The First Step Toward Better Sleep Begins When You Wake Up

For almost 20 years, I’ve been creating tools and sharing information to help people fall asleep faster and sleep more deeply throughout the night.

But it wasn’t until recently that I learned one of the most valuable lessons of all:

The first step toward a better night’s sleep begins the moment you wake up.

I’m not going to bury the lead here. One of the most important things you can do to support better sleep is to get outside into the morning light within the first 30–60 minutes after waking.

You don’t have to be outside in time to watch the sunrise—although, in my opinion, that is one of the most magical parts of the day. What matters is getting some natural outdoor light early in your day rather than waiting until later in the morning.

Why is this so important?

Morning Light Does More Than Wake You Up

Morning light is one of the strongest signals your brain uses to regulate your circadian rhythm—the internal 24-hour clock that helps determine when you feel awake and when you feel ready for sleep.

That simple morning exposure can help:

• Wake you up: Bright morning light gives your brain a clear signal that the day has begun, helping promote alertness and energy.

• Support your mood: Getting natural light during the day is associated with better mood and overall well-being.

• Set your body clock: Morning light helps anchor your circadian rhythm, giving your body a clearer distinction between day and night.

• Support better sleep: When your internal clock is properly anchored, your body has a better sense of when it should be awake and when it should begin preparing for sleep.

  
  

It’s a remarkably low-effort habit that can check a lot of boxes when it comes to your health and well-being.

And it doesn’t have to take a huge amount of time.

Even a few minutes outside is a great start. On a bright, clear morning, 10–15 minutes may provide plenty of light exposure for many people. On darker or overcast days, you may want to spend longer outside—20–30 minutes or more.

And if you make that time your morning walk?

Congratulations. You’ve just checked off a few more boxes.

What If You Wake Up Before the Sun?

This is where things get a little more interesting.

If you naturally wake up before sunrise, your goal is to avoid flooding yourself with bright light while you're still waiting for the sun to come up.

Remember, light is a signal to your brain. Bright light tells your body, "It's daytime. Time to be awake."

If you wake up at 5:00 AM but the sun won't rise for another couple of hours, you don't necessarily want to recreate noon in your kitchen.

So, if possible, keep your environment relatively dim.

Avoid Bright Overhead Lights

Try not to immediately turn on the bright, cool-colored overhead LEDs commonly found in kitchens and bathrooms.

Instead, use a dim floor lamp or a warm-colored bulb—something in the red or amber range is a good choice.

Smart bulbs can also be useful because you can adjust both the brightness and color temperature.

The goal isn't to sit in complete darkness. It's simply to avoid unnecessary bright light until the sun comes up.

Be Careful With Screens

I'm a big proponent of avoiding screens first thing in the morning, especially if you're able to get outside soon after waking.

But if that's not realistic, keep your phone or tablet as dim as is practical and use the device's nighttime or warm-light setting.

Better yet, put the phone down and enjoy a quiet start to the day.

Once the sun comes up, step outside.

Give your brain the strong natural-light signal it has been waiting for.

What If You're Extremely Groggy in the Morning?

There is an important distinction between someone who naturally wakes before sunrise and someone who has to wake up before sunrise.

If your work schedule or other responsibilities require you to get up much earlier than your natural wake time—and you're struggling to stay awake—your strategy may be different.

In that situation, bright light can be useful for helping promote alertness.

This is one of those situations where light becomes a tool you can intentionally use to tell your brain, "It's time to wake up."

A bright-light source in the morning can help suppress melatonin and promote alertness, even when the sun isn't up yet.

The important thing is understanding that light timing matters.

The same bright light that can help you wake up may not be helpful at the wrong time of day.

And that's really the bigger lesson here:

Your body is constantly taking cues from its environment. Light is one of the most powerful of those cues.

Your Morning Can Affect Your Night

This is what changed the way I think about sleep.

For years, I focused almost entirely on what happens at night.

What sound should you listen to?

How should you create your bedroom environment?

How can you quiet your mind?

What can help you stay asleep?

Those things still matter. They matter a lot.

But sleep doesn't begin when your head hits the pillow.

Sleep begins with what you do throughout the day.

The light you get in the morning helps set your internal clock.

The movement you get during the day helps your body

build a healthy sleep drive.

The caffeine you consume affects your ability to wind down later.

The stress you carry into the evening can make it harder to relax.

And the way you spend the final hour or two before bed can determine whether you arrive at bedtime feeling peaceful—or whether your body is exhausted while your mind is still running.

That's why I've started thinking about sleep less as something that happens at night and more as something we prepare for all day long.

And it can start with something as simple as stepping outside in the morning.

So tomorrow morning, before you reach for your phone, pour your second cup of coffee, or start thinking about everything you need to accomplish that day, try stepping outside.

Take a few minutes.

Look around.

Let your eyes adjust to the natural light.

Take a breath.

Maybe take a walk.

And remember that the small thing you're doing at 7:00 AM may be helping your body prepare for the rest you're hoping to get at 10:00 PM.

A better night can begin with a better morning.