For years my sleep schedule was all over the place but I’ve been sticking to the ‘7:1’ rule with these expert-approved tips — and it could help me live 4 years longer

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These are the 5 expert-approved strategies I rely on to stick a consistent sleep schedule for better health and a longer life

A woman sleeping on her side peacefully with the curtains open slightly letting some light in
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Every day, there seems to be brand new proof that getting enough sleep is vital for our long-term health. The latest being a groundbreaking new study by Vitality and The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).

What is the 7:1 sleep rule?

Dubbed the 7:1 sleep rule by researchers, it's a practice that involves achieving at least seven hours of sleep a night and falling asleep within the same one-hour window.

I must admit, I am a sucker for revenge bedtime procrastination, which basically means I carve out time for myself late into the night in order to get 'revenge' on the time I spend during the day juggling my responsibilities.

However, since being warned that getting less than seven hours of sleep a night could decrease my lifespan, I've been on a quest to improve the two sleep hygiene habits that underpin the 7:1 rule — sleep quantity and consistency. These the five sleep hygiene tips that are helping...

5 expert-approved tips I use to stick to the 7:1 sleep rule

These are the expert-approved strategies I rely on to stick to the 7:1 sleep rule, when all I really want to to do is stay up late...

1. I go for a morning walk

a woman walking through a forest

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

For the past week or so I've been going for a walk shortly after sunrise (which is currently around 8am in the UK), even if just it's for two blocks and I'm only getting a takeout coffee.

This is for two reasons: It forces me to get up and stick to a one-hour wake-up window, and it regulates my circadian rhythm, which is my body's internal clock.

"Aim to get regular exposure to sunlight, especially in the morning, as it helps regulate your body’s sleep-wake cycle,"explains Denise Iordache, sleep therapist and founder of JoySpace Therapy.

Even when the weather is grey and cloudy, that hit of morning light (especially when I'm working from home) helps kickstart the production of the mood-boosting hormone serotonin. This is later metabolized into the sleep hormone melatonin, which helps me fall asleep faster.

2. I schedule self-care time

I needed to get to the root cause of why I sabotage my sleep and stay up late, even when I know I'm already sleep deprived and it's harming my health.

But how exactly can I stop myself from feeling cheated out of my midnight leisure time by going to sleep? The answer lies in prioritizing self care.

"Reframing bedtime as an investment in tomorrow, not a loss of leisure, can shift that mindset," Dr Deborah Lee, sleep expert at Doctor Fox, tells me.

"It also helps to schedule your relaxation on purpose, rather than letting it spill endlessly into the night," she added. "Even 30–60 minutes of intentional downtime, whether that’s watching a show, reading, or unwinding can feel far more satisfying than hours of half-relaxing while feeling overtired."

A woman with dark curly hair wears floral pyjamas while reading in bed as part of her nighttime routine

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Sleep psychologist Dr. Nicola Cann agrees, saying that we tend to cling onto the day and prolong it when we've failed to make time for the things we enjoy.

"Build nice things into your day," Dr Cann tells me. "Make time for seeing your friends, or reading your favourite book... whatever it is that brings you joy. Going to bed will feel easier because you're more satisfied with how you've spent your day."

So, from now on, I try to do all my grown-up responsibilities straight after I get home from work, such as tidying up or replying to that email I've been avoiding. That way, my evenings are reserved for relaxing and going to bed on time — and not clawing back 'me time' at 1am.

3. I have a sleep survival kit on my nightstand

There are so many sleep products available to suit a wide range of sleep issues, and (as well as my tendency to delay sleep for as long as possible), ambient noise often disturbs my slumber.

I need complete silence while I'm sleeping, and if I can hear people talking outside or a car alarm, then my mood for sleep is killed and I get up and do something unconducive to sleeping, like scrolling on my phone.

That's why earplugs and white noise machines are always ready to go on my nightstand.

"Using earplugs, noise-cancelling headphones, or a white noise machine can help by creating a consistent background sound that drowns out sudden disturbances," says Joshua Piper, sleep clinician at ResMed. "White noise, nature sounds, or even a low fan can be effective in masking unpredictable sounds and helping your brain tune them out."

In fact, I have a whole sleep survival kit on my nightstand: Loop Quiet 2 earplugs, a sleep mask, LectroFan Evo White Noise Machine, and the Lumie Bodyclock Luxe 700FM sunrise alarm (a lifeline when I need to wake up on dark mornings).

A nightstand with sleep aids.

(Image credit: Future)

4. I never use screens when I'm in bed

Lets face it, doom-scrolling is a prevalent enemy to sleep, and it's a key component of my revenge bedtime procrastination. Why sleep when I can endlessly scroll on my phone?

It can be hard to ditch screens in the evening, so I've given myself a less rigid rule: don't use screens in bed.

"Try to keep screens out of bed," says Dr Jade Wuof Mattress Firm. "Watch TV or scroll elsewhere so your brain continues to associate your bed with sleep, not stimulation."

Now, If I need some media consumption to relax before bed, I do find drifting off easier after I listen to music rather than watching TV.

"Switch from visual to audio," advises Dr Wu. "Replace TV or scrolling with a podcast, audiobook, or music on a sleep timer to reduce stimulation and light exposure."

5. I drop my room and body temperature

The image shows a wooden bedroom window open wide, with a bed with a red blanket on it below

(Image credit: Getty Images)

I don't know about you, but I find sleeping in a warm, stuffy room harder than sleeping in a cold room. And there's a good reason for that...

"Our bodies naturally cool slightly at night, supporting deep, restorative sleep," says sleep clinician Piper. "As a general rule, 16-18°C (60.8 - 64.4°F) is somewhere near optimal for sleep onset. Couple this with layered, breathable bedding and you may find your sleep feels better.""

So, to maintain an optimal bedroom temperature for sleep, I open my window before I sleep to let some refreshing cold air circulate.

Do we really need to follow the 7:1 sleep rule?

This recent study has shed light on how adhering to the 7:1 sleep rule is important for our long-term health, but what do other sleep experts think about it?

"I'm not a fan of generic or overly prescriptive 'rules' around sleep, but this one has some merit," Dr Cann tells me.

"Most of us need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep, so making time for at least 7 hours is sensible," she adds. "A lot of us don't give ourselves enough opportunity to get the sleep we need — going to bed late, getting up before we've had enough sleep. So, creating the opportunity is important."

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Frances Daniels
Frances Daniels
Senior Sleep Staff Writer

Frances Daniels is a PPA-accredited journalist and Sleep Staff Writer at Tom's Guide with an MA in Magazine Journalism from Cardiff University. Her role includes covering mattress and sleep news and writing sleep product reviews and buyer's guides, including our Best Hybrid Mattress 2025 guide. She is interested in the relationship between sleep and health, interviewing an array of experts to create in-depth articles about topics such as nutrition, sleep disorders, sleep hygiene, and mattress care. She is also our specialist on mattress toppers — producing bed topper reviews and taking care of our Best Mattress Toppers 2025 guide — and leads content relating to fiberglass-free beds for a non-toxic sleep. Outside of Tom's Guide, she has written for Ideal Home and Marie Claire.

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