3-2-1 Sleep

Your easy nightly wind-down routine for deeper rest

If you’ve been lying awake at night wondering why good sleep feels so hard to come by, you’re not alone. Between screen time, late dinners, and work stress, we often go to bed with our minds still racing. But what if there was a simple, science-backed routine to help your brain and body shift into sleep mode—without apps, supplements, or expensive gadgets?

Enter the 3-2-1 Sleep Method: a refreshingly simple formula to follow each evening that helps you wind down and fall asleep faster.

Here’s how it works:

3 Hours Before Bed – Stop Eating or Drinking

Eating too close to bedtime can interfere with digestion, raise your core body temperature, and even cause sleep disruptions like heartburn or frequent trips to the bathroom. Alcohol? It might make you drowsy, but it actually fragments your sleep and reduces REM. Try to finish dinner and any beverages including water at least three hours before your head hits the pillow.

2 Hours Before Bed – Shut Down Work

Whether you're replying to that one last email or just mentally recapping your to-do list, working too late keeps your mind active and alert—exactly the opposite of what it needs before bed. At the two-hour mark, close the laptop, silence your notifications, and shift to a calming routine. If you need to drink water, try to stop 2 hours prior to sleeping. Journaling, organizing for tomorrow, or prepping your clothes can help ease your transition from “work mode” to “wind down.”

1 Hour Before Bed – Power Down Screens

TVs, tablets, and phones emit blue light that disrupts your body’s natural production of melatonin, the hormone that tells your body it’s time to sleep. Even more, the content we scroll through can spike anxiety or excitement—two feelings that don’t mix well with rest. Try switching to screen-free activities like reading, stretching, taking a warm bath, or listening to calming music.

Why It Works

This method supports your natural circadian rhythm, which is essentially your body’s internal clock. Each “step” in the 3-2-1 routine gives your mind and body one less reason to stay awake, allowing you to ease into deeper, higher-quality sleep—consistently.

Bonus Tip: No Snooze Button

While not technically part of the “3-2-1,” sleep experts often recommend avoiding the snooze button in the morning. Why? Hitting snooze interrupts your sleep cycle and can leave you feeling groggier. Instead, aim to get up with your first alarm and give yourself a peaceful, unrushed morning start.

Final Thoughts

You don’t have to overhaul your whole life to get better sleep—just a few intentional changes can make a big difference. The 3-2-1 Sleep Method is easy to remember, even easier to follow, and doesn’t cost a thing. So tonight, give it a try. Your future well-rested self will thank you.