Week 5 · What you do by day determines your night

Daytime Inputs, Nighttime Outputs

Sleep isn't just an evening event — it's shaped by everything you do during the day. This week we optimise the daytime inputs that create nighttime sleep.

1

Caffeine's long shadow

Caffeine has a half-life of 5–6 hours, meaning a 2pm coffee still has half its effect at 8pm. For sensitive people, even morning caffeine affects sleep. This week you shift your last caffeine to before noon and observe.

2

Movement timing

Exercise improves sleep — but timing matters. Intense exercise too late in the day raises cortisol and can block sleep. We move higher-intensity movement to morning or early afternoon, keeping evenings gentle.

3

Blood sugar and night wakings

Many night wakings (especially 2–4am) are blood sugar drops, not insomnia. A small protein-and-fat snack before bed can stabilise overnight blood sugar and eliminate these wakings entirely.

Do these daily

Caffeine cutoff
Last caffeine before noon this week. Notice your sleep.
Evening blood sugar support
A small protein/fat snack 30 minutes before bed if you wake overnight.

Sit with these

Did shifting caffeine change your sleep? How?
Did the evening snack reduce night wakings?
This week's herb
Lemon balm
Calming and gentle. A tea after dinner to ease into evening.
Your action this week
Caffeine before noon only. Add the evening snack if you wake overnight.