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Now you’re all tucked up and ready to sleep.
But instead of falling immediately into the land of nod, you instead find yourself tossing and turning.
The answer might lie in how you structure your day.
The 10-3-2-1-0 sleep method is a sleep hack that takes a bigger approach to achieving better rest.
It encourages you to reconsider yourbedtime routine, starting from the early afternoon and finishing in the morning.
Let’s explore what the 10-3-2-1-0 sleep method is, and how to make it work for you.
What is the 10-3-2-1-0 sleep rule?
The 10-3-2-1-0 rule is a simple method for improving both the length and quality of your sleep.
Is that really necessary?
Caffeine keeps us alert by blocking the adenosine receptors in the brain.
Adenosine builds up throughout the day and makes us feel sleepy.
By suppressing adenosine, caffeine helps us feel more awake.
So, yes, there are benefits to restricting your Starbucks habit to a pre-lunchtime treat only.
Start by stopping at least seven hours before bed.
Replace your afternoon americano with a caffeine-free alternative you look forward to drinking.
That way, it wont feel like such a chore.
Alcohol can make you feel sleepy, but it also degrades your quality of sleep.
You may drift off faster, but youre more likely to wake up tired.
How to do it:This one is all about routine.
Of course, an empty stomach can also keep you awake.
However, working into the evening can be disastrous for your sleep.
With the 10-3-2-1-0 rule, you put away all work at least two hours before going to bed.
Assuming a 10pm bedtime, that means no more sneaky work emails past 8pm.
Instead ofcounting sheep, you might find yourself working through your to-do list.
Working before bed can also make you feel stressed which, in turn, can keep you awake.
(In fact, a generaldeclutter can help you sleep.)
If you might’t bring yourself to turn off your phone, at least mute notifications from work.
And absolutely no moreworking from bed the mattress is no place for emails.
Yes, you have to put your phone away.
Light in the morning helps us wake up, while light in the evening prevents us from sleeping.
Blue light, like the kind we get from LED screens, is particularly good at suppressing melatonin.
Ever found yourself doomscrolling before bed?
Snoozing confuses both your body and brain.
One second you were waking up, the next youre falling asleep, then youre waking up again.
Let some light in, either through the window or by turning on your ceiling light.
Stick your leg out of bed (this is particularly useful on a cold morning).
And have a nice breakfast waiting for you, so youre more compelled to leave your cozy covers.
Rather than removal, think of this as an opportunity for replacement.
Switch your mid-afternoon cappuccino for a caffeine-free peppermint tea.
Swap your late night doom scroll for a few minutes with your favorite book.
And instead of hitting snooze, go and grab yourself a delicious breakfast.
The 10-3-2-1-0 rule depends on having a consistent bedtime, so think aboutthe right time to go to bed.
For example, due to my work schedule, some nights I dont have time to eat before 7pm.