Insomnia? Let's Talk Sleep Hygiene
- Catherine
- Oct 8, 2024
- 5 min read
If sleep feels elusive, and counting sheep doesn't cut it for you, then perhaps it's time to look at the 'cleanliness' of your pre-bed schedule. Read the article below, to find out what sleep hygiene is and how it may help you...
You may have heard the term ‘sleep hygiene’ being talked about in recent years, due to it being widely used within the healthcare sector and beyond. And you may already know that it is used to describe the things we do, to help ourselves fall asleep and stay asleep. Or maybe, you haven’t heard this phrase yet but may do so in the future. In which case, we hope to shed some light on what sleep hygiene is - how you can practice it - and why you’d benefit from doing so.
WHAT IS SLEEP HYGIENE?
Much like the word ‘hygiene’ in relation to general cleanliness, the term ‘sleep hygiene’ refers to the practice of ‘clean’ bedtime habits, which help us fall asleep quickly and without disturbance. Much like any other habit or repeated set of actions, the habits we adopt before bed, can either help or hinder us. Therefore, it’s important to hone our own sense of self awareness, when considering the things we do and don’t do before hitting the sack.
SIGNS OF POOR SLEEP HYGIENE
If you have trouble relaxing, falling asleep, or staying asleep, it is likely that improvements can be made, in terms of sleep hygiene. The same can be said for feeling tired, anxious, or irritated during the day; or if you catch colds and viruses easily. A number of physical and mental health conditions are also caused or exacerbated by, not getting enough sleep. Therefore, if you suffer a combination of poor health and poor sleep - it’s possible the two are connected.
SIGNS OF GOOD SLEEP HYGIENE
The Sleep Foundation state that on average, healthy individuals tend to fall asleep within fifteen to twenty minutes, and that seven hours or more of quality sleep is recommended each night. So, if you fall within this range, and you find that you feel healthy and rested, then congratulations - keep doing what you are doing. If not - that’s okay! There are lots of things you can do to increase your chances of catching that all-elusive and much needed, rest.
HOW TO PRACTICE GOOD SLEEP HYGIENE
Now that we know what sleep hygiene is, and why it's important - it's time to narrow down on the details. Let's see what practical tips you can adopt each night, to help make bedtime blues a thing of the past....
Turn off TV’s, laptops, computers, and gaming devices at least thirty minutes before bed. This is due to flashing lights, noises, and other electrical signals and disturbances interrupting the body’s natural sleep rhythm. By exposing your brain to light, noise, and other stimulation - you are effectively sending a message to your brain that it’s time to stay awake and alert.
Reduce mobile phone usage before bed. If you use your phone to set an alarm or record sleep activity (or any other necessary function), try to do so in ‘dark mode’ and turn notifications to silent where possible.
Turn off the lights. Our brains switch off fully, when there is as little light in the bedroom as possible. If, for any reason, you cannot turn off the lights, you may wish to use dimmed, low-energy lighting or lights that mimic natural environments. The aim being, to take it back to basics. Our bodies, despite evolution and human innovation, still prefer environments that are as close to natural and organic, as can be.
Set a regular sleeping pattern. While it may not always be possible to go to sleep and wake up at the same time each day, we definitely can tweak our daily schedules to suit. Setting rules for yourself, while still allowing some flexibility, may work if, say, for example, you aim to wake up between 6am and 8am; while aiming to be asleep between 8pm and 10:30pm. Of course, you can move the times to accommodate your own personal schedule, and even with alternating shift patterns, the same rules can be applied (with a little imagination and determination).
Get some exercise during the day. If you think about it - every day, you are feeding your body fuel in the form of food, for energy. If you are not using that energy in a physical way, it may be used for thought, instead. Which, of course, can prove useful during the day for thinking up creative solutions to problems - but perhaps, not so much at night, when trying to fall asleep.
Be mindful of what you’re eating and drinking. It probably goes without saying, that too much caffeine, or consuming tea and coffee later in the day, can keep you awake. The same can be said for alcohol and other depressants or stimulants which interfere with the body’s natural processes. Not only that - other things we eat and drink can have an effect, too, and of course - timing of meals also plays a part. For example, if you’re eating late at night - your body is unable to fully switch off when you go to bed, due to having to continue using energy, to digest the food you’ve eaten. Which means that, rather than your brain having the chance to switch off - it is, instead, required to send and regulate signals between the various body parts involved in digestion.
Create a restful environment. Whatever feels peaceful and pleasant to you - create that. Perhaps introduce certain colours, textures, or patterns in terms of bedding, and make sure you’re comfortable and relaxed, by investing in a supportive mattress and pillow.
Practice deep breathing. While there are many breathing exercises available to help you get a good, quality night’s rest - it is also not necessary to think about it too much. Watch videos during the day for tips, but at night, when you’ve already closed your eyes and ready to fall asleep - see if you can let the to-do lists, rules, and judgements, fall by the wayside. If, at any time, you cannot remember how to perform a particular breathing technique, don’t worry about it. A good rule of thumb to remember is - when you want to relax - make the exhale longer than the inhale. With every exhale, allow the body to relax a little more each time. Inhale naturally and fully, while exhaling slowly and with control.
Hopefully, you have found this brief introduction to sleep hygiene, helpful. If you’d like to conduct more research of your own, there’s lots of great information out there. To help get you started, we’ve included links to a couple of useful websites below. So, feel free to take a look and have a practice, and if you need any more assistance, please do get in touch.
Happy Sleeping!
Catherine @ Meta Mind Muse
USEFUL WEBSITES
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