Spring Cleaning for Sleep: Simple Ways to Refresh Your Bedtime Routine

Key Takeaways:

• Spring and summer bring extra daylight and busy schedules, which can make it harder to stick with your normal sleep schedule.
• A spring sleep routine reset can help protect your sleep so you have the energy needed to tackle this busy season.
• Hatch Restore can help you build phone-free routines to take care of yourself and your sleep all spring and summer. 

Spring and summer bring longer days, fuller calendars, and plenty of opportunities to stay up later than usual. Between evening activities, travel, and the extra daylight, it’s easy for bedtime routines to drift off track. Before you know it, winding down at night feels harder, and you may struggle to get the sleep you need to keep up with this busy season.

That’s where a quick “spring cleaning” for your sleep routine can help. Simplifying and protecting your bedtime habits can make it easier to unwind, even when life is chaotic. A few small adjustments, like creating phone-free wind-down time and sticking to consistent, calming cues, can help your body shift into rest mode so you wake up feeling ready to take on the longer, busier days ahead.

Table of Contents

1. Why Spring and Summer Can Disrupt Your Sleep
2. How to Refresh Your Bedtime Routine for the Busy Season
3. FAQs
4. References 

Why Spring and Summer Can Disrupt Your Sleep

If you’re noticing it’s harder than usual to wind down, you’re not alone. Longer daylight hours can affect your circadian rhythm by delaying the release of melatonin that helps you fall asleep. Busy schedules and travel can delay bedtime and make it harder to maintain the consistent nighttime cues your body relies on to recognize when it’s time to rest. When schedules feel chaotic, you may find yourself checking out on your phone before bed, which can affect melatonin release and keep your nervous system in an activated state. 

The problem? Without ample sleep, it can be hard to keep up with those long days and busy weeks. That’s why seasonal transitions are the perfect time to refresh your sleep routine. Simplifying your bedtime habits and prioritizing consistent, calming cues can help balance your circadian rhythm and regulate your nervous system, resulting in more restorative sleep and better daytime energy levels. 

How to Refresh Your Bedtime Routine for the Busy Season 

When daylight increases and your schedule is packed, a few simple steps can help you protect sleep. The below, science-backed steps are a great place to start. 

Simplify Your Routine to a Few Repeatable Steps

When life gets busier in the spring and summer, a complicated bedtime routine can quickly fall apart. Instead of trying to fit in too many steps, focus on just a few repeatable cues that signal to your body that it’s time to wind down. For example, you might dim the lights, change into comfortable pajamas, and sip a cup of herbal tea while you read or listen to a Hatch Restore meditation in bed. Keeping your routine simple makes it easier to stick with, even on nights when your schedule is a little off.

Use Sensory Cues

Sensory cues like sound and light can signal to your nervous system that it’s OK to relax while supporting a healthy circadian rhythm. Before bedtime, turn on dim lighting instead of bright overhead lighting to support the release of melatonin. A warm, cozy orange or red light on your Hatch Restore can also set the stage for calm before bedtime. If outdoor sound distracts you from sleep, block it out with brown or pink noise on your Restore. These sounds are also a great sleep cue because they’re low-frequency, which can be soothing to the nervous system.

No matter which light and sound pairing you prefer, Hatch Restore makes it easy to automate these cues without your phone — just set up a routine and it’ll start automatically at a certain time each night.

Create a Calming Phone-Free Wind-Down Ritual

Your phone releases blue light that can make it hard to unwind for sleep — plus, scrolling keeps your mind and body alert when it’s time to rest. Instead of looking at your phone before bed, pick a few simple steps that help your mind and body relax. Whether you read a cozy book, do some gentle stretching, or listen to a relaxing meditation or funny-but-calm podcast on your Hatch Restore, sleep takes less effort when you prioritize calm. 

Stay as Consistent as Possible 

Your nervous system and circadian rhythm love consistency. With a predictable bedtime routine, your brain starts to recognize those familiar cues as signals that sleep is coming. Even if your schedule shifts occasionally, returning to the same wind-down steps each night can help your body transition into rest more easily. Over time, this consistency can make falling asleep feel more automatic.

Ready for a routine refresh? Explore how Hatch Restore can help you simplify bedtime and take better care of yourself with sleep.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my sleep get worse in spring and summer?

Seasonal changes like longer daylight hours, later sunsets, and busier evening schedules can disrupt your circadian rhythm and delay your body’s natural wind-down signals. Without consistent cues for sleep, your brain may stay alert longer at night.

How long before bed should I stop using my phone?

Sleep experts often recommend avoiding phones and other bright screens for about 30-60 minutes before bed. Blue light and stimulating content can signal to your brain that it’s still daytime, making it harder to relax and fall asleep.

What are the most important parts of a bedtime routine?

The most effective bedtime routines are simple and repeatable. Consistent cues like dim lighting, calming sounds, gentle stretching, or reading can help your brain associate those signals with sleep.

References

1. Medic, G., Wille, M., & Hemels, M. E. H. (2017). Short- and long-term health consequences of sleep disruption. Nature and Science of Sleep, 9, 151–161. https://doi.org/10.2147/NSS.S134864
2. Riedy, S. M., Smith, M. G., Rocha, S., & Basner, M. (2021). Noise as a sleep aid: A systematic review. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 55, 101385. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2020.101385
3. Chaput, J. P., Dutil, C., Featherstone, R., Ross, R., Giangregorio, L., Saunders, T. J., Janssen, I., Poitras, V. J., Kho, M. E., Ross-White, A., Zankar, S., & Carrier, J. (2020). Sleep timing, sleep consistency, and health in adults: a systematic review. Applied physiology, nutrition, and metabolism = Physiologie appliquee, nutrition et metabolisme, 45(10 (Suppl. 2)), S232–S247. https://doi.org/10.1139/apnm-2020-0032