Good Sleep Hygiene:
What to Do and Not Do to Get the Good Night’s Rest You Deserve
You’re probably not getting enough sleep. Don’t worry; you’re far from alone. Many Americans aren’t! In fact, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has estimated that 50-70 million U.S. adults have sleep or wakefulness disorder with sleep insufficiency being linked to countless care accidents and medical and other occupational errors.
But, it’s not just the cost of sleepless to society that should concern you. How you feel, and how well you perform, when you’re awake has much more to do with how well you sleep than you may be aware.
It’s no exaggeration to say that healthy sleep habits – often referred to as having good “sleep hygiene” – can make a huge difference to your health and quality of life.
So, just because you feel you’ll never get everything done that’s on your proverbial “to-do” list doesn’t mean you should look upon sleep as being a nuisance… just one of those things you have to do. In fact, the better you sleep, the more you’ll likely get done while you’re awake. And this isn’t even to mention the importance of good sleep to your overall health.
Tips for Getting a Good Night’s Sleep
Just as there is no shortage of stressors in our daily lives, there is no shortage of things that interfere with out sleep. From difficulties at work and professional responsibilities to financial and relationship issues, there’s always something that can keep us up at night.
Fortunately, while you may not be able to control all of these situations, you can control whether or not they interfere with your sleep.
You see, just as the things that occur during your daily hours often affect how well you sleep, you can often find the cure for your sleep difficulties in your daily routine.
Your schedule, daily lifestyle, and bedtime habits can have an enormous impact on your sleep pattern, which is why I’ve created the following list of tips and tricks to help you get a better night’s sleep so you can be more productive, energetic, and optimistic during your waking hours.
Sleep Better Tip #1: Creating a Sleep Schedule
When it comes to getting a good night’s sleep, the importance of your natural circadian rhythm (your body’s sleep-wake cycle) cannot be overstated. So, figure out the time when you normally feel tired and then make that your regular bedtime. If you need to adjust it, do so in gradual daily increments. Similarly, wake up at the same time every day, preferably without an alarm clock. If you’re getting enough sleep, you shouldn’t need on. And, if you do need an alarm, you likely need to get to bed earlier and get more sleep.
When it comes to your sleep schedule, bear in mind that consistency is vitally important. It is your schedule’s consistency that will help you regulate your body clock and you fall asleep and stay asleep the whole night through.
You’ll feel much more awake, alert, and energized if you go to bed and get up at the same time each and every day… yes, even on weekends and holidays!
Sleep Better Tip #2: Create a Relaxing Bedtime Routine
If you make a consistent effort to relax and unwind before bed, you will sleep easier and more deeply. Accordingly, find a relaxing activity you can do each night before bed, such as listening to soft music, reading a book, or taking a warm shower or bath. Even better is to do whatever activity you choose with the lights dimmed.
A relaxing bedtime ritual can go a long way to helping your brain separate your bedtime from the anxieties and stress of the rest of your day and ease the transition from wakefulness to getting a good night’s sleep.
Sleep Better Tip #3: Healthy Living
You’ll sleep more deeply if you exercise regularly and maintain a healthy diet, and what you eat leading up to your bedtime is particularly important. You should do your best to avoid alcohol, cigarettes, and heavy meals in the evening. Heavy meals are harder to digest, alcohol can reduce the quality of your sleep, and the nicotine in cigarettes acts as a stimulant, which definitely doesn’t help your sleep. And, in case it isn’t already obvious, caffeinated drinks such as coffee or even black and green tea should be avoided from the afternoon onward.
When it comes to exercise, regular physical activity can help reduce your overall stress and promote better sleep. Timing is important, though. It’s better to exercise earlier in the day, as exercising too close to bed time can make it difficult to fall asleep. However, incorporating gentle stretching or yoga into your bedtime routine can help you transition into a good night’s sleep.
Sleep Better Tip #4: Practice Stress Management
If you feel you have too much to think about and do, your sleep is likely to suffer. When the stresses of daily life keep you awake night after night, it’s time to practice more specific stress management and self-care techniques, such as breathing exercises, mindfulness meditation, and just getting out and having some fun. If stress is affecting your sleep, then learning how to cope with, manage, and limit stress may be your best bet in getting a healthy night’s sleep.
Sleep Better Tip #5: Intelligent Napping
Taking a daytime nap can be a great way to recharge. But, be smart about it. If you need to make up for a few lost hours of sleep at night, opt for a daytime nap rather than disrupting your sleeping schedule by sleeping late. But, remember that napping is a double-edged sword, as naps can make getting to sleep more difficult at bedtime. If you suffer from insomnia, then consider eliminating napping. If you must nap, do it no later than early afternoon, and limit it to thirty minutes.
Sleep Better Tip #6: Make Your Bedroom and Sleep in It
Take a few minutes and evaluate your bedroom. Is it designed to provide you the best conditions for a good night’s sleep? Your bedroom should be cool and free from noise and light. If you need to, consider using eyeshades, blackout curtains, earplugs, and/or “white noise” machines to block out distracting lights and sounds. And, though it may go without saying, make sure your bedding is comfortable for you. Lastly, it can also help to remove the “gadgets” from your room, especially those that are associated with work. So, if possible, remove the laptops and TVs. Or, at the very least, make sure they’re turned off at least an hour or so before bedtime.
What If You Wake Up in the Middle of the Night?
If you wake up in the middle of the night, don’t worry about it. In fact, it’s perfectly normal to wake briefly during the night. Good sleepers do so and don’t even remember it.
That being said, if you do wake up in the middle of the night and find yourself having difficulty falling back asleep, try some breathing exercises, relaxation techniques, or other cues you use in your bedtime routine to get yourself back to sleep.
And, if those don’t work, get up instead of tossing and turning. Get out of bed, dim the lights, and do something relaxing until you feel drowsy enough to return to bed. And avoid eating or using any type of computer or TV screen. Read a book or try some other relaxation exercises.
The key to good sleep hygiene and getting the rest you need and deserve it experiment with the recommendations above. The sleep habits and conditions that work for one may not work as well for another. So, experiment.
And, while this is by no means an exhaustive list, if you’ve tried all of these and are still having a difficult time sleeping, don’t hesitate to find a sleep therapist or speak with your doctor.
Start by making sleep a priority in your life. Then follow the tips above. And, most importantly, know you’re not doomed to toss and turn every night. Help is available, so take advantage of it. By making sure you get a good night’s sleep, you’ll be making sure you’re waking hours are as healthy, productive, and enjoyable as possible.
But, it’s not just the cost of sleepless to society that should concern you. How you feel, and how well you perform, when you’re awake has much more to do with how well you sleep than you may be aware.
It’s no exaggeration to say that healthy sleep habits – often referred to as having good “sleep hygiene” – can make a huge difference to your health and quality of life.
So, just because you feel you’ll never get everything done that’s on your proverbial “to-do” list doesn’t mean you should look upon sleep as being a nuisance… just one of those things you have to do. In fact, the better you sleep, the more you’ll likely get done while you’re awake. And this isn’t even to mention the importance of good sleep to your overall health.
Tips for Getting a Good Night’s Sleep
Just as there is no shortage of stressors in our daily lives, there is no shortage of things that interfere with out sleep. From difficulties at work and professional responsibilities to financial and relationship issues, there’s always something that can keep us up at night.
Fortunately, while you may not be able to control all of these situations, you can control whether or not they interfere with your sleep.
You see, just as the things that occur during your daily hours often affect how well you sleep, you can often find the cure for your sleep difficulties in your daily routine.
Your schedule, daily lifestyle, and bedtime habits can have an enormous impact on your sleep pattern, which is why I’ve created the following list of tips and tricks to help you get a better night’s sleep so you can be more productive, energetic, and optimistic during your waking hours.
Sleep Better Tip #1: Creating a Sleep Schedule
When it comes to getting a good night’s sleep, the importance of your natural circadian rhythm (your body’s sleep-wake cycle) cannot be overstated. So, figure out the time when you normally feel tired and then make that your regular bedtime. If you need to adjust it, do so in gradual daily increments. Similarly, wake up at the same time every day, preferably without an alarm clock. If you’re getting enough sleep, you shouldn’t need on. And, if you do need an alarm, you likely need to get to bed earlier and get more sleep.
When it comes to your sleep schedule, bear in mind that consistency is vitally important. It is your schedule’s consistency that will help you regulate your body clock and you fall asleep and stay asleep the whole night through.
You’ll feel much more awake, alert, and energized if you go to bed and get up at the same time each and every day… yes, even on weekends and holidays!
Sleep Better Tip #2: Create a Relaxing Bedtime Routine
If you make a consistent effort to relax and unwind before bed, you will sleep easier and more deeply. Accordingly, find a relaxing activity you can do each night before bed, such as listening to soft music, reading a book, or taking a warm shower or bath. Even better is to do whatever activity you choose with the lights dimmed.
A relaxing bedtime ritual can go a long way to helping your brain separate your bedtime from the anxieties and stress of the rest of your day and ease the transition from wakefulness to getting a good night’s sleep.
Sleep Better Tip #3: Healthy Living
You’ll sleep more deeply if you exercise regularly and maintain a healthy diet, and what you eat leading up to your bedtime is particularly important. You should do your best to avoid alcohol, cigarettes, and heavy meals in the evening. Heavy meals are harder to digest, alcohol can reduce the quality of your sleep, and the nicotine in cigarettes acts as a stimulant, which definitely doesn’t help your sleep. And, in case it isn’t already obvious, caffeinated drinks such as coffee or even black and green tea should be avoided from the afternoon onward.
When it comes to exercise, regular physical activity can help reduce your overall stress and promote better sleep. Timing is important, though. It’s better to exercise earlier in the day, as exercising too close to bed time can make it difficult to fall asleep. However, incorporating gentle stretching or yoga into your bedtime routine can help you transition into a good night’s sleep.
Sleep Better Tip #4: Practice Stress Management
If you feel you have too much to think about and do, your sleep is likely to suffer. When the stresses of daily life keep you awake night after night, it’s time to practice more specific stress management and self-care techniques, such as breathing exercises, mindfulness meditation, and just getting out and having some fun. If stress is affecting your sleep, then learning how to cope with, manage, and limit stress may be your best bet in getting a healthy night’s sleep.
Sleep Better Tip #5: Intelligent Napping
Taking a daytime nap can be a great way to recharge. But, be smart about it. If you need to make up for a few lost hours of sleep at night, opt for a daytime nap rather than disrupting your sleeping schedule by sleeping late. But, remember that napping is a double-edged sword, as naps can make getting to sleep more difficult at bedtime. If you suffer from insomnia, then consider eliminating napping. If you must nap, do it no later than early afternoon, and limit it to thirty minutes.
Sleep Better Tip #6: Make Your Bedroom and Sleep in It
Take a few minutes and evaluate your bedroom. Is it designed to provide you the best conditions for a good night’s sleep? Your bedroom should be cool and free from noise and light. If you need to, consider using eyeshades, blackout curtains, earplugs, and/or “white noise” machines to block out distracting lights and sounds. And, though it may go without saying, make sure your bedding is comfortable for you. Lastly, it can also help to remove the “gadgets” from your room, especially those that are associated with work. So, if possible, remove the laptops and TVs. Or, at the very least, make sure they’re turned off at least an hour or so before bedtime.
What If You Wake Up in the Middle of the Night?
If you wake up in the middle of the night, don’t worry about it. In fact, it’s perfectly normal to wake briefly during the night. Good sleepers do so and don’t even remember it.
That being said, if you do wake up in the middle of the night and find yourself having difficulty falling back asleep, try some breathing exercises, relaxation techniques, or other cues you use in your bedtime routine to get yourself back to sleep.
And, if those don’t work, get up instead of tossing and turning. Get out of bed, dim the lights, and do something relaxing until you feel drowsy enough to return to bed. And avoid eating or using any type of computer or TV screen. Read a book or try some other relaxation exercises.
The key to good sleep hygiene and getting the rest you need and deserve it experiment with the recommendations above. The sleep habits and conditions that work for one may not work as well for another. So, experiment.
And, while this is by no means an exhaustive list, if you’ve tried all of these and are still having a difficult time sleeping, don’t hesitate to find a sleep therapist or speak with your doctor.
Start by making sleep a priority in your life. Then follow the tips above. And, most importantly, know you’re not doomed to toss and turn every night. Help is available, so take advantage of it. By making sure you get a good night’s sleep, you’ll be making sure you’re waking hours are as healthy, productive, and enjoyable as possible.