Sleep Hygiene: What is it and how do we improve it?

Have you heard the term sleep hygiene? Good sleep hygiene refers to having daily routines and a sleep environment that promotes consistent and uninterrupted sleep. 

If you find yourself having trouble getting a good night’s sleep it may be time to look at your sleep hygiene and make some adjustments to help improve your sleep. The Sleep Health Foundation highlights steps we can all take to improve our sleep hygiene:

Have a regular sleep pattern – going to sleep and waking at the same time each day allows your body to get into a sleep routine 

1. Make sure you’re getting the right amount of sleep – generally adults require between 7 and 8 hours a night (some may require more or less) 
2. Ensure the bed is kept for sleeping only – this helps your brain to recognise it is time for sleep, and means not doing things like working or watching TV in bed!
3. Implement a nighttime routine – this should allow your mind to wind down before going to bed. This may look like taking a relaxing shower, meditating or reading a book
4. Create a comfortable bedroom environment – an ideal environment would be one where it is dark, quiet, the temperature is controlled (if possible) and the bed is comfortable. 
5. Avoid alcohol, caffeine and cigarettes before bed – caffeine and cigarettes are stimulants and may keep you awake, and alcohol can lead to a disruptive sleep. 
6. Avoid naps – sleeping during the day can make it difficult to sleep at night, however, if a nap is needed a short 20-minute nap is all you should take
7. Remove time from the bedroom – if we are lying awake staring at the clock we tend to feel anxious about the time ticking by and losing precious sleep time! 
8. No electronics in the bedroom – removing TV, phones and laptops from the bedroom ensures there are no distractions while going to sleep (this one can be tricky as we all rely on our phones, but it is an important one)! 

Over the next couple of weeks I encourage you to take note of your sleep hygiene – are there areas you can improve on? Perhaps try implementing a few of the above tips and see how your sleep improves!