Code Better, Sleep Harder: 10 Sleep Tips for High-Performance Programmers 2026
Superthread founder David shares 10 essential sleep tips for programmers. Learn how to protect your circadian rhythm and optimize your brain for deep work.
Jan 14, 2026
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David Hasovic, CEO
Why Sleep is a Non-Negotiable for Developers
At Superthread, we are obsessed with building a lightning-fast issue tracker. But before Superthread was a company, I did the prototype myself. There was a prolonged period when I was doing a massive amount of coding.
During that time, I used the Pomodoro Technique, 25-minute focused sessions, aiming for 10 to 12 a day. If you can hit that, you're doing really well. But programming is a deep, conscious activity. Research shows it’s one of the hardest activities a human can do. If the work is that hard, you need to make sure you are in a good state to do it.
I realized very quickly that sleep was the foundation of my productivity. Here are the 10 tips I’ve used to keep my brain sharp.
1. The Caffeine Half-Life Rule
Do not drink coffee before going to bed. Caffeine has a half-life of about 5–6 hours (and can linger much longer). If you have a cup at noon, a significant amount is still in your system at midnight. It doesn’t just stop you from falling asleep; it ruins the quality of the sleep you do get. Keep the coffee to the morning only.
2. Alcohol is Not a Sleep Aid
Do not drink before bed. People think alcohol helps them fall asleep, but the quality of that sleep is terrible. Your brain stays in a state similar to being awake. If you’re going to have a drink, try to have it at lunchtime rather than dinner.
3. Respect Your Circadian Rhythm
Inside our brains, we have a 'master clock' called the circadian rhythm. Think of it as a small part of the brain with very few CPU cycles, it’s just a timer. It tells your body when to sleep and wake. If you mess with it, you cause havoc. Stick to a schedule Monday through Friday, and the weekend.
4. Watch Your Body Temperature
Do not exercise just before bed. While exercise helps sleep overall, your body temperature rises during a workout. To fall asleep, your body needs to cool down. Intensive exercise right before bed prevents that natural cooling process.
5. Don't Digest While You Sleep
Try not to eat or drink too much right before bed. If you do, your body is busy processing all that food instead of focusing on rest and recovery. This friction prevents you from falling into a deep sleep.
6. The One-Hour Phone Ban
Do not look at your phone before bed. The blue light messes with your mind and suppresses melatonin. Try to stay off your devices for at least an hour before you plan to sleep.
7. Get Daily Sun Exposure
Research suggests that exposing your skin to the sun for just half an hour a day gives you more energy and helps you fall asleep easier at night. It’s a natural reset for your internal timer.
8. Wake Up and Get Out
When you wake up, actually get out of bed. Lying there for an hour after waking messes with your circadian rhythm. As soon as you wake up, get up.
9. Time Your Naps Carefully
It’s okay to take a nap, but try not to do it after 3:00 PM. Napping too late in the afternoon will interfere with your ability to fall asleep at night and throw your rhythm off-track.
10. Aim for 7 to 7.5 Hours
I know you hear people bragging about sleeping four hours a day, but that’s not good for you. Research proves that chronic sleep deprivation makes you more prone to Alzheimer’s and dementia. Focus requires a full night's rest.
Conclusion
Getting good sleep is exactly what helps me focus the next day. Programming is hard enough; don't make it harder by working with a tired brain.
I'd love to hear from you: have you found that sleep is vital for your coding performance too?
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