What are the best home remedies for insomnia?

The best home remedies for insomnia include setting a consistent sleep schedule, avoiding screens before bed, creating a restful environment, using relaxation techniques like deep breathing or progressive muscle relaxation, and getting morning sunlight exposure to regulate circadian rhythm.

Can you treat insomnia without medication?

Yes, many cases of insomnia can be treated without medication using behavioural and environmental changes. Cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), better sleep hygiene, relaxation exercises, and managing stress are all effective non-pharmacological treatments.

What is sleep hygiene and how does it help with insomnia?

Sleep hygiene refers to habits and practices that support good quality sleep. This includes keeping the bedroom dark and cool, going to bed at the same time each night, avoiding stimulants like caffeine in the evening, and reserving the bed for sleep only.

Does morning sunlight help with insomnia?

Yes, exposure to natural morning light helps regulate your body’s internal clock, promoting earlier melatonin production and making it easier to fall asleep at night. Just 20–30 minutes of morning light exposure can improve sleep quality over time.

How long should I try home remedies before seeking help for insomnia?

If home remedies haven’t improved your sleep within four weeks, or if insomnia is affecting your daily functioning, it’s best to consult a GP. Chronic insomnia may require assessment for underlying health issues or formal CBT-I therapy.

Home Remedies for Insomnia: Natural Ways to Sleep Better Without Products

Annie Wouters
May 2
4 min read

Insomnia is a growing public health concern in the UK. According to YouGov, one in eight Britons say that they have problems falling asleep every night, and many report long-term struggles with falling or staying asleep. While medications and over-the-counter remedies are available, many prefer a natural approach, seeking ways to manage insomnia without products or supplements.

This blog explores science-backed home remedies for insomnia that can help improve sleep quality without pills, powders, or teas.

Dark silhouette of a black alarm clock on a greenish-blue background, displaying 10:10. Moody and minimalistic setting.

What Is Insomnia?

Insomnia refers to persistent difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up too early, despite having the opportunity to rest. Chronic insomnia is usually defined as sleep difficulties occurring at least three nights a week for three months or more. It can affect mood, energy levels, concentration, and overall health.

Common causes include:

Stress or anxiety
Poor sleep habits
Irregular sleep schedules
Mental health conditions
Chronic pain or medical issues

Before turning to sleeping tablets or herbal products, it's worth exploring home-based strategies that target the root causes of insomnia.

Establish a Consistent Sleep Schedule

Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day — even on weekends — helps regulate your body’s internal clock, known as the circadian rhythm. Disruptions to this rhythm are a major contributor to insomnia.

How to implement:

Choose a realistic bedtime based on your schedule
Wake up at the same time daily, even after a poor night’s sleep
Avoid long lie-ins or naps during the day

A 2018 study in Scientific Reports found that people with irregular sleep schedules had worse sleep quality and more daytime fatigue.

Create a Sleep-Friendly Environment

Woman on bed with phone, yellow blanket, leaf-pattern pillow, pink pouch, cosmetics, and tea. Yellow clock nearby. Cozy setting.

The bedroom should signal rest, not stimulation. Environmental factors can have a profound effect on how easily sleep comes.

Tips for better sleep hygiene:

Keep the room cool (around 16–18°C is ideal according to the Sleep Council)
Minimise noise with rugs, curtains, or earplugs
Block light with blackout blinds or eye masks
Remove clutter and keep electronics out of the bedroom

Even the colour scheme can matter. Soft blues, greens, or neutrals are considered more restful for sleep.

Limit Exposure to Light Before Bed

Person in towel on a sofa, playing a game on a smartphone. Relaxed tropical setting with lush greenery in the background.

Light plays a critical role in regulating melatonin, the sleep hormone. Too much exposure to artificial light, especially from screens, can suppress melatonin production and delay sleep onset.

Suggestions:

Dim the lights an hour before bed
Avoid screens for 60–90 minutes before sleep
Use night mode or blue-light filters if screens are unavoidable

The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found that exposure to bright indoor light before bedtime significantly suppresses melatonin levels, even in healthy adults.

Use Relaxation Techniques Before Bed

Open book and lined notebook with a pen on a white fabric background. Text visible on book pages, creating a calm, thoughtful mood.

A racing mind is one of the most common barriers to falling asleep. Simple relaxation practices can help signal to the brain that it's time to unwind.

Effective home methods include:

Deep breathing (e.g., the 4-7-8 technique)
Progressive muscle relaxation
Body scans or visualisation exercises
Journaling thoughts or worries to 'clear the mind'

A 2021 meta-analysis in Behaviour Research and Therapy found that mindfulness-based approaches significantly improved sleep quality among those with chronic insomnia.

Get Sunlight in the Morning

Sunlight streams through lush green forest, illuminating a dirt path. The serene setting evokes a peaceful and calming mood.

Natural daylight exposure — particularly in the morning — helps synchronise circadian rhythms and encourages earlier melatonin release at night.

Try this:

Spend 20–30 minutes outside within an hour of waking up
Open blinds fully during the day
If weather or mobility restricts time outside, sit near a bright window

Research in Sleep Health journal shows that morning light exposure improves sleep onset and duration, especially in people with delayed sleep phase disorders.

Discover what Andrew Huberman has to say about morning light.

Avoid Clock-Watching at Night

Black alarm clock showing 7:00, next to an open book on a wooden table. Warm light casts a cozy mood, with a woven mat and notes nearby.

Checking the time during the night can increase stress and worsen insomnia. The anxiety about "how much sleep is left" often keeps people awake.

Try this approach:

Turn the clock face away from the bed
Avoid checking your phone during wake-ups
Trust that your body knows how to rest without constant monitoring

Sleep specialists often refer to this as reducing 'sleep performance anxiety' — the pressure to sleep, which ironically prevents it.

Cut Down on Late-Night Stimulation

Person relaxing with feet up, watching "Sneakerheads" on TV. A shoe display with colorful lights and a green cactus lamp is in view. Cozy vibe.

While it may seem obvious, overstimulation in the evening is a hidden cause of many people’s sleep struggles.

Common culprits include:

Late-night arguments or emotional discussions
Intense TV dramas or games
Work emails or late-night planning

Instead, build a wind-down routine that gradually prepares the body and mind for rest. Reading fiction, light stretching, or listening to calm music are good alternatives.

Use the Bed Only for Sleep

Slice of pie on an open magazine with floral images, next to a cup of coffee on a white bed. Cozy and relaxed atmosphere.

Sleep experts often recommend associating the bed only with sleep (and intimacy) to strengthen the connection between the bed and sleepiness.

Avoid doing the following in bed:

Watching TV
Scrolling social media
Working or studying

If you can't sleep after 20–30 minutes, get out of bed and do something low-stimulation in dim lighting until you feel sleepy again.

Limit Caffeine and Heavy Meals in the Evening

Close-up of a freshly baked pizza with mozzarella, tomato sauce, and basil on a patterned marble table. A pizza cutter is in the background.

While this guide avoids product-specific advice, it’s worth noting that the timing of stimulants and meals can be a major factor in insomnia.

Tips:

Avoid caffeine after 2pm
Eat dinner at least 2–3 hours before bed
Skip rich, spicy, or heavy meals late in the evening

A 2013 study published in Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that caffeine consumed even six hours before bedtime significantly reduced total sleep time.

Move Your Body (But Not Right Before Bed)

Swimmer in a pool performing freestyle stroke, wearing goggles and a blue cap. Sunlight sparkles on the water's surface.

Exercise is consistently linked to better sleep, but timing matters.

Recommendations:

Aim for 30 minutes of moderate activity most days
Walking, yoga, swimming, and cycling are all beneficial
Finish workouts at least 2–3 hours before bed

The UK’s National Sleep Foundation recommends regular aerobic activity as a natural insomnia remedy, helping to deepen sleep and reduce time to fall asleep.

When to Seek Medical Advice

While home remedies work for many people, persistent or worsening insomnia may require professional help. Speak to a GP if:

Sleep difficulties last longer than four weeks
Fatigue interferes with daily functioning
You suspect an underlying medical or mental health condition

The NHS may refer you to sleep specialists, CBT-I, or recommend short-term use of medications if appropriate.

Final Thoughts: Natural Relief From Insomnia Starts at Home

Insomnia rarely improves on its own, but that doesn’t mean prescription pills are the only answer. The most effective long-term strategies for better sleep often start at home, with consistent habits, a calming environment, and a healthy relationship with sleep.

Many of the remedies discussed in this guide are supported by sleep research and recommended by the NHS. They require commitment and patience, but the payoff can be profound: improved sleep, better mood, and restored energy.