Need to wake up earlier? 7 expert tips for rescheduling your sleep schedule fast

Woman sleeping next to a clock to indicate a consistent bedtime
(Image credit: Getty Images)

With summer coming to a close, there are a few necessities many of us need to get on top of. Whether you’re gearing up to work after vacation or your children are heading back to the classroom, chances are you’ll benefit from resetting your sleep schedule. 

There are many ways you can do this, including choosing from this year’s best mattresses so you can find the right bed for you and get high quality sleep.

However, the task can be easier said than done for adults and children alike — but it’s surely not impossible if you heed expert-vetted tips and tricks.

We asked behavioral sleep specialist Carleara Weiss, PhD, MS, RN, for all you need to know about resetting your sleep schedule with success. 

Why is a healthy sleep schedule important? 

First things first: A healthy sleep schedule — i.e., one that’s consistent and includes habits for sleep hygiene — is crucial for a good night’s rest, no matter your age. 

High-quality sleep will be harder to achieve if your circadian rhythm (aka biological clock) is off balance due to factors including but not limited to fluctuating sleep schedules.

Good sleep is linked to everything from immune function and energy to muscle repair and mood. A solid pre-ZZZ routine and a regular sleep schedule are important puzzle pieces that can help you achieve enough high-quality rest.

“Resetting the sleep schedule is a fundamental step towards wellness, particularly if you experience social jet lag, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating due to sleepiness,” says Dr. Weiss. 

What can throw your sleep schedule off? 

Any number of things can disrupt your sleep schedule.

Some of the biggest culprits include but aren’t limited to:

  • Traveling across time zones
  • Social jet lag (i.e., sleeping in on weekends and holidays)
  • Adjusting your sleep schedule for summer break or over vacation
  • Sleep disorders including insomnia
  • Stress and anxiety
  • Bouts of illness
  • Physical aches and pains

Man sleeping on a plane

(Image credit: Getty Images)

How to reset your sleep schedule fast — 7 expert tips

It’s not only on Mondays, after vacation, and at the end of summer break that you’ll need to reset your sleep schedule.

Per Dr. Weiss, you can also benefit from resetting your sleep schedule if you regularly:

  • Wake up feeling tired
  • Deal with brain fog
  • Have difficulty concentrating
  • Experience daytime fatigue and/or irritability

With these points in mind, heed the sleep expert’s top tips to reset your sleep schedule fast.

1. Wake up at the same time every day 

As with most healthy habits, consistency is crucial for success… and sleep is no different. As tempting as it may be to sleep in late when you have the chance, you’ll likely end up doing your sleep quality (and overall well-being) a disservice.

“This might be the hardest step, especially if you binge-watch TV or stay up late for another reason,” Dr. Weiss shares. However, it’s also amongst the most important steps in resetting your sleep schedule and achieving quality rest night after night.

“The biological clock in the brain needs regularity to establish a healthy circadian rhythm,” she continues. “Waking up at the same time every day is a critical component of circadian regularity.”

2. Create a regular morning routine 

Bedtime routines often get all the spotlight, yet wake-up routines are also essential for sleep hygiene.

“Our behavior after waking up helps the biological clock’s regularity,” says Dr. Weiss, which in turns supports daytime energy levels and sleepiness come nighttime.

Her go-to hacks worth adopting in your own wake-up routine include:

  • Getting exposure to bright light upon waking
  • Moving your body via walking, exercising, or stretching
  • Eating a full breakfast (and not coffee alone)

“A healthy morning routine will help your whole wellness — not just sleep,” she adds. 

A woman with long brown wavy hair stretches and smiles upon waking up early in the morning and feel energized and ready for the day ahead

(Image credit: Getty Images)

3. Eat a full breakfast 

Breakfast is often considered to be the most important meal of the day. According to Dr. Weiss, the rings especially true when it comes to resetting your sleep schedule. 

“Skipping breakfast delays the circadian rhythm and impairs metabolism and immune function,” she explains. 

As such, she advises eating a more balanced morning meal if you aren’t already, and avoiding any temptation to subsist on coffee alone.

4. Keep consistent meal times throughout the day 

Circadian rhythm, metabolism, and nutrition are closely connected. The timing of your meals also has a bearing on biological clock.

 Research suggests that this aspect may be especially relevant for individuals with circadian rhythm disruptions (including travelers across time zones and shift workers) and disorders. 

When you’re on the quest to reset your sleep schedule, adjusting your meals and meal times can lend a helping hand. “Be sure to eat breakfast, lunch, a small dinner, and maybe a healthy snack before bed, depending on the time,” Dr. Weiss advises.

She says that most people will benefit from eating dinner no later than 5 to 7 p.m. Doing so will permit you to have enough time to digest and help prevent tummy troubles from getting in the way of falling and staying asleep.

5. Stick to a calming bedtime routine 

Winding down for the night is a critical — not to mention rewarding — part of the sleep-reset equation. “Your brain needs time to destress from the day and unwind to fall asleep,” says Dr. Weiss.

To craft a new and/or improved bedtime routine, Dr. Weiss suggests:

  • Building time for self-care and soothing
  • Dimming the lights as you wind down for the night
  • Taking a warm bath or shower to help regulate your body temperature and calm your mind before bed

Woman sleeping next to a clock to indicate a consistent bedtime

(Image credit: Getty Images)

6. Invest in a sleep-friendly environment 

Just like your sleep and wake times, your physical sleep environment has an outsized influence on your overall sleep quality.

“A cool, dark, and quiet room is ideal for sleeping,” Dr. Weiss shares. “You may need adjustments such as blackout curtains, a sleep mask, a white noise machine, a humidifier, A/C, or a fan.”

Of course, the importance of a good mattress can’t be underestimated, either. The best mattress for you will hinge upon factors such as your preferred sleeping position, body weight, body temperature, physical condition, if you have a sleeping partner, and more. 

7. Try your best without causing stress 

When you’re resetting your sleep schedule, you should give it your best effort — but at the same time, also give yourself grace. “Flexibility is critical to resetting your sleep and circadian rhythms because your journey will not be perfect daily,” Dr. Weiss reminds us.

Plus, stressing over perceived ‘failures’ will only lead you to count more worries (instead of sheep) by the time your head hits the pillow.

“These steps should be a guide and not a stress-inducing pathway,” she concludes.

Michele Ross

Michele Ross is a freelance writer based in Los Angeles. For Tom's Guide and TechRadar, she interviews medical experts for sleep tips and tricks, as well as reviews mattresses and toppers to see which ones are truly worth buying for different types of sleepers and budgets. She has also covered a range of sleep topics for publications and brands including Well+Good, HUM Nutrition, and Mini Bloom, among others.

Read more
A sleep week badge in the corner of a picture that depicts a woman smiling as she is getting more sleep.
Tired all the time? 7 tips to help you get enough sleep
A woman in bed reading a book with a cup of tea in hand and a lamp on the bedside table, as she completes her nighttime routine
Trying to stick to New Year's resolutions? Start with a consistent nighttime routine
A woman practising yoga in the evenings for better sleep
10 best bedtime routines to fall asleep fast — from renowned sleep experts
Woman sleeping on a white bed
9 expert tips for falling asleep faster, easier and for longer this World Sleep Day
A woman sleeping on her side peacefully with the curtains open slightly letting some light in
How to go to sleep earlier in 6 simple steps, according to experts
A blonde woman wearing a blue t-shirt and pink eye mask on her forehead with messy bun sitting in bed as she stretches her arms overhead, waking up early to join the 5am club
Why you should join the 5am club and how to do it without losing sleep, according to a doctor
Latest in Sleep
Bare feet poking out of the covers at the end of a bed
Twitching in your sleep? Expert shares 5 most common causes of hypnic jerks
A woman with dark hair lies in bed yawning because she is so tired and ready to sleep
Tired all the time? Sleep experts share how to tackle hypersomnia — plus what might be causing it
A woman with long dark hair falls asleep quickly in a comfy bed dressed with soft white linens
I'm an ex-insomniac turned sleep coach — my 3 top tips to fall asleep quickly
A person lying on their stomach on the Leesa Legend Hybrid Mattress
What’s so bad about stomach sleeping? Expert dishes the dirt on so-called ‘worst sleeping position ever’
Woman doing a yoga pose in bed against a green background
Sleep expert reveals her secret weapon for falling asleep fast — and you can do it in 15 minutes
A man places a sleep apnea CPAP machine mask on his face, a Tom's Guide Sleep Week 2025 graphic (right)
Sleep apnea could be diagnosed while you're awake, new research finds — here's what that means
Latest in Features
The outline of a hand holding a phone, wrapped in barbed wire to indicate censorship
What are anti-censorship features and how is Proton VPN leading the way?
Casetify Bounce Suitcase
I ditched my Away Carry-On for a bright red suitcase made by a phone case brand, and I was shocked by how much I liked it
Astell and Kern HB1
I just turned my wired audio headphones into Bluetooth cans with this DAC — and the sound quality is shockingly good
Bare feet poking out of the covers at the end of a bed
Twitching in your sleep? Expert shares 5 most common causes of hypnic jerks
Two people sit on top of the Plank Firm flippable double-sided mattress in a bedroom
I've been using a luxury mattress for a year and my sleep is better than ever — here's why
Half-Life 2 RTX
I just went back to Ravenholm in Half-Life 2 RTX — Nvidia’s new RTX remix tech makes it 10x more terrifying