Sleep issues are an all too familiar affliction for many individuals, negatively affecting mood, physical health and performance.
Optimizing your sleep schedule, pre-bed routine and bedroom environment can make for more restful slumber.
Improved sleep hygiene may not solve all of your sleeping issues; in cases of chronic insomnia or sleeping disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea, additional treatments may be required.
1. Set a regular bedtime
An established sleep schedule helps reset your internal clock and regulate when you feel tired or alert. Furthermore, engaging in stimulating activities before bed such as watching television or using electronic devices (cell phones, tablets etc) that emit blue light could disrupt your circadian rhythm and reduce quality sleep.
Other factors, including diet, exercise, stress levels and your bedroom environment can influence how well you rest. But the most crucial element is to remember is that building healthy habits takes time – start small by making each step an integral part of your routine, then as soon as your sleep improves over time consider expanding on them and your overall approach to sleep hygiene.
2. Limit your screen time before bed
Device use right before bed can interfere with restful rest, especially within an hour or two before sleep begins. This is because screens emitting blue light can suppress melatonin production and prevent you from falling asleep easily. Engaging with stimulating content like suspenseful television shows or video games may increase heart rates significantly and make falling asleep harder.
Establishing a healthy routine and eliminating electronic devices from bedtime can greatly enhance your sleep hygiene. Switch from screens to more relaxing activities like reading a book. Orange, yellow or amber tinted glasses could also help limit exposure to blue light; ultimately though it is up to each individual or family to find what works for them and their sleep hygiene.
3. Limit your caffeine intake
Stimulants such as coffee, non-herbal tea, colas and chocolate can interfere with sleep and should be avoided at least six hours prior to bedtime. Many patients rely on caffeine to fall asleep or remain sleeping through the night – decreasing your caffeine consumption may help improve your quality of restful slumber.
However, since cutting caffeine consumption altogether can be challenging for some individuals, it’s essential to find ways to consume less. Consuming more decaf coffee or herbal tea could help decrease jitters and heartburn from caffeine intake; also beneficial is increasing consumption of decaf coffee or herbal tea as these could help alleviate them further. For optimal sleep hygiene it is also essential that behavioral recommendations tailored specifically for you are evaluated on their impact on sleeping patterns; either directly manipulating behavior and monitoring results directly or observing how changes over time affect their restfulness.
4. Eat a healthy meal
Eating healthful meals throughout the day can help promote better sleep. Many foods contain sleep-regulating hormones and chemicals like melatonin and serotonin that regulate our hormonal systems, improving sleep.
Diets rich in fiber have been linked to deeper, more restful sleep; try including Kale, Bananas or Nuts into meals to boost fiber consumption.
Avoid eating large meals close to bedtime as this may cause heartburn and disturb sleep. Also limit or avoid foods and beverages containing acid such as tomatoes, onions, peppermint, citrus fruits, dark chocolate coffee or alcohol that contain too much acidity.
5. Exercise
Many don’t realize it, but exercise can actually aid with sleep. Exercise reduces insomnia, extends duration and quality sleep time while helping alleviate depression or anxiety which may contribute to difficulties sleeping.
Exercise type can also make a difference. Vigorous physical activity before bedtime should be avoided in order to promote better restful slumber; moderate exercise can improve sleep quality anytime of the day and should be encouraged as an addition.
Aerobic exercise can be particularly helpful in improving sleep, as it raises adenosine levels and regulates your circadian rhythm. Furthermore, aerobic activity increases energy levels that make falling asleep at night easier. Though results of aerobic exercise might take some time to manifest themselves fully, they’re worth giving a try – just be sure to consult with a healthcare provider prior to beginning an exercise regimen!
6. Turn off the lights
Darkening your bedroom can help you sleep faster. Bright lights disrupt your circadian rhythm and reduce melatonin production, essential components of melatonin that contribute to sleep. Consider investing in blackout curtains or sleep masks. If necessary, keep one light on at night that emits an orange or yellow glow for maximum effectiveness; or alternatively consider investing in motion-activated nightlights that only turn on when necessary and off when not needed.
Withdraw electronics from your bedroom and create a soothing bedtime ritual to train your brain to associate sleeping on it with rest, so that it becomes associated with relaxation instead of stimulation or emotional reactions. That way, when morning comes around you’ll wake up feeling refreshed and ready to tackle whatever comes your way!
7. Turn off the TV
Watching television right before bed can have an adverse impact on sleep hygiene. The blue light from television screens suppresses melatonin production and disrupts circadian rhythms; furthermore, watching can prevent transition to REM sleep which is essential for healing muscle damage and relieving stress.
Many people watch television at night to aid sleep, but this can backfire if the programming is too stimulating or emotionally charged, leading to anxiety and insomnia which interfere with quality restful slumber.
Consider reading a book or listening to relaxing music as alternatives to watching television, using a white noise machine to reduce background noise or opting for blackout curtains/shades to block out ambient light – these dark environments stimulate melatonin production which aids sleep; or download apps which will adjust the brightness of electronic devices based on time of day and season.
8. Set a bedtime routine
An effective bedtime routine can help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep for longer. This involves creating an environment conducive to restful slumber, such as keeping the bedroom dark and quiet (ideally no higher than 67 degrees Fahrenheit), using white noise or earplugs to mask distracting sounds, eliminating electronics from the room and infusing relaxing scents such as lavender into it.
Pena Orbea suggests beginning your nightly wind-down routine at least 60 minutes prior to sleeping, such as turning off the TV, donning pajamas and reading or meditating before brushing teeth. She suggests keeping a sleep journal to track patterns that could prevent you from sleeping soundly.
9. Turn off the noise
Noise can be a significant source of sleep disturbance, particularly if you reside in the city or close proximity to others. It could come from traffic noises, sirens or crowds gathering outside, as well as from sounds within your own home such as television droning next door or your partner snoring loudly at night.
White noise – that grainy static sound you hear on TV or fans – can help mask disruptive sounds to help improve sleep. Other possible forms of sound that may also help include brown noise (composed of low and high frequencies) or pink noise, which has similar qualities as white noise but with lower pitch.
If the source of your noise lies outside of your control, such as neighbor’s loud music or someone snoring, try having a discussion with them about being more quiet at night – it may just be what’s needed for a restful slumber! This step may prove far simpler than anticipated and may just be what is needed to achieve better restful nights for both of you!
10. Take a warm bath
A warm bath or shower before bedtime can do more than simply relax you; studies have proven it can actually improve sleep quality and decrease the time needed to fall asleep significantly. Studies show taking one can significantly shorten sleep time while increasing quality.
According to Haghayegh and his team’s study, taking a warm bath or shower with water between 104 degrees Fahrenheit and 106 degrees Fahrenheit at the appropriate time helps facilitate sleep by lowering core body temperature. This mimics what naturally happens as day ends, helping regulate circadian rhythms and encourage restful restful slumber.
An optimal time for taking a hot bath is 90 minutes before bed, to give your body the time it needs to unwind from its day’s activities and relax properly. Make this experience even more relaxing by dimming the lights, adding soothing music or using bath salts or oils.
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