Did you know that most adults need between 7 and 8 hours of sleep each night? (FDA, 2024). Alas, not everyone is able to get the sleep they require because of many factors. Fortunately, there are ways to alleviate these problems and reclaim your nightly rest, so if you have trouble falling asleep at night, you might want to read this!
The importance of sleep hygiene
In case you haven’t heard about it before, the main idea of sleep hygiene is to optimize your habits and environment for good sleep. Even though this notion applies to everyone, what ideal sleep hygiene looks like could vary based on the person. Little things like daily behaviors, routines, and environmental exposure such as noise, temperature, sleep surface, and light exposure play an important role in sleep (Baranwal et al., 2023).
If you would like to try to contribute to good sleep hygiene, here are some tips in case you want to follow them:
Establish a consistent sleep schedule
To achieve this, set a consistent sleep schedule. Get up at the same time every day, even on weekends or during vacations (Sleep Education Org, 2020). This will help to regulate your body’s internal clock and promote good sleep quality over time. In addition, set a bedtime that is enough for you to reach the required hours of sleep.
Create a relaxing bedtime routine
Before bed, it’s important to prepare your body and mind: try to incorporate calming activities into your bedtime routine and avoid stimulating activities such as the use of electronic devices. Studies have shown that older adults practicing yoga regularly could have: excellent overall sleep quality, fewer episodes of disturbed sleep, less time to fall asleep, less daytime dysfunction, less use of sleep medications, and also felt more rested and energetic in the morning (Bankar et al., 2013). Calming your mind with these types of practices should promote a good night’s sleep, so take a few minutes each day to meditate and train your mind to let go of racing thoughts.
Stay active and exercise regularly
It is known that exercise has a positive impact on many important objective metrics of sleep (Kredlow et al., 2013). Whether it’s a simple walk through your city, a dance class, or a workout session at the gym, keeping your body in constant motion could help in your overall sleep hygiene.
Avoid consuming caffeine in the afternoon or evening.
We all love a strong cup of coffee! However, it has been proven that caffeine could produce detrimental effects on subsequent sleep (Snel, Lorist, 2011). But no worries: this doesn’t mean we have to erase coffee from our lives! Just try to avoid ingesting caffeinated drinks before going to bed.
Limit your exposure to bright light in the evenings.
Did you know that light is the main environmental cue used by the biological clock to set its own timing in relation to the day-night cycle? (Dumont, Beaulieu, 2007). Inappropriate light exposure could lead to trouble sleeping at night and disrupt natural circadian rhythms. Proper light management, especially avoiding bright screens before bedtime, could help maintain a healthy sleep-wake cycle.
Embrace healthy sleep habits!
By incorporating these simple yet effective practices into your daily routine, you could significantly elevate your sleep hygiene and well-being. Consistency, relaxation, physical activity, and mindful light exposure are key to enjoying restful and restorative sleep! (Dumont, Beaulieu, 2007).
Source:
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2023). Sleep problems. FDA. Retrieved from https://www.fda.gov/consumers/womens-health-topics/sleep-problems
Baranwal, N., Yu, P. K., & Siegel, N. S. (2023). Sleep physiology, pathophysiology, and sleep hygiene. Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases, 77(77), 59–69. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0033062023000117
Hershner, S., & Shaikh, I. (2020, August). Healthy Sleep Habits. Sleep Education; American Academy of Sleep Medicine. https://sleepeducation.org/healthy-sleep/healthy-sleep-habits/
Bankar, M., Chaudhari, S., & Chaudhari, K. (2013). Impact of long term Yoga practice on sleep quality and quality of life in the elderly. Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine, 4(1), 28. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3667430/
Snel, J., & Lorist, M. M. (2011, January 1). Chapter 6. Effects of caffeine on sleep and cognition (H. P. A. Van Dongen & G. A. Kerkhof, Eds.). ScienceDirect; Elsevier. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780444538178000062
Alnawwar, M. A., Alraddadi, M. I., Algethmi, R. A., Salem, G. A., Salem, M. A., & Alharbi, A. A. (2023). The effect of physical activity on sleep quality and sleep disorder: A systematic review. Cureus, 15(8). https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.43595
Dumont, M., & Beaulieu, C. (2007). Light exposure in the natural environment: Relevance to mood and sleep disorders. Sleep Medicine, 8(6), 557–565. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2006.11.008
