Sleep is beneficial to both physical and mental health, as well as productivity and overall quality of life. Everyone can benefit from better sleep, from children to the elderly, and sleep hygiene can help them achieve that goal.
One of the most straightforward ways to set yourself up for better sleep is to pay attention to sleep hygiene.
Strong sleep hygiene entails a sleeping environment as well as daily routines that promote regular, uninterrupted sleep. Having a consistent sleep schedule, a comfortable and distraction-free bedroom, a relaxing pre-bed routine, and developing healthy habits during the day can all help you achieve optimal sleep hygiene.
Every sleeper can personalise their sleep hygiene practices to meet their specific requirements. In the process, you will be able to develop positive habits that will make it easier for you to sleep soundly all night and wake up refreshed.
How Do You Go About Maintaining Good Sleep Hygiene?
It is all about putting yourself in the best possible position to sleep well each night with good sleep hygiene.
Part of harnessing habits to make quality sleep feel more automatic is optimising your sleep schedule, pre-bed routine, and daily routines. Creating a pleasant bedroom environment, on the other hand, can be an invitation to unwind and sleep.
There are a few pointers that can help in each of these areas, but they are not strict requirements. You can modify them to fit your needs and create your sleep hygiene checklist to help you get the best possible sleep.
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Maintain a regular sleep schedule.
Even on weekends, try to go to bed and wake up at roughly the same times every day. This helps to reinforce your body’s sleep cycle (internal clock), making it easier to fall asleep and wake up daily.
Maintaining a regular schedule may also aid in reducing daytime sleepiness. Make sure that the bedtime you choose allows you to sleep for 7 to 8 hours each night.
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Establish a comforting bedtime routine and stick to it.
A soothing bedtime routine allows you to unwind and prepare for sleep. Maintaining a consistent routine also aids your body in recognising that it is bedtime when the routine begins. This may assist you in falling asleep faster.
30 to 60 minutes before bedtime is the best time to begin your routine. Unless it involves a device that emits blue light, your routine can include whatever makes you feel the most relaxed.
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Before going to bed, turn off all electronic devices.
Electronic devices, such as your phone, emit blue light, which can lower your melatonin levels.
Blue-light emitting devices can also serve as a distraction, keeping your mind active. It may be more difficult to fall asleep because of this.
Although you may believe that not looking at your phone close to bedtime is sufficient, keeping your phone near your bed can disrupt your sleep, even if you are unaware of it.
Message notifications, buzzing, and light that can appear out of nowhere in the middle of the night can wake you up and cause sleep disruption.
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Exercise regularly
Even 30 minutes of aerobic exercise per day can help you sleep better and improve your overall health. If you can exercise outside, the benefits may be amplified even further, as natural light aids in the regulation of your sleep cycle.
Do not worry if you cannot get outside. Even regular indoor exercise can improve your sleep.
Just do not exercise within an hour or two of going to bed. This can raise your energy levels and body temperature, making falling asleep more difficult. Try stretches or yoga later in the day if you want to do something active.
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Reduce your caffeine consumption.
Caffeine’s effects can last anywhere from 3 to 7 hours after consumption. This means that a cup of coffee in the afternoon may keep you awake and alert for much longer than you would like.
Although it is generally best to limit your caffeine consumption to the morning hours, keep in mind that everyone’s tolerance for caffeine is different.
Some people may be able to delay their consumption until the afternoon, while others may need to stop much earlier to fall asleep quickly.
You may be more sensitive to the effects of caffeine if you consume less of it.
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Make your sleeping environment appropriate for you.
A cool, dark, and quiet room may make it easier for you to fall asleep and stay asleep.
It is also crucial to have a good mattress, pillows, and bed linens. It may be easier to fall asleep and stay asleep if you are more comfortable. Do you want some recommendations? Explore our market, which is brimming with editor-approved and expert-verified pillow and mattress picks.
A good pair of earplugs can help you sleep without being disturbed if you are a light sleeper or have noisy neighbours.
In addition, if your bedroom is overly bright, you might want to use blackout curtains or an eye mask to keep your sleeping environment as dark as possible.
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Only go to bed when you are exhausted.
If you are not tired, do not lie in bed tossing and turning. Instead, engage in a relaxing activity until you become tired, and then retire to your bed.
Get out of bed if you have not fallen asleep within 20 minutes of going to bed. You may become frustrated if you cannot fall asleep, which will keep you awake even longer.
Once you’ve gotten out of bed, do something relaxing, such as reading on the couch, until you’re tired enough to return to bed.
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Try to avoid napping if possible.
Napping during the day can make it more difficult to fall asleep later and increase your chances of waking up in the middle of the night.
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Before going to bed, manage your stress.
It is possible that worrying about things keeps you awake at night. To keep your worries from keeping you awake at night, try the following:
Before going to bed, write down your worries to help you get them out of your head.
If your commotion list is causing you stress, make a note of it. Make a list of what you need to do tomorrow and the rest of the week, and then try to unwind.
A weighted blanket may help with anxiety and insomnia, and it may provide benefits similar to deep pressure therapy, according to research.
Before going to bed, try some meditation to help you relax.
Also published on Medium.