What Is Sleep Hygiene? 10 Mindful Tips to Sleep Well
Getting enough rest can be a struggle, but it doesn’t have to be. Practicing good sleep hygiene is the easiest way to prepare your environment so that sleep comes to you naturally. Let’s talk more about what that means.
A healthy sleep pattern is important for physical recovery, the immune system, and optimal mental wellness.
Sleep Hygiene: What It Means and Why It’s Important
Sleep hygiene is a collective term for mindful practices that encourage a healthy, natural sleep pattern.
It Is Estimated that 45% of the black population gets less than the recommended 7 hours of daily sleep.
Sleep is important for maintaining your metabolism, forming memories, fostering immunity, and regulating stress levels. It is estimated that about a third of the US population gets less than the recommended 7 hours of sleep per day, a statistic that rises to 45% in the black population.
Many people suffering from sleep deprivation never seek treatment. Instead, accessible sleep aids, hypnotic medications, and alcohol are used to self-medicate. Knowing how to practice good sleep hygiene can solve many sleep pattern disturbances before they become an ongoing problem.
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The Benefits of Sleep Hygiene
Meditative activity before bedtime has been shown to facilitate longer, more restoring sleep.
Does sleep hygiene work? Is it effective? The research says yes!
The techniques found here are evidence-based to have positive impacts on your sleep quality. The best part is, a few adjustments in routine could be all that you need. Optimizing your sleep hygiene is actually recommended before (and during) the use of medicinal sleep aids in most cases. Ruling out negative habits can also make other causes of sleep disturbances more clear.
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Sleep Hygiene Tips and Techniques to Build Good Habits
Here are 10 things that you can do to improve your sleep hygiene.
Foods, Medications and lifestyle choices can affect your sleeping patterns.
Avoid eating or exercising within 2 hours of bedtime. Regular exercise outside of that window is beneficial for circadian rhythm maintenance.
Avoid stimulating drinks and nicotine within 4 hours of bedtime. Cigarettes are well-documented to cause insomnia.
Be aware of medications that affect your sleep and discuss the timing of those medications or alternative therapy with your healthcare provider.
Use the bed for sleep and intimacy only. That’s pretty straightforward.
Keep a consistent, relaxing sleep routine and schedule. Avoid “catching up” on sleep and napping unless you do shift work.
Unwind with meditative activity. Bedtime yoga, calming scents, sleep sounds, and journaling are all linked to multiple mental health and stress-reductive benefits.
Turn the brightness of your devices to the lowest and warmest settings. Many electronics have a nighttime mode that you can automate. As it gets closer to bedtime, decrease your overall use of these devices as well.
Set the ambiance in your bedroom for quiet, dark, and cool. Have pillows, mattresses, and unrestrictive clothing that allow you to get comfortable. If you have problems coughing at night due to asthma or allergies, try propping yourself up slightly to alleviate drainage and open the airways.
Think happy, effortless thoughts. Don’t bring problems to bed. (But do bring a pen in case inspiration strikes).
What if you aren’t tired yet? Get back up and do a relaxing activity until you feel drowsy again. Do not watch the clock or try to force yourself to sleep.
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Sleep Hygiene While Working Night Shifts
Sleep irregularities will occur when your schedule is not routine.
Shift workers are at higher risk for serious illness, divorce, and decline in mental performance.
If you have rotating shifts, it is important to adjust your sleeping schedule to what works for you. Place emphasis on timing your workouts, meals, and caffeine consumption appropriately. Schedule naps on off days so that the body is not forced to revert to “normal” sleep time.
Additionally, create quiet time rules with members of your household and use darkening window covers or curtains to construct a nighttime ambiance. Work/ life balance can be challenging, but maintaining good sleep hygiene is necessary for your well-being.
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How To Maintain Your Sleep Hygiene Habits
Practicing good sleep hygiene is just that. Practice.
The goal is to re-establish your sleep pattern naturally before moving on to medicinal options.
Practicing sleep hygiene is an act of self-care that should be consistent.
Make small, gradual adjustments and be mindful of what is working.
Recognize and track patterns surrounding your sleep. (Journals like this can be helpful for these acknowledgments.)
Be patient with yourself. If your problem did not arise overnight, the solution may take more effort.
Understand that while sleep hygiene improvements may be preferred, underlying problems may still require treatment. It is always a good idea to discuss these issues with your healthcare provider.
Sleep hygiene incorporates many small habits that can have a big impact on our overall health. Building these habits encourages mindfulness and can prevent the use of unnecessary medication. A good night’s sleep is well within your reach.
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References
Baharav, A. (2014, May 30). Yoga for improving sleep quality and quality of life for older adults. PubMed. Retrieved December, 2021, from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24755569/
Black DS, O’Reilly GA, Olmstead R, Breen EC, Irwin MR. Mindfulness Meditation and Improvement in Sleep Quality and Daytime Impairment Among Older Adults With Sleep Disturbances: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Intern Med. 2015;175(4):494–501. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2014.8081
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2017, May 2). Data and Statistics - Sleep and Sleep Disorders. CDC. Retrieved December, 2021, from https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/data_statistics.html
Fernández, L., and Delano, P. H. (2012, April 18). Meditation and Its Regulatory Role on Sleep. Frontiers. Retrieved December, 2021, from https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2012.00054/full
Hilliard, M. E., Pbert, L., Ockene, J. K., and Riekert, K. A. (Eds.). (2018). The Handbook of Health Behavior Change. Springer Publishing Company. 10.1891/9780826180148
Hubbling, A. (2014, February 10). How mindfulness changed my sleep: focus groups with chronic insomnia patients - BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies. BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies. Retrieved December, 2021, from https://bmccomplementmedtherapies.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1472-6882-14-50
Krinsky, D. L. (Ed.). (2020). Handbook of Nonprescription Drugs: An Interactive Approach to Self-Care. American Pharmacists Association. https://pharmacylibrary.com/doi/10.21019/9781582123172.ch46
Tähkämö, L. (2018, October 12). Systematic review of light exposure impact on human circadian rhythm. PubMed. Retrieved December, 2021, from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30311830/
Wang, W.-L. (2020, May 1). The effect of yoga on sleep quality and insomnia in women with sleep problems: a systematic review and meta-analysis. NCBI. Retrieved December, 2021, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7193366/
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