Oura Ring reveals I've been breaking a key sleep-hygiene rule.

An Oura Ring flagged that the author's sleep timing had become inconsistent, and research cited in the article links irregular sleep schedules to higher health risks; the author reports falling asleep faster after adopting more regular wake and bed times and related habits.

My Oura Ring highlighted a lapse in an otherwise solid sleep record: the author's bedtime and wake times had become inconsistent over recent months. The article notes that many Americans lack a regular sleep schedule and that researchers have increasingly examined the health effects of sleep timing. Several studies referenced in the piece associate irregular sleep timing with higher risks for conditions such as cardiovascular disease, dementia, and increased mortality. The author describes trying habits intended to create a steadier schedule and reports falling asleep faster after making those changes. Key facts: - The author's sleep tracker (Oura Ring) flagged inconsistent bed and wake times despite otherwise adequate sleep duration. - Data from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2017–2020) is reported as showing most Americans do not keep a regular sleep schedule. - A Vitality and LSE study cited in the article tracked millions of nights and reported that seven hours of sleep plus bedtime consistency within about one hour was associated with a lower mortality risk in that analysis. - Prior research mentioned includes a 2024 study linking irregular sleep patterns to incident dementia and a 2020 Harvard-linked study associating high sleep irregularity with greater cardiovascular risk, independent of total sleep time. - The author reports that adopting more consistent wake and bed times, morning light exposure, an evening routine, and regular meal timing corresponded with shorter time to fall asleep. Summary: The article combines a first-person account with summaries of recent research to underline sleep-timing consistency as a commonly overlooked aspect of sleep hygiene. The author's tracker prompted changes aimed at stabilizing daily timing, and they report improved ease of falling asleep; further progress and broader outcomes are undetermined at this time.