Having a Consistent Sleep Schedule Reduces Stress. Here’s How, According to Experts

It’s impossible to ignore the positive ripple effect solid, deep sleep has on your entire life. You may notice you’re more energized, your brain is sharper and quicker with tasks at work, and you perform better during your workouts. And the benefits don’t stop there: A consistent sleep schedule can also reduce stress and help you stay calm when life wears you down.

Yet despite how much we know about the importance of sleep, maintaining a consistent sleep schedule can often feel like a luxury rather than a necessity. Between work, workouts, and all the other to-dos on your plate, sleep can easily become the first casualty of a packed schedule. But as research continues to reveal, proper rest doesn’t just impact your physical health—it plays a major role in managing your emotional wellbeing. 

So exactly how does a sleep schedule reduce stress? Read on to learn why sticking to a set snooze routine—at night and in the morning—can lead to a calmer, less-stressed you.

How Stress Impacts Sleep

The relationship between stress and sleep works both ways. If you’ve ever experienced a sleepless night of tossing and turning after a stressful day, you know exactly what we’re talking about. The same is true when you’re crankier and more on edge after staying up all night due to a sick baby, a pressing deadline, or a bout of insomnia. But what actually causes this relationship?

Stress triggers the body’s fight-or-flight response, releasing hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. These stress hormones are designed to keep you alert and ready to face immediate threats, but when they remain elevated due to chronic stress, they disrupt your ability to wind down and get much-needed rest. The fallout from this can be both physical and psychological. 

“Stress can really mess with your sleep,” says Shelby Harris, PsyD, a licensed clinical psychologist who is board-certified in behavioral sleep medicine and the director of sleep health at Sleepopolis. In addition to producing more sleep-disrupting hormones like cortisol, stress also activates certain brain cells that are responsible for disrupting sleep throughout the night, according to a 2024 study in the journal Current Biology. 

“On top of that, stress can lead to muscle tension and a racing heart, making it tough to relax,” Harris says. “Mentally, stress often brings on anxious thoughts that keep your mind racing when all you want is some peace. This can create a cycle where poor sleep makes you feel more stressed, and more stress makes your sleep worse.”

How Does a Sleep Schedule Reduce Stress?

If you’re the type to sleep in late on weekends or find that your bedtime is all over the place during the week, a more structured routine may be just what you need to combat stress. When you stick to a consistent sleep-wake schedule, you help regulate your body’s internal clock, or circadian rhythm. This natural, 24-hour cycle influences your sleep patterns, hormone production, and, yes, even your stress levels.

“Consistent sleep allows for all of your hormones to run on a consistent schedule,” explains sleep medicine expert and clinical psychologist Michael Breus, PhD, who’s known as the Sleep Doctor. “This allows your body to function more efficiently, which leads to less stress and better sleep.” 

Additionally, sleep consistency improves sleep quality, which is important for promoting mental wellbeing too. 

7 Tips for Creating (and Sticking to) a Sleep Schedule

If your sleep routine could use a little fine-tuning, start here. These tips can help you build a consistent sleep schedule that works for you—even on weekends.

1. Set a Regular Bedtime and Wake-Up Time

“The most important way to fix your sleep schedule is to make sure you set aside enough time each night to get the rest you need,” Breus says. 

Sounds obvious, but how often do you put off going to bed to catch another episode of a show or scroll on your phone? Make sleep a priority by committing to a realistic schedule that allows you to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. Of course, sometimes this isn’t possible and life gets in the way, but  staying consistent helps your body’s internal clock and, in time, will make falling asleep and waking up easier. 

If you’re someone who struggles with erratic sleep times, try adjusting your schedule gradually until you find a time that works. In other words, if you regularly go to bed at midnight, don’t suddenly switch to a 9 PM bedtime. Rather, adjust the time slowly over several weeks to ease into your new schedule. 

2. Create a Relaxing Bedtime Routine

Your pre-sleep routine should indicate to your brain that it’s time to unwind and head off to dreamland. This can include activities like reading, taking a warm bath, or listening to calming music, Harris says. Avoid stimulating activities like scrolling through your phone, watching intense shows, or answering work emails, which can make it harder for your body to shut off for the night. 

3. Limit Screen Time Before Bed

Screen time before bed is all too tempting, but it can interfere with our Zzzs. That’s because the blue light emitted from our devices has been shown to interfere with the body’s production of melatonin (a sleep hormone), which can mess with how much sleep we get. To maintain a consistent sleep schedule, try to avoid screens for at least an hour before bed. 

4. Incorporate Sleep Meditations

Sleep meditations can be a simple-yet-powerful tool for reducing stress and improving sleep quality. Guided meditations, visualizations, breathing exercises, and body scanning can help quiet your mind and release tension in your body, all while fending off stress. 

In fact, one 2015 study found that people who completed a mindfulness awareness program that taught them meditation over the course of six weeks reported greater reduction in insomnia and fatigue compared to those who attended a six-week course on improving their sleep habits more broadly. 

You can explore hundreds of soothing, guided sleep meditations on the Peloton App to promote healthy, restful Zzzs.

5. Mind Your Beverages Before Bed

“Avoid substances that can keep you awake or interfere with your sleep schedule,” Breus recommends. “This means staying away from caffeine and alcohol.” Stimulants like caffeine can stay in your system for hours, making it harder to fall asleep. And while alcohol may make you drowsy, it can negatively impact the quality of your sleep, leading to more disrupted sleep. 

Of course, that doesn’t mean you have to completely nix your cup of joe or the occasional nightcap. Do what works best for your body so you can still wake up well-rested—for instance, maybe you find you need to have your last cup of java at 2 PM instead of 4 PM to get your best Zzzs. And as always, talk to your healthcare provider with any unique questions or concerns.

6. Resist the Snooze Button

Another crucial tip when minding your stress levels and sleep schedule: Don’t hit the snooze button in the morning. Sticking to a regular wake-up time “forces melatonin to become more regular, which then causes all other hormones to line up as well,” Breus explains. “For example, if you wake up every day at 7 AM for three weeks, your body then knows when to turn on and off cortisol.” 

7. Stay Active During the Day

Numerous studies link physical activity to better sleep. And a recent scientific review of 23 studies on the topic found that “aerobic exercise four to seven times a week and moderate-intensity exercise three times a week were associated with better sleep quality.” And given exercise’s impressive ability to reduce stress, it’s a win-win. 

“Incorporating physical activity or exercise into your day can help you sleep better, but stay away from vigorous physical activity just before bedtime,” Breus advises. For some, late-evening sweat sessions may make it harder to wind down. If working out at night messes with your ability to nod off, consider saving that heart-pounding HIIT class for the morning or afternoon and try opting for a yoga class, moderate strength training session, or a nice walk in the evening instead. 

The Takeaway

If your sleep schedule is erratic, it can impact the quality of your rest and how stressed you feel throughout the day. That’s why experts say it’s important to focus on sleep consistency. 

A routine sleep schedule is an effective way to reduce stress and promote your mental health. But that’s not all: “Better sleep also improves your mood and sharpens your focus, so you’re more likely to stick with healthy habits like exercising and eating well,” Harris says. All these things can help create a healthy cycle that reinforces a solid snooze at night and a calm, resilient attitude during the day. (Talk about a positive cycle!)

“Fixing your sleep schedule may not always be easy, but doing so can help you improve the quantity and quality of your sleep,” Breus says. “When you make sleep a priority, it can leave you feeling refreshed during the day and benefit your overall health.”