Follow a Sleep Schedule

Quick Win

To support your brain health, aim for the same sleep and wake times every day.

Try This Today

• Go to bed for a few nights without setting an alarm clock and see what time you wake up. If you work, try this on your days off. Designate this as your wake time.
• Count back ​eight​ hours and make that your bedtime. [Make it ​nine​ hours if it takes you a while to drift off.] Hit the sheets every night at that time.
• Set your alarm every morning for your designated wake time.
• Try not to deviate too far from this schedule — such as staying up late to finish a movie or sleeping in on the weekends.

Why

Having a regular sleep-wake schedule is related to better sleep and better brain health, according to AARP’s Global Council on Brain Health 2016 report “The Brain-Sleep Connection.” The group wrote, “Getting up at the same time each day helps maintain a regular sleep cycle. Instituting good sleep routines (sometimes called sleep hygiene) by getting 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night, creating an environment conducive to sleep, keeping regular bed-time routines, and getting enough exercise and outdoor light exposure during the day can help people maintain good sleep patterns throughout their lives.”