Although getting enough sleep is essential for maintaining good health, many people find it difficult to get the deep, healing sleep that their bodies require. The effects of insufficient sleep can be extensive, regardless of the cause—stress, bad habits, or an unrest-friendly atmosphere. Every aspect of our life can be impacted by inadequate sleep, from mood fluctuations and cognitive decline to compromised immunological function.
This is where good sleep hygiene is important.
Sleep hygiene refers to the behaviors, routines, and surroundings that are critical to preserving sound sleep. Your ability to sleep and, consequently, your ability to function during the day can both be greatly enhanced by practicing better sleep hygiene. The top ten sleep hygiene practices that everyone should be aware of are covered in this post, which will help you consistently obtain better sleep.
- Maintain a Regular Sleep Schedule
Keeping a regular sleep schedule is one of the cornerstones of proper sleep hygiene. This entails waking up and going to bed at the same time each day, including on the weekends. Following a regular schedule helps your internal circadian clock become more in sync, which facilitates natural sleep and wakefulness. Our bodies thrive on routine.
Your body’s regular sleep-wake cycle might be disturbed by “social jet lag,” which can occur when your sleep schedule varies significantly. This discrepancy can eventually result in chronic sleep deprivation, which will leave you feeling exhausted and drowsy.
Advice: Even on the weekends, establish a consistent wake-up and bedtime and adhere to it. Your body will appreciate it.
2. Establish a Calm Nighttime Schedule
A calming pre-bedtime ritual aids in letting your body know when it’s time to unwind. Before going to bed, your brain will be too busy to unwind if you are working or using social media. To get ready for sleep, try relaxing activities like deep breathing exercises, reading a book, or listening to relaxing music.
Since your body sends a signal to go to sleep when your body temperature drops, taking a warm bath or shower before bed might also be beneficial. Before going to bed, meditation and easy yoga positions are also great ways to relax your body and mind.
Advice: Avoid stimulating activities an hour or two before bedtime and incorporate relaxing techniques into your evening routine.
3. Make Your Sleep Environment Better
How well you sleep is greatly influenced by your sleeping environment.Your sleep may be disturbed if your bedroom is uncomfortable, light, or noisy. Pay attention to the following components to enhance your sleeping environment:
- Lighting: Use an eye mask or blackout curtains to make your space as dark as possible. To assist your body get ready for sleep, turn down the lights one hour before bed.
- Temperature: Sleeping is best in a cool environment. Generally speaking, the ideal temperature range is 60–67°F (15–20°C). For improved air circulation, you can use a fan or change your thermostat.
- Noise: To block out distracting noises in your noisy bedroom, think about employing earplugs or a white noise generator.
- Comfort: Invest in pillows and a mattress that fit your preferred sleeping position, such as stomach, side, or back. Additionally, your bedding ought to be soft, clean, and supportive of restful sleep.
Advice: Make sure your bedroom is chilly, dark, peaceful, and cozy to create a haven.
4. Reduce Your Consumption of Nicotine and Caffeine
A well-known stimulant is caffeine, while nicotine also has stimulating properties. Both may make it difficult for you to get to sleep or stay asleep. Caffeine and nicotine should not be consumed four to six hours before to bedtime. Coffee, tea, soda, chocolate, and even some stimulant-containing drugs fall under this category.
Even though a lot of people depend on coffee to get through the day, drinking it late in the day can make you restless at night and make it more difficult to fall asleep.
Advice: To avoid disrupting sleep, limit your intake of coffee and nicotine, especially in the afternoon and evening.
5. Pay Attention to What You Eat and Drink Before Bed
Large meals or heavy, rich foods right before bed might cause sleep disturbances, particularly if you have indigestion or acid reflux. Although it’s not a good idea to go to bed hungry, you should avoid eating anything overly large, fatty, or spicy shortly before bed.
To avoid waking up in the middle of the night to use the restroom, avoid large meals and take care not to consume too many liquids before bed. Although alcohol may make you feel sleepy at first, it can also cause sleep disturbances.
Advice: To prevent disruptions throughout the night, try to finish meals at least two to three hours before bed. You should also watch what you drink.
6. Throughout the Day, Get Lots of Natural Light
Your body’s circadian rhythm, which tells you when it’s time to be awake and when to go to sleep, is regulated by exposure to natural light throughout the day. It has been demonstrated that exposure to sunlight in the morning, in particular, improves the quality of sleep at night.
Try to spend at least 20 to 30 minutes each day outside if you spend the most of your time indoors. This can help you fall asleep more quickly at night and better regulate your sleep-wake cycle.
Advice: To help your circadian rhythm, get outside in the morning or midday for some natural sunlight.
7. Get Moving Throughout the Day
Though timing is important, physical activity is a great strategy to encourage better sleep. Frequent exercise can promote deeper sleep and a quicker fall asleep. However, because the endorphins created during exercise can be energizing, exercising too close to bedtime may have the opposite effect.
Try to complete strenuous activity three hours or more before going to bed. To help your body relax, try less strenuous exercises like stretching or strolling if you like to work out in the evening.
Advice: Make physical activity a regular part of your day, but refrain from doing strenuous exercise just before bed.
8. Control Your Anxiety and Stress
Anxiety and stress are frequent causes of restless nights. Tension, anxiety, and racing thoughts can make it hard to unwind and go to sleep. Thankfully, stress-reduction strategies can lessen these problems and encourage deeper sleep.
Before going to bed, you can de-stress and relax by engaging in techniques like progressive muscle relaxation, journaling, deep breathing, and mindfulness meditation. Sleep quality at night can also be enhanced by scheduling time throughout the day to handle stress, such as through counseling, relaxation methods, or exercise.
Advice: To enhance the quality of your sleep, learn good coping mechanisms for stress and anxiety, such as practicing relaxation techniques before bed.
9. Reduce Screen Time Before Bed
In the digital age, a lot of individuals watch TV or browse through their phones in the final hour before bed. The production of melatonin, a hormone that aids in sleep regulation, may be hampered by the blue light emitted by electronic devices such as computers, tablets, and phones.
Try cutting back on screen time at least 30 to 60 minutes before bed to encourage healthier sleep. Instead, think about doing relaxation techniques, reading a book, or taking up a soothing pastime.
Advice: To help your body relax and encourage healthier sleep, avoid using electronics right before bed.
10. Use Sleep Aids Sparingly (if necessary)
To help them sleep, some people utilize vitamins or sleep aids, but these should only be used seldom and under a doctor’s supervision. Natural supplements such as lavender, valerian root, and melatonin have been demonstrated to help some people sleep better, but they should not be used frequently and should only be used as a last resort.
Before beginning any new supplement, always with your doctor, particularly if you have pre-existing medical conditions or are using other medications.
Advice: If you’re thinking about taking sleep aids, talk to your doctor first.
Conclusion
A healthy and happy existence depends on practicing good sleep hygiene. You may significantly enhance the quality of your sleep by using the aforementioned advice and making minor adjustments to your daily routine, surroundings, and habits. Getting a good night’s sleep can improve your mood, cognitive function, and general well-being in addition to making you feel rested. You’ll soon discover that you wake up feeling rejuvenated and prepared to face the day if you begin putting these suggestions into practice immediately.