We all know that a good night’s sleep is essential for our well-being, but what happens during the day can be just as crucial for ensuring restful slumber. While many sleep experts focus on pre-bedtime rituals like turning down the lights and keeping your bedroom cool, the habits you form during the day also play a critical role in how well you sleep at night.

Here are six science-backed daytime habits that could help you sleep better, and how they work:

1. Get Morning Sun Exposure A powerful way to improve your sleep quality at night is to get outside and soak up some sunlight within the first hour of waking up. According to Dr. Indira Gurubhagavatula, a sleep medicine expert at the University of Pennsylvania, sunlight helps reset your body’s internal clock, also known as the circadian rhythm. It suppresses sleep-inducing hormones and sets you up to feel tired by the time night comes around.

While a full hour outdoors is ideal, Dr. Joseph Dzierzewski from the National Sleep Foundation suggests even 10 minutes of sun exposure is beneficial. If sunlight isn’t an option, a bright light box or just turning on all the lights in your house can also help.

2. Keep Meal Times Consistent and Lighten Up Dinners Eating meals at consistent times each day can help regulate your circadian rhythm, leading to better sleep at night. Your body’s internal clock takes cues from your eating habits, and irregular meal times can disrupt your sleep-wake cycle.

Additionally, research suggests eating lighter meals in the evening, as heavy dinners close to bedtime can cause digestive problems like acid reflux, which may disturb your sleep. If you need a late-night snack, choose something small, low in fat, and with minimal sugar.

3. Be Mindful of Caffeine Consumption We’ve all heard that caffeine can interfere with sleep, but the effects can vary from person to person. Some individuals metabolize caffeine more slowly, which means a cup of coffee in the morning could still affect their sleep 12 hours later.

Dr. Charlene Gamaldo from Johns Hopkins Medicine recommends reducing or eliminating caffeine for two weeks to see if your sleep improves. This includes not just coffee, but also caffeinated sodas, teas, and even chocolate or coffee-flavored desserts.

4. Take Medications Earlier in the Day Certain medications can make it harder to fall asleep, especially if taken too close to bedtime. Medications like decongestants, ADHD treatments, and some antidepressants can interfere with your ability to get restful sleep.

If you’re struggling to sleep, it might be worth speaking with your doctor about adjusting the timing of your medication or switching to something less stimulating.

5. Wake Up at the Same Time Every Day Keeping a consistent wake-up time, even on weekends, is key to maintaining your circadian rhythm and improving your sleep quality. Dr. Dzierzewski emphasizes that inconsistent wake times can disrupt your sleep cycle and make it harder to fall asleep at night.

Even if you can't wake up at the exact same time each day, sticking to a regular schedule within a 30-minute window can make a big difference.

6. Experiment with Your Workout Routine Exercise is known to boost sleep, but for some people, working out too close to bedtime can negatively impact their sleep quality. Intense exercise can raise your body temperature and trigger endorphin release, making it harder for your body to relax and fall asleep.

If you find that evening workouts leave you feeling too energized to sleep, Dr. Gamaldo recommends trying morning exercises instead. If possible, get outside to take advantage of the sunlight, which has additional benefits for regulating your sleep-wake cycle.