Sleep Hygiene Overhaul

Poor sleep is not a character flaw or a busyness badge. It is a reversible physiological problem in most cases. This protocol applies the evidence-based interventions with the strongest research support: sleep restriction, stimulus control, consistent timing, and environmental optimization. Most people see measurable improvement within 7-14 days. This skill addresses common sleep dysfunction — not clinical insomnia disorder, sleep apnea, or restless leg syndrome, which require medical evaluation.

Sources & Verification

• - Walker, M., Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams, Scribner, 2017 — the most accessible synthesis of sleep science for general readers
• American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) Clinical Practice Guidelines for Insomnia — the clinical standard for behavioral sleep interventions. aasm.org
• Edinger et al., "Cognitive behavioral therapy for adults with insomnia," Sleep, 2021 (DOI: 10.5664/jsl.8558) — CBT-I outperforms sleep medication in long-term outcomes
• Czeisler, C.A., "Duration, timing and quality of sleep are each vital for health," Sleep Health, 2015 — consistent wake time as the strongest single lever
• Chang et al., "Evening use of light-emitting eReaders negatively affects sleep," PNAS, 2015 (DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1418490112) — blue light suppresses melatonin
• Drake et al., "Caffeine effects on sleep taken 0, 3, or 6 hours before going to bed," Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 2013 — caffeine 6 hours before bed cuts sleep by 1 hour
• National Sleep Foundation sleep duration recommendations: sleepfoundation.org — verified active March 2026

When to Use

• - User takes more than 30 minutes to fall asleep most nights
• Wakes multiple times during the night
• Wakes feeling unrefreshed even after 7-8 hours
• Relies on alarm clocks, caffeine, or willpower to function in the morning
• Has tried "sleep hygiene" advice before but inconsistently
• Wants to reduce reliance on melatonin, alcohol, or sleep aids
• Experiences regular Sunday-night insomnia or social jet lag

Instructions

Step 1: Sleep audit

Agent action: Ask the user each question below, one at a time. Record answers in agent state. Use the results to generate a personalized protocol with specific times filled in.

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Scoring red flags — if any apply, note them in state for the relevant protocol steps:

• - Falls asleep in under 5 minutes: may be chronically sleep-deprived
• Wakes unrefreshed regardless of duration: possible sleep apnea (recommend doctor consult)
• Uses alcohol to sleep: address this first (Step 3 note)
• Last caffeine after 2pm: address in Step 4

Step 2: Set your sleep anchor (do this first, everything else second)

The single most powerful intervention is a consistent wake time — 7 days a week, including weekends.

Agent action: Ask the user: "What time must you be awake for work or responsibilities?" Set a daily morning reminder at that time. Label it "sleep anchor — do not move this." Track wake time adherence in state.

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Step 3: Build a 30-minute wind-down ritual

Your brain cannot switch from "go mode" to "sleep mode" instantly. You need a transition period.

Agent action: Help the user build their specific ritual from the menu below. Save the selected ritual to state. Set a daily reminder 35 minutes before their target bedtime labeled "wind-down start."

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Step 4: Caffeine cutoff calculator

Caffeine has a half-life of 5-7 hours in most people (longer if you are over 50, on certain medications, or a slow metabolizer).

Agent action: Based on the user's target wake time, calculate their caffeine cutoff time and add it to their morning state notes.

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Step 5: Optimize the sleep environment

Agent action: Ask the user which of these they currently have and which they don't. Flag the missing ones that are free or low-cost to fix first.

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Step 6: Nap rules

Naps can pay down sleep debt without ruining night sleep — if done correctly.

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Step 7: Two-week check-in

Agent action: After 14 days, re-administer the sleep audit. Compare to baseline. Calculate sleep onset time improvement and wake-feeling score. If scores haven't improved on 2+ dimensions, prompt doctor consultation checklist.

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If This Fails

1. 1. Waking unrefreshed no matter what: Snoring, gasping in sleep, or being told you stop breathing are signs of sleep apnea. This skill cannot address that. Ask your doctor about a home sleep study.
2. Can't stop racing thoughts at night: This is anxiety driving sleep problems, not sleep driving anxiety. See the anxiety-emergency skill. Consider a referral for CBT-I, which specifically addresses rumination at bedtime.
3. Tried everything and still struggling: Ask your doctor about CBT-I (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia). The American College of Physicians recommends CBT-I as first-line treatment over sleep medication. Find a provider at the Society of Behavioral Sleep Medicine: behavioralsleep.org
4. Using alcohol to sleep: Alcohol reduces sleep quality by suppressing REM sleep in the second half of the night. You'll fall asleep faster and wake up exhausted. Removing alcohol often causes a 2-3 night rebound of worse sleep before improvement. Know this going in.

Rules

• - Never recommend prescription sleep medication — this skill is behavioral, not pharmacological
• Never dismiss sleep problems as "you just need to relax" — sleep dysfunction has physiological drivers
• Always flag waking-unrefreshed + snoring as a potential medical issue requiring doctor evaluation
• Progress takes 7-14 days — set this expectation upfront to prevent early abandonment

Tips

• - The single most impactful change for most people is wake-time consistency, not bedtime. Fix the anchor first.
• Warm showers work because cooling down after warmth is a sleep trigger, not the warmth itself.
• Weekend "sleep ins" of even 90 minutes shift your circadian rhythm by the equivalent of mild jet lag.
• Blue light from screens suppresses melatonin for 1-3 hours. The issue isn't just brightness — it's the wavelength.
• If a user is on shift work, overnight care duty, or across time zones regularly, this protocol needs modification — their situation requires circadian rhythm management, not just sleep hygiene.

Agent State

Persist across sessions:

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Automation Triggers

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