Importance of Having A healthy sleep hygiene REGIMEN

Sleep Hygiene

Sleep is such an important aspect in all of our lives! We need sleep to function and live. Having a healthy sleep hygiene regimen can dramatically improve your physical and mental health!

What is Sleep Hygiene?

Sleep Hygiene is a behavior(s) one engages in to help promote better sleep [1]. These behaviors are usually small modifications one can make before bed to ensure a more enjoyable, restful night of sleep. Some sleep hygiene practices may be larger modifications than others. 
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How Can I Improve My Sleep and Sleep Hygiene Practices?
    
Start with slowly altering your current sleep hygiene practices! If you have none that is OK. But small incorporations will help you find what works for you and what does not. It is important to note that what may work for one person may not work for another. Sleep hygiene practices and their effectiveness vary from person to person.

After researching, there are a few of the same general sleep hygiene tips found online.

• Avoiding Caffeine Before Bed [1,2]. Caffeine is a stimulant meaning it is to help stimulate your brain and nervous system [3]. It is in essence to help keep you awake and can be found in a wide array of drinks (coffee, tea, soft drinks and energy drinks). While some sources say you only need to avoid it 2 hours before bed, others report that you should consider eliminating caffeine in the afternoon as well as it can stay in your system for an extended period of time [4].

 

• Having A Consistent Sleep Schedule. Creating and sticking to a consistent sleep schedule can help tremendously. This means you are going to bed and waking up at the same time (ideally within the same time give or take 20 minutes [1]. Even on weekends and vacations [5]. With having a consistent sleep schedule you should ensure you get at least 7-8 hours of sleep and avoid naps as it decreases the amount of sleep we need the next night [1]. 

 

• Limit The Use Of Electronic Devices: TV, Phone, Computers, Video Games. Especially In Bed. Using electronic devices while in bed can often start associating the bed with being awake. Specifically using electronic devices prior to bed can also hinder going to sleep and the quality of one's sleep as blue light that is emitted from the screen can alter one's circadian rhythm [4]. It is recommended to turn off devices at least 30 minutes before bedtime [5]. 

 

• Make Your Sleep Environment Conducive For A Good Nights Sleep. This means making your bedroom and bed a tranquil, safe space to sleep. It can be as simple as ensuring you have a cooler temperature set on the thermostat or have a fan on to help you sleep [4]. One can use essential oils like a lavender or eucalyptus to help calm you before bed. Or buy a better quality mattress, bedding sheets, pillows and pillow cover, or black out curtains to help keep the outside light out so it won't interrupt sleep [4].

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Other noteworthy tips that were discovered are:

• If You Cannot Fall Asleep, Do Not Force Yourself. If you are in bed for more than 20 minutes and cannot sleep, get up and engage in a light activity like journaling or reading, but avoid using electronic devices. It may seem counterintuitive to get up when you are trying to sleep, but the more you toss and turn trying to sleep in bed it can actually make one connect the bed with not sleeping rather than sleeping [4]. Do something that is calming, but won't be stimulating. When you feel like you are actually tired and sleepy, return to bed to try to fall asleep again. 
• If You Wake Up in the Middle of the Night, Do Not Check Your Phone. Even if it is just to check the time. It can promote wakefulness and oftentimes it will lead to getting on social media, checking emails/texts, or just exploring the internet way too late at night. This will most definitely promote wakefulness not sleepiness. Or if you’re anything like me it will cause me to see the time, try to calculate how much time I have left for sleep and ruminate on how little/long I have, what I need to do for the day once I fully wake up, etc. 
• Establish and Engage Daily in Healthy Habits. Finding a healthy balance between diet, exercise and other general healthy habits i.g. Don’t smoke, limit or eliminate alcohol consumption, going out in the sun, limiting late night meals/snacks, can help promote getting a fuller nights sleep by supporting one's circadian rhythm [4].

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While the purpose of this writing is to help provide sleep education, it is important to note to continue doing your own research to decide what is right for you! This information should not substitute seeing a medical provider. If you have serious sleep concerns and/or medical diagnosis i.g. insomnia, hypersomnolence, sleep apnea, you should contact your personal provider and medical team to see if incorporating a sleep hygiene regimen may be right for you.
 
References

[1] American Sleep Association. (n.d.). Sleep hygiene tips. https://www.sleepassociation.org/about-sleep/sleep-hygiene-tips/
[2] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC]. (2016). Tips for better sleep. https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about_sleep/sleep_hygiene.html
[3] Better Health Channel. (2020). Caffeine. https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/caffeine
[4] Suni, E. (2021). Sleep hygiene. Sleep Foundation. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-hygiene
[5] Hershner, S. & Shaikh, I. (2020). Healthy sleep habits. American Academy of Sleep Education. https://sleepeducation.org/healthy-sleep/healthy-sleep-habits/

Photos are free stock images from Pexels and Unsplash.

Author: Eliana Rosete     
Reviewed by: ZenDeva Team        
Date of Last Update: 14 March 2022    ​​