11 Simple Self-Care Tips for Better Sleep This Autumn

Small, science-backed habits that can help you unwind, sleep more comfortably and make better rest part of your everyday routine.

You've made time to unwind, put your phone away and finally settled into bed. But somehow, a good night's sleep still doesn't always follow.

The surprising part? Better sleep isn't only about what you do in the moments before bedtime. Your morning light exposure, daily habits and even the temperature around your skin can influence how comfortably you sleep.

Here are 11 simple ways to make better sleep part of your self-care routine.

The science: Better sleep starts before bedtime

Sleep is far from passive. While you rest, your brain moves through different stages of non-REM and REM sleep that support memory, emotional processing and physical restoration.

But time spent in bed isn't the same as time spent sleeping well. Frequent disturbances can interrupt the natural progression of sleep, even when you don't remember waking up.

As the National Institutes of Health explains, sleep plays an essential role in healthy brain function, physical health and emotional well-being.

And here's where sleep science gets particularly interesting: some of the habits that support better sleep seem almost counterintuitive. A warm shower can help your body release heat. Writing tomorrow's to-do list may help you fall asleep faster. And sometimes, trying harder to fall asleep can actually work against you.

Understanding these connections makes it easier to build a self-care routine around what your body really needs.

11 self-care habits for better sleep

1. Start your bedtime routine in the morning

It might sound counterintuitive, but one of the most useful things you can do for your sleep happens shortly after waking.

Natural daylight helps signal to your internal body clock that it's daytime, supporting the rhythm that regulates alertness and sleepiness.

Try this: Step outside for some natural daylight early in the day, even if it's cloudy.

2. Give your body a regular wake-up time

Sleeping in after a busy week can feel like the ultimate act of self-care. But large changes in your sleep schedule can make it harder to maintain a consistent body clock.

A relatively regular wake-up time helps reinforce your circadian rhythm, making your sleep schedule more predictable.

Try this: Aim to wake up at roughly the same time each day, including weekends, while still allowing yourself enough sleep.

3. Trying to stay awake might help you fall asleep

It sounds contradictory, but the harder you try to fall asleep, the more difficult sleep can sometimes become.

Researchers have studied a technique called paradoxical intention, which involves taking the pressure off falling asleep rather than actively trying to make it happen. A systematic review published in the Journal of Sleep Research found that this approach may help reduce insomnia symptoms and sleep-related performance anxiety.

Try this: If you're struggling to drift off, stop treating sleep as something you need to achieve. Allow yourself to rest quietly without constantly checking whether you're falling asleep.

4. Give caffeine an earlier cut-off

That afternoon coffee might feel like a small moment of self-care, but caffeine can stay active in your system for hours.

Because sensitivity varies from person to person, caffeine consumed later in the day may affect your ability to fall asleep or sleep comfortably.

Try this: Experiment with moving your last caffeinated drink earlier and notice whether your evenings feel different.

5. Take a warm shower to help your body cool down

A warm shower might seem like an unusual way to prepare your body for cooler sleep. But the science suggests otherwise.

Warm water increases blood flow to the skin, helping the body release heat as it cools afterwards. A systematic review found that taking a warm bath or shower around one to two hours before bedtime may help people fall asleep faster.

Try this: Enjoy a comfortably warm shower or bath an hour or two before bed, allowing time for your body to cool down naturally afterwards.

Read the study published in Sleep Medicine Reviews.

6. Write tomorrow's to-do list before bed

Sometimes, it's not the day behind us that keeps us awake. It's everything waiting for us tomorrow.

Interestingly, a small sleep-laboratory study found that people who spent five minutes writing a specific to-do list before bed fell asleep faster than those who wrote about tasks they had already completed.

The researchers suggest that putting unfinished tasks on paper may help reduce bedtime worries, although larger studies are needed to understand how widely this applies.

Try this: Before bed, spend five minutes writing down tomorrow's tasks. Be specific, then give yourself permission to leave them until morning.

Read the study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General.

7. Create a little space between your day and your night

Your body doesn't always move instantly from a busy day into restful sleep.

A predictable wind-down routine can help establish a transition. Reading, listening to calming music or simply taking time away from demanding tasks can make the evening feel less rushed.

Try this: Set aside 30 minutes before bed for something that helps you slow down, without feeling you need to be productive.

8. More time in bed doesn't always mean better sleep

After a restless night, going to bed earlier or staying under the covers longer might seem like the best way to recover. But for people experiencing insomnia, spending too much time awake in bed can sometimes make sleep more fragmented.

This is one of the principles behind sleep restriction therapy, a behavioural treatment for insomnia. As outlined in clinical practice guidelines published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, carefully adjusting time spent in bed can help consolidate sleep and reduce nighttime wakefulness. The goal isn't to sleep less, but to sleep more efficiently.

Try this: Avoid going to bed unusually early simply to compensate for a poor night. Instead, aim for a consistent routine that allows enough time for sleep, and go to bed when you feel sleepy.

9. Keep your bedroom comfortably cool

Here's something that may surprise you: falling asleep involves a natural change in body temperature.

As your body prepares for sleep, its core temperature begins to decline. A bedroom that's too warm can make it harder to feel comfortable, while excessive cold can also disturb rest.

Try this: Keep your bedroom comfortably cool and adjust your bedding to suit your individual temperature needs.

10. Warm your feet to help your body release heat

Warm feet might seem like the opposite of what you need for a cooler night's sleep.

But research suggests that warming the skin of the hands and feet can support the body's natural heat-release process as it prepares for sleep. A study published in Nature identified blood-vessel dilation in the hands and feet as an important predictor of how quickly people fell asleep.

Try this: If your feet tend to feel cold at bedtime, try a pair of comfortable socks. The goal is gentle warmth, not overheating.

11. Pay attention to the comfort closest to your skin

Your bedroom temperature is only part of the picture.

The conditions directly around your skin, sometimes called the sleep microclimate, also influence nighttime comfort. Bedding and sleepwear affect how warmth and moisture are retained or released.

Feeling too warm, damp or cold can become a source of discomfort, even when the room itself seems perfectly comfortable.

Try this: Choose breathable bedding and sleepwear that suit your personal temperature needs, and pay attention to whether you feel too warm or cold during the night.

Better sleep is self-care you can practise every night

Self-care doesn't have to mean doing more. Sometimes, it's about making small changes that give your body the conditions it needs to rest.

You don't need to adopt all 11 habits at once. Start with one that feels manageable and build from there.

Better sleep isn't about creating the perfect bedtime routine. It's about supporting your body's natural need for rest, one night at a time.

The Dagsmejan approach to sleep comfort

At Dagsmejan, we believe understanding the body's natural sleeping needs is the starting point for better sleepwear.

Developed in Switzerland, our performance sleepwear combines carefully selected fibres with innovative textile technologies designed to support temperature regulation, moisture management and nighttime comfort.

Our Balance collection, powered by NATTWELL™ technology, is designed for breathable, temperature-regulating comfort throughout the night.

Discover more about why a balanced temperature is key to better sleep, or explore our science-backed guide to better sleep for further practical guidance.