The #1 Afternoon Habit to Start for Better Sleep, According to Sleep Doctors

Are you among the 40% of Americans who have fallen asleep in the middle of the day (unintentionally) in the last month? Clearly, you’re not alone. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 1 in 3 adults are not getting the amount of sleep their body needs to perform at its best.

Do you feel like you’ve tried “all the things” to get a better night’s sleep—kicking caffeine after lunch, avoiding post-dinner snacking and nixing the nightcap beverage—yet something isn’t clicking and you’re still falling short on shut-eye? Rest assured, we hear you loud and clear. We asked a team of sleep experts to share their top afternoon habit in the name of better sleep. Their response? Getting ample afternoon sunshine.

Why Getting Afternoon Sunshine Is the #1 Habit for Better Sleep 

Helps Regulate Circadian Rhythm 

Getting outside for some afternoon sunshine may be the gatekeeper to help regulate your body’s natural sleep cycle. Raj Dasgupta, M.D., chief medical advisor for Sleepopolis, shares, “Afternoon sunlight exposure plays a key role in regulating your circadian rhythm, which governs your body’s sleep-wake cycle. That burst of bright light, especially between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., can help anchor your internal clock, making it easier to fall asleep at night and wake up feeling more refreshed.”

Research supports this theory too, highlighting the disruptive effects low sunlight exposure had on sleep and circadian rhythm during the COVID-19 pandemic. While individuals may have stayed in bed longer due to restrictions in place, this doesn’t mean they logged more zzz’s necessarily. Instead, it showed a sense of social jet lag, in which their natural ability to get up and go was delayed. 

Supports Vitamin D Levels 

Research shows that a deficiency in vitamin D can impact your sleep health, influencing sleep quality. While you can get vitamin D in your diet from foods like salmon and fortified products or even from a supplement, your body also makes it from sunlight exposure. A study found that vitamin D levels increased in both younger and older adults when exposed to sunlight for 30 minutes around midday (when sunshine is at its peak). Incorporating an early-afternoon walk in the sun is an easy way to naturally boost your vitamin D for better sleep health.

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It May Get You Moving

Morning and midday exercise has been shown to be an important strategy to help improve sleep health. Research shows that regular exercise improved sleep quality and shortened the time it took individuals to fall asleep. Marie-Pierre St-Onge, Ph.D, CCSH, FAHA, director of the Center of Excellence for Sleep & Circadian Research at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, is a big proponent of implementing this strategy in the name of better sleep. “Daytime light exposure is associated with better alertness, which could have double utility: Taking a brief walk outside in the afternoon would get people moving and exposed to natural bright light. Both have benefits for sleep and overall health!”

Increases Cognitive Performance 

If you’re feeling like that afternoon nap is calling your name more than you care to admit, getting an afternoon bout of sunshine (even through an office window) may be the best thing you can do. A study explored this topic and found that office workers who received sunlight exposure (via their office desk window) not only logged 37 more minutes of sleep but also scored 42% higher on a test designed to evaluate their ability to make complex and smart decisions.

Depending on where you work, sitting near an office window might not be feasible. But any sunlight is better than no sunlight. Consider taking your meetings in a location with sunlight exposure or opt for a walking meeting outdoors. 

Other Strategies for Better Sleep 

Logging that sunshine may be a top choice, but it’s not the only strategy to implement to improve your sleep hygiene. Clinical sleep psychologist Leah Kaylor, Ph.D. PLLC, shares, “As adults, we have the tendency to go, go, go! There needs to be a shift from wakefulness to a state that prepares the mind and body for rest.” 

Consider Kaylor’s other recommendations to sleep better tonight. 

• Limit Caffeine Intake After 2 p.m. Caffeine is a stimulant that works by blocking adenosine, a key brain chemical that promotes sleepiness. But, it takes about four to six hours to metabolize caffeine, meaning if you have a cup of coffee at 2 p.m., a portion of that caffeine may still be in your system at bedtime. This can interfere with your body’s natural wind-down process. Instead, opt for a comforting cup of herbal tea if you’re looking for something to sip on. 
• Set a Consistent Sleep Schedule. Consistency reinforces your internal clock and improves sleep quality. While you may have an occasional night out (maintaining a social life is important too), in general, aim to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day—even on weekends. 
• Stop Eating Three Hours Before Bed. In most cases, you want to wrap up your eating about three hours before bed. Breaking down food requires energy and activates muscles throughout your digestive system. Eating late forces these organs to remain active when they should be resting, preventing them from repairing microdamage and restoring optimal function.
• Limit Alcohol. While alcohol’s sedative properties may initially promote sleep, the quality of that sleep is significantly affected. People who use alcohol as a sleep aid often wake up feeling tired, groggy or unrested due to disruptions in their sleep, including reduced deep sleep, frequent awakenings and shallow rest.
• Implement a Wind-Down Routine Two Hours Before Bed.
  Embrace a wind-down routine tailored to your interests and realities. This is important to signal to your body that it’s time to rest. Consider journaling, gentle stretching, meditation, a warm bath or other activities that bring you joy (without an adrenaline rush!).
• Limit Screen Time One Hour Before Bed. Minimize your exposure to blue light via your everyday electronics. Blue light shares the same wavelength as sunlight and is particularly effective at suppressing production of melatonin, a hormone that helps us fall asleep. Exposure to light when you’re trying to rest confuses the brain into thinking it’s still daytime, affecting the body’s ability to wind down in preparation for sleep.

Our Expert Take 

Sleep experts agree that getting afternoon sunshine is one of the best strategies you can implement to log better sleep. Daylight sun exposure benefits your circadian rhythm, helping regulate your sleep-wake cycle. Plus, it helps increase your body’s natural vitamin D levels (which may be impacting the quality of sleep, if you’re deficient). The bright side of this habit is that it’s cost-free and adds some additional activity into your day, another bonus for better sleep health.