A Practical Guide to Sleeping Early & Waking Early in Winter
Winters in the Muslim world come with a unique blessing: Maghrib and Isha arrive early, giving us long, calm evenings and the opportunity to align our sleep with a healthy, prophetic routine. But many people still end up sleeping late, wasting the extra hours with screens, tasks, and anxiety. I will walk you through the framework I follow that gives you a simple, realistic, step-by-step approach to shift your body toward early sleep and early rising with Islamic, psychological, and lifestyle principles built in. ⭐ 1. Understand the Golden Window After Isha In winter, Isha often falls between 7:15–7:30 PM. The time after Isha is actually the best zone for: - winding down - doing light chores - reading - planning tomorrow - preparing for rest According to Sunnah, the Prophet ﷺ disliked unnecessary talk after Isha, which aligns with modern sleep science: Your brain naturally prepares for melatonin release 1–2 hours after Isha. This means: If you simply avoid stimulation after Isha, your body automatically becomes sleepy by 9:30–10:00 PM. 2. Design a “Post-Isha Routine” (your key to sleeping early) Instead of going into random activities, set a fixed, peaceful routine after Isha. Recommended Post-Isha Routine (60–90 minutes) 1. Light home reset (10 minutes) - Put things back in place - Prepare clothes for tomorrow - Ensure your room is clean and warm This signals your brain: the day is ending. 2. Warm drink ritual (5–10 minutes) Avoid caffeine. Choose: - warm milk - chamomile tea - cinnamon tea - honey water - green tea (decaf) This warms the body and increases melatonin. 3. Digital Shutdown (most important) Set a fixed rule: After Isha, no social media, no scrolling, no Netflix. Screens delay melatonin by 90 minutes or more. Replace them with: - reading Quran or Islamic books - journaling - light planning - family conversation (short & calm) 4. Spiritual Wind-Down (15 minutes) - Pray 2 rakah of nafl - Fifteen minutes of Quran - Dhikr (especially: SubhanAllah, Alhamdulillah, Allahu Akbar 33×/34×) - Make a short dua for a peaceful night