Via TODAY

"I call it the 3-2-1 rule because it covers a lot of bases. Three hours before lights out, stop all alcohol — notice I didn't say you couldn't have it. Two hours before, stop food. And one hour before bed is when you stop fluids, so you are not waking up to urinate."

— Dr. Michael Breus (The Sleep Doctor), TODAY, September 23, 2024

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Sleep specialist Dr. Michael Breus's 3-2-1 Rule is a simple countdown for the three hours before bed. No complicated routines — just three cutoffs, each targeting something that disrupts sleep for a specific reason.

• 3 hours before lights out: Stop alcohol. Breus is careful to say stop, not don't drink. The timing is the issue. Alcohol metabolizes into stimulants in the middle of the night, fragments your REM sleep, relaxes your throat muscles, and raises your core body temperature at exactly the time your body needs it to drop. Three hours is the buffer your body needs to clear it before sleep begins.
• 2 hours before bed: Stop eating. Digestion keeps your heart rate up. You need a resting heart rate below 60 bpm to fall asleep. A late meal keeps the engine running when your body needs to idle down.
• 1 hour before bed: Stop fluids. You don't want to wake up at 2am to use the bathroom. One unnecessary sleep interruption is often all it takes to leave you staring at the ceiling.

Three, two, one. You don't have to overhaul your evening; just pay attention to the clock.