Sleep habits, with sources
Five habits people ask about, what official health bodies and published research actually say, and a 7-night way to test each one. No supplements, no products.
The habits
- A 9pm bedtimeIs a 9pm bedtime worth trying? Official sources (CDC, NHS, NHLBI) say regular times and enough hours matter, not one magic clock time.Official guidance supports regular times and enough hours, not 9pm in particular
- Brown noise for sleepDoes brown noise help you sleep? A 2021 systematic review rated the evidence for continuous noise as a sleep aid very low and noted it may also disrupt sleep.Limited and mixed: the best systematic review rates the evidence very low
- Wind-down routine (20 minutes)A 20-minute evening routine with a built-in timer, based on NHS and NHLBI advice: dim the lights, a warm wash or bath, a printed book, slow breathing.Consistent with official guidance (NHS, NHLBI); exact timings are our suggestion
- Sleep and lightWhat NHLBI and the NHS say about light and sleep: daylight outside, no bright screens in the last hour, a dark bedroom.Consistent with official guidance (NHLBI, NHS) plus one small lab study
- Caffeine cut-offThe NHS advises no tea, coffee, alcohol or smoking at least 6 hours before bed; NHLBI says caffeine can last up to 8 hours.Consistent with official guidance (NHS, NHLBI) and one peer-reviewed study
How it works
- Pick one habit and read what the sources say.
- Try it for 7 nights and tick each night.
- Add the sleep sounds with a timer, and keep a streak with friends in the Bedtime Challenge. When you are rested, Meet & Mint shows events and people near you.
Your 7-night log
Tick what you did, and rate how rested you felt the next morning. Stored on this device only.
Questions
Is this medical advice?
No. It is general information summarising public guidance. See a doctor if sleep problems persist.
Where do the claims come from?
From the NHS, the US CDC and NHLBI, and peer-reviewed abstracts. Every page lists its sources with links and dates.
Do you recommend supplements?
No. These pages recommend no supplement, drug or product.
Does the 7-night log send my data anywhere?
No. It is stored in your browser on this device and works offline.
Sources used on these pages
- NHS: Insomnia
Page reviewed 19 March 2024; checked 2026-10-19 - NHLBI (US National Institutes of Health): Healthy sleep habits
Page updated 24 March 2022; checked 2026-10-19 - US CDC: About sleep
Page dated 15 May 2024; checked 2026-10-19 - Riedy SM, Smith MG, Rocha S, Basner M. Noise as a sleep aid: a systematic review. Sleep Med Rev 2021;55:101385
Peer-reviewed abstract, published Feb 2021; record verified 2026-10-19 - Drake C, Roehrs T, Shambroom J, Roth T. Caffeine effects on sleep taken 0, 3, or 6 hours before going to bed. J Clin Sleep Med 2013;9(11):1195-1200
Peer-reviewed abstract, published 15 Nov 2013; record verified 2026-10-19 - Chang AM, Aeschbach D, Duffy JF, Czeisler CA. Evening use of light-emitting eReaders negatively affects sleep, circadian timing, and next-morning alertness. PNAS 2015;112(4):1232-1237
Peer-reviewed abstract, published 27 Jan 2015; record verified 2026-10-19
Join the Bedtime Challenge Open the noise player Clocks go back: 4-night plan Calm down in the day: noisecalm.app