestyle. She regularly contributes to top media outlets, including VeryWell, InStyle, Cosmopolitan, Women's Health, Reader's Digest, Health, CBS, Prevention, Harper's Bazaar, Woman's Day, Marie Claire, Woman's World, Parents, Livestrong, BestLife, and mindbodygreen.
Whether composing an essay about her personal addiction struggles for Babble, curating an expert-driven slide show about foods that promote weight loss on Prevention, or interviewing an internationally renowned physician about the celery juice craze for Livestrong, she is fully immersed in every assignment, delivering superior content her clients are proud to publish.
