My best tips to sleep better for depressed individuals

Depression often disrupts sleep, and poor sleep can in turn worsen mood, creating a frustrating cycle.

At my worst, I almost couldn’t fall asleep anymore, to the point where I could only get a couple of sleep each night. That went on for months on end, causing my mood to deteriorate even further.

Fortunately, it’s something that can be improved upon, and establishing (plus adhering) to a decent sleep schedule is most likely the single best thing I’ve ever done to improve my mood.

That’s why I created these practical, science-backed tips that can help depressed people improve their sleep quality:

1. Keep a consistent sleep schedule

• • Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends.

• • This trains your body’s circadian rhythm, making it easier to fall asleep naturally.

• • Irregular sleep schedules can worsen depression symptoms and fatigue.

Probably the most important thing is to maintain a uniform sleep schedule as much as possible. I’m not going to lie, there were some days were I felt so tired that I didn’t manage to wake up at my set hour. But I did succeed most of the time, and I think that’s the most critical thing. It’s about doing things right most of the time to create good habits and consistency.

2. Limit screen use before bed

• • Avoid phones, tablets, and laptops at least 60–90 minutes before sleeping.

• • Blue light suppresses melatonin, the hormone that helps you fall asleep.

• • If you must use a device, enable night mode or use blue-light blocking glasses.

3. Create a calm “wind-down” routine
   
   

• • Do relaxing activities before bed like reading, light stretching, meditation, or listening to calming music.

• • Avoid anything mentally intense (work emails, debates, stressful news).

• • Relaxation techniques like progressive muscle relaxation can improve both sleep quality and depression symptoms.

4. Get morning sunlight exposure

• • Aim for 15–30 minutes of natural sunlight in the first few hours after waking.

• • Sunlight is related to better mood and sleep by regulating melatonin and boosting serotonin.

5. Exercise (but not right before bed)

• • Moderate physical activity (walking, cycling, yoga) during the day can lower symptoms of insomnia and improve mood.

• • Finish workouts at least 3 hours before bedtime to avoid overstimulation.

Exercising helped me spend the last of my energy so I could fall asleep quicker, but also because I started ruminating a lot less since I felt like I did something productive.

6. Limit caffeine and alcohol
   
   

• • Caffeine can stay in your system for 6–10 hours, so try avoiding it after early afternoon.

• • Alcohol may make you feel sleepy, but it disrupts deep sleep and increases night awakenings.

I drank so much caffeine at my worst because I felt tired all the time. But as a result, I had so much trouble falling asleep that I had many nights without even sleeping at all. I would strongly advise cutting out all caffeine or limiting your intake.

7. Make your bedroom sleep-friendly

• • Keep it cool, dark, and quiet.

• • Invest in blackout curtains, earplugs, or a white noise machine if needed.

• • Reserve your bed for sleep and intimacy only. No working or scrolling in bed.

8. Challenge negative bedtime thoughts

• • Depression often fuels ruminating thoughts that make it hard to sleep.

• • Use cognitive techniques like telling yourself: “I’ll rest my body and mind now; sleep will come when it’s ready.”

• • Mindfulness and acceptance-based strategies are shown to help.

9. Try brief journaling

• • Write down your worries or to-do list on paper if your mind races before bed.

• • This externalizes thoughts, reducing mental “clutter” that keeps you awake.

This helped my rumination because I penned down what I was thinking about instead of mulling it over and over again. I must admit there’s something therapeutic about writing your feelings down on paper, as if a weight fell off my shoulders.

10. Know when to get professional help
    
    

• • Talk to a doctor or sleep specialist if sleep problems persist more than 3 nights per week for over 3 months, or if they substantially affect your functioning.

• • Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is highly effective, even in people with depression.

11. Try a weighted blanket

• • Weighted blankets (5–12% of your body weight) can promote a degree of security and calm by providing deep pressure stimulation.

• • Studies suggest they may improve insomnia and reduce anxiety symptoms.

12. Use “paradoxical intention”

• • Give yourself permission to stay awake instead of trying hard to fall asleep.

• • This reduces sleep performance anxiety and often makes sleep come faster.

13. Keep sleep notes, not a sleep diary

• • A full sleep diary can make some depressed people more anxious about their sleep.

• • Write down quick “sleep notes” instead. Just one or two words about how you felt in the morning to track patterns without over-focusing on numbers.

14. Use gentle, non-stressful sounds
    
    

• • White noise, nature sounds, or low-volume ambient music can mask disruptive background noise.

• • Consistent soundscapes can also help signal to your brain it’s time to sleep.

15. Avoid long daytime naps

• • Short naps (10–20 minutes) can enhance alertness without disturbing night sleep.

• • Longer naps (particularly in the late afternoon) can deteriorate symptoms of insomnia in depression.

I was napping a lot because I felt fatigued all the time. Needless to say, that made it much harder for me to fall asleep since my circadian rhythms were so deregulated. Try not to nap during the day.

16. Experiment with temperature tweaks

• • A slightly cooler core body temperature promotes sleep onset.

• • Try a warm shower or bath 1–2 hours before bed. The drop in body temperature afterward can help you fall asleep faster.

17. Consider aromatherapy
    
    

• • Lavender essential oil has mild sedative effects and can decrease anxiety before bed.

• • While not a cure, it can be a helpful part of a bedtime wind-down routine.

18. Start your day with a “first thing” task

• • Having a predictable, simple morning task (like making tea or a 5-minute stretch) signals your body clock when the day starts.

• • Depression often blurs day-night boundaries, so strong starts help regulate sleep-wake cycles.

19. Avoid lying in bed awake for long periods

• • If you’re still awake after ~20 minutes, get up and do something quiet in dim light (reading, calm breathing) until sleepy again.

• • This prevents your brain from associating bed with wakefulness. (An essential CBT-I principle.)

I got up and went to my living room to read a book whenever I couldn’t fall asleep. It took multiple weeks, but eventually my mind started (unconsciously) associating my bedroom with sleeping once again.

20. Gentle evening nutrition

• • Avoid heavy meals close to bedtime, but don’t go to bed hungry.

• • A light snack with tryptophan-rich foods (banana with peanut butter, small yogurt, warm milk) may aid in promoting sleepiness.

21. Dim the lights 1–2 hours before bed
    
    

• • Lowering light levels in the evening mimics natural dusk and signals your brain to start producing melatonin.

• • Even household LEDs can be bright enough to delay sleep onset if left fully lit at night.

22. Try gentle “bed yoga” or restorative poses

• • Simple stretches like legs-up-the-wall or child’s pose can help relax the body without stimulating it.

• • A small study found that soft stretching before bed improved sleep quality in older adults with depression.

23. Avoid clock-watching

• • Constantly checking the time can fuel anxiety about “how late it’s getting.”

• • Turn your clock away from view to break this cycle.

This kept me from thinking negatively, such as, “I only have 3 more hours before I need to wake up” and “I only slept for two hours and I need to wake up in 30 minutes”.

24. Layer your comfort

• • Depression can make people more sensitive to temperature or body discomfort at night.

• • Experiment with layered bedding so you can adjust warmth easily without getting up.

25. Limit fluid intake before bed
    
    

• • Waking up to use the bathroom multiple times can fragment sleep, which worsens morning fatigue.

• • Aim to finish most fluid intake 1–2 hours before bedtime.

26. Use a consistent pre-sleep scent or sensory cue

• • Pair a calming smell (lavender, chamomile) or tactile cue (soft blanket) with bedtime every night.

• • Your brain links this cue with “time to sleep,” making it a conditioned trigger for relaxation over time.

27. Practice gratitude or positivity journaling”

• • Depression often brings a mental replay of negative events before bed.

• • Writing down 1–3 small things you’re grateful for or that went okay can shift mental tone toward calmness.

28. Use a red night light if you need to get up

• • Red or amber light disturbs melatonin production far less than white or blue light.

• • This can help to fall back asleep more easily if you wake up at night.

29. Set boundaries with late-night conversations or social media
    
    

• • Emotional stimulation, even from “good” conversations, can raise arousal levels and delay sleep.

• • End social interactions at least 30–60 minutes before bed.

I ended all communication and social media at least 1 hour before going to bed, and that helped me a lot to wind down without having to deal with other people. I felt like the constant expectation to be chronically online weighed heavily on my mood. And getting out of that pattern eased my anxiety a lot.

And while limiting social media is typically a good thing, suddenly deleting social media can also be a sign of depression in some instances.

30. Pair relaxation audio with breathing exercises

• • Guided breathing (like 4-7-8 breathing) combined with soft audio can quiet both physical and mental restlessness.

• • This is useful when depression is accompanied by anxiety at night.

Sleep routine checklist for depression

1. ✅ During the day

• • ☐ Get at least 15–30 minutes of morning sunlight.

• • ☐ Do some light or moderate exercise (finish at least 3 hours before bed).

• • ☐ Limit caffeine after early afternoon. (It’s a stimulant that makes you fall asleep more slowly.)

• • ☐ Avoid long naps (keep them under 20 minutes if needed).

2. ✅ Evening wind-down (1–2 hours before bed)

• • ☐ Dim the lights and put devices on night mode.

• • ☐ Avoid stressful conversations, news, or work.

• • ☐ Do something calming such as stretching, reading, journaling, or listening to relaxing music.

• • ☐ Take a warm shower or bath (optional, helps body cool down afterward).

• • ☐ Have a light snack if hungry (like a banana, yogurt, or warm milk).

3. ✅ Right before bed

• • ☐ Put your phone away and avoid clock-watching.

• • ☐ Use calming sensory cues (lavender scent, weighted blanket, soft sounds).

• • ☐ Practice a short relaxation technique (like deep breathing, mindfulness, or gratitude journaling).

• • ☐ Make your room sleep-friendly by keeping it cool, dark, and quiet.

• • ☐ Get into bed only when sleepy.

4. ✅ If you can’t sleep

• • ☐ If you are still awake after ~20 minutes, get up and do something quiet in dim light.

• • ☐ Only return to bed when you feel drowsy.

Conclusion

Improving sleep when you’re living with depression can feel challenging, but small, consistent changes can make a real difference.

There are many strategies to support restful sleep, from keeping a steady sleep schedule and creating a calming bedtime routine to experimenting with gentle movement, sensory cues, or light adjustments.

The key is patience and persistence. Not every tip works for everyone, but gradually building habits that signal safety, relaxation, and routine can help break the cycle of poor sleep and low mood.

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