Everyone should follow the 3-2-1 rule to get a good night’s sleep

What is the 3-2-1 rule?

Although a simple and straightforward routine, it may take a little getting used to at first.

Basically, it starts three hours before you go to bed, setting out different things to avoid outside of each time period.

First, three hours before bed, you stop consuming all food and drink for the day. Alcohol falls under this rule, but water or non-stimulating herbal teas are allowed.

Then, two hours before bed is when you stop doing heavy work or exercise.

Finally, an hour before you go to bed, you turn off the screen (yes, that means putting away your phone) and dim the lights in the room too.

Why should you try it?

According to Nicola’s book, a regular routine like this makes us feel ‘more in control of our lives’ and can also ‘reduce stress’.

‘You may feel like you don’t have time for a routine or feel like there’s one more thing “to do,” but that may be a sign you need it,’ she explains.

Outlining the benefits of each step taken, Nicola notes that eating late at night (especially sweet or high-carb foods) can disrupt sleep and keep you awake longer, as it ‘stimulates our digestive system and inhibits the release of melatonin’.

Nutritional therapist Alice Mackintosh adds: ‘Eating early gives the body time to stabilize blood sugar before bed, meaning we don’t experience peaks and lows that keep us awake later in the day, or disrupt sleep cycles.’

When it comes to stopping work and exercising two hours before bed, the most important thing is to limit the impact on your body.

As we all know thanks to Elle Woods from Legally Blonde, ‘exercise gives you endorphins’ – and these endorphins increase your brain activity, which is definitely not ideal before you lie down to rest. They also increase your core body temperature, which signals your body clock that you need to stay awake.

Strenuous exercise at night, such as running or HIIT classes can also disrupt hormonal balance, stopping the production of the sleep hormone melatonin.

“Some form of movement is still important to help our bodies and brains relax after the day,” added Nicola. “Especially if you’ve been sitting in one position at a desk for a long time.”

And finally, throw away the screens and dim the lights. Not surprisingly, this is related to the blue light emitted by smartphones, laptops, tablets, e-readers and TV screens.

Nicola writes that light receptors in our eyes ‘communicate daytime signals to our brain to stay awake’ and these receptors are particularly sensitive to blue light.

He adds: ‘Natural blue light helps us wake up in the morning, but research shows that too much artificial blue light in the evening suppresses the production of melatonin, a very important ingredient for facilitating the onset of sleep.’

LED bulbs also emit an annoying blue light, which is why it is recommended to turn off the headlights and switch to lamps and candles at this step.

Although her routine calls for dimming the lights and an hour before bed, Nicola states that it’s ‘ideally’ best to start doing this two hours before bed if you can.

It’s not just bedroom lights you need to be wary of; LEDs are often also used in refrigerators, bathroom mirrors and other appliances, so you can “accidentally get a little burst of blue light” just by moving around the house.

As mentioned previously, there are 10 other ‘golden rules’ for sleep, which you must follow consistently over a 28 day period to turn the habit into an automatic behavior.

However, Nicola added: ‘We aim for progress, not perfection. They may take a little getting used to, but stick with it.

‘Personally, I found not drinking alcohol three hours before bed a bit difficult at first, but I really noticed a huge difference in my sleep and energy levels just by doing it.’

This article was first published on January 21, 2024.

Do you have a story to share?

Contact us by emailing [email protected].

MORE: This ‘amazing’ British spa is hidden in a warehouse and costs just £30 to enter

MORE: I almost died after receiving fake Ozempic weight loss injections bought on Facebook

MORE: This is how many times you should pee a day, according to your age