7 Proven Strategies to Improve Your Sleep Quality
If you’re training 2–3 times per week at bStrong in Bellevue or Redmond, your workouts are only half the story. The other half happens when you sleep.
Good sleep is one of the biggest performance enhancers you have:
You recover faster between sessions
You feel less sore and stiff
You have more energy for work, family, and training
In our main guide, Why Sleep Is Your Superpower, we talk about why sleep matters. In this article, we’re going to focus on the how:
Seven simple, realistic strategies you can start using this week to sleep better and feel stronger in your workouts.
Strategy 1: Keep Your Room Cool
The temperature of your bedroom can have a big impact on how well you sleep.
Most people sleep better in a slightly cooler room. A good target range is around 65–68°F, but you can adjust based on what feels comfortable for you.
Simple ways to keep your room cooler:
Turn the thermostat down a bit at night
Use a fan to keep air moving
Swap heavy bedding for lighter options if you tend to overheat
If you’ve been tossing and turning, start by adjusting the temperature. It’s an easy win that can lead to deeper, more restful sleep.
Strategy 2: Create a Dark Sleep Space
Light, even in small amounts, can interfere with your sleep quality. Your brain reads light as a “stay awake” signal.
Work on two things:
Block outside light
Use blackout curtains or shades to reduce light from street lamps or neighbors
Cover up small indoor lights
LEDs on alarm clocks, chargers, or electronics can be more disruptive than you’d expect
A small piece of tape or unplugging non-essential devices at night can help
Think of your bedroom like a cave: cool, dark, and quiet. The darker your room, the easier it is to fall and stay asleep.
Strategy 3: Limit Electronics Before Bed
Phones, tablets, and laptops are great for staying connected, but terrible for winding down.
Scrolling, emails, and blue light all make it harder for your brain to relax.
Try this:
Turn off screens at least 30 minutes before bed
Plug your phone in away from your bed (or in another room if possible)
Use that last half hour for:
Reading
Light stretching
A simple wind-down routine
You don’t have to be perfect every night. But even a few “no-phone-before-bed” nights per week can improve how quickly you fall asleep.
Strategy 4: Stick to a Consistent Sleep Schedule
Your body runs on an internal clock called your circadian rhythm. When your sleep and wake times bounce around, that clock gets confused.
Instead of staying up late some nights and sleeping in on others, aim for:
Bedtime and wake time within 1–2 hours of your usual schedule, even on weekends
You don’t need a rigid “lights out at 9:47 pm” rule. You just want your brain to know roughly when to start winding down and when to wake up.
The more consistent your schedule, the easier it is to feel sleepy at night and awake during the day.
Strategy 5: Watch Your Caffeine and Alcohol Intake
Caffeine and alcohol both affect sleep, just in different ways.
Caffeine:
Can stay in your system for hours
Makes it harder to fall asleep, even if you “feel fine”
Simple rule:
Avoid caffeine after 1–2 pm, especially if you struggle with sleep
Alcohol:
Might help you fall asleep faster
But it reduces sleep quality, especially deep, restorative sleep
Can make you wake up more during the night
You don’t have to cut either one completely. Just be more intentional:
Keep caffeine earlier in the day
Keep alcohol moderate and not an every-night thing, especially late at night
Strategy 6: Be Smart About Naps
Naps can help you recharge, but timing and duration matter.
Long or late naps can:
Make it harder to fall asleep at night
Throw off your sleep schedule
If you’re going to nap:
Keep it short: about 20–30 minutes
Keep it earlier: ideally before 3 pm
If you notice that naps make it harder to fall asleep at night, try shortening them or skipping them and focus on getting to bed on time instead.
Strategy 7: Get Outside During the Day
Natural light is one of the strongest signals to your brain that it’s daytime. It helps regulate your circadian rhythm, which affects:
How awake you feel during the day
How sleepy you feel at night
Aim for:
10–30 minutes outside most days, even if it’s cloudy
A short walk, sitting on a bench, or just stepping outside during a break
Pair this with some gentle movement and you’re helping both your sleep and your overall recovery.
What This Looks Like for bStrong Members
Here’s how these strategies can fit into real life for someone training 2–3 times per week at bStrong.
Example week:
Training days (2–3 times per week)
Strength session at bStrong
Normal dinner with protein, carbs, and veggies
Caffeine cut off earlier in the day
Screens off 30 minutes before bed
Cool, dark bedroom ready for sleep
Non-training days
10–30 minutes outside (walk, fresh air, daylight)
Same general bedtime and wake time
Limited or earlier naps if needed
We talk more about how this supports consistent training inside The Consistency System: 3 Habits to Make Strength Training Stick and Why Sleep Is Your Superpower.
How Beginners Can Apply This Today
Don’t try to overhaul everything at once. Pick 1–2 strategies and be consistent for the next 2–4 weeks.
Good starter combos:
Combo A
Keep your room cooler at night
Make your bedroom darker and cover small lights
Combo B
Turn off screens 30 minutes before bed
Keep caffeine before 1–2 pm
Combo C
Keep naps under 20–30 minutes and earlier in the day
Get outside for 10–20 minutes during daylight
Once those feel normal, layer in another strategy.
What To Expect in 4–8 Weeks
If you apply even a couple of these strategies while keeping your training and nutrition consistent, you can expect:
Easier time falling asleep
Fewer night-time wake-ups
More stable energy across the day
Better focus and performance in your bStrong sessions
Less “wired but tired” at night
Better sleep makes it easier to stick with the habits inside our Consistency System and get more from every workout.
Is This For You?
This article is especially for you if:
You feel tired most days, even when you “sleep enough”
You’re training 2–3 times per week but still feel run down
You scroll in bed most nights and have trouble winding down
You rely heavily on caffeine to get through the day
You want simple, realistic sleep habits, not an extreme overhaul
If that’s you, sleep is one of the highest-return levers you can pull.
Ready To Put These Strategies Into Practice?
At bStrong, we don’t just care about your workouts. We care about your recovery, sleep, and stress too.
If you live or work near Bellevue, Redmond, or nearby areas and want coaching that helps you train hard and recover well, our 3-week Trial is a great first step.
You’ll get:
Coached small group strength sessions (2–3 times per week)
A program built around your real-life schedule
Simple guidance on sleep, recovery, and habits so you can feel and perform better