How to Improve Sleep Hygiene for a More Restful Night’s Sleep
Do you often feel tired and run down?
If so, you may not be getting enough restful sleep.
According to the National Sleep Foundation, adults need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night in order to function at their best.
Unfortunately, many people don’t get the recommended amount of sleep due to poor sleep hygiene habits.
In this blog post, we will discuss how you can improve your sleep hygiene and get a more restful night’s sleep!
Sleep is one of the most important factors in human health and provides a number of benefits:
-Improves mental function and focus
-Prevents chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes
-Boosts the immune system
-Lowers stress levels
There are many things you can do to improve your sleep hygiene and get a better night’s sleep.
Here are some tips:
-Create a regular sleep schedule and stick to it as much as possible. Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day. This will help regulate your body’s natural sleep rhythm.
-Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine before bedtime. All of these substances can disrupt your sleep cycle.
-Make sure your sleeping environment is dark, quiet, and cool. Keep the room temperature between 65-70 degrees Fahrenheit. If possible, invest in blackout curtains to block out light from outside sources like streetlights or cars passing by your house at night
-Try melatonin supplements which may help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.
-Limit your use of electronic devices before bedtime. The blue light from screens can disrupt your body’s natural sleep rhythm and make it harder to fall asleep.
-Establish a bedtime routine that includes winding down for 30 minutes before sleep. This may include reading, listening to calming music, or using aromatherapy.
What is sleep hygiene?
Sleep hygiene refers to a set of habits that can help you get better quality sleep.
This is important because it’ll make sure your body gets what it needs while not interfering with our circadian rhythms, which are controlled by something called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN).
If this area isn’t functioning properly due to poor eating choices or other factors, then we might have trouble falling asleep at night and wake up feeling tired in the morning even though we were able to clock enough hours for restful slumber.
The first step towards improving sleep hygiene is having good habits before bedtime such as avoiding caffeine too late in day, limiting alcohol consumption after dinner time so that it doesn’t interfere with REM cycles during deep stages of rest , and powering down electronics screens an hour before bedtime.
If these practices are already part of your evening routine, it’s time to look at other areas of your life that might be interfering with quality shut-eye.
Are you working night shifts? Do you live in a noisy city neighborhood where construction or traffic never stops? All of these factors can play a role in how well we sleep at night.
The fix could be as easy as using earplugs if noise is keeping you up, wearing sunglasses outside during the day to block out light exposure, or investing in a white noise machine to help drown out any disruptive sounds.
If there are particular times of year when our sleep hygiene suffers, such as during finals week when many people stay up late studying for exams, it can be helpful to take small steps like setting alarms so we know exactly when bedtime should come around.
Other ways include taking melatonin supplements or making sure there is adequate lighting inside the house before going off into another room where darkness will prevail (such as your bedroom)
Sleep and hunger have a close relationship: if you don’t get enough hours at night then chances are high that your appetite will increase during wakeful periods of time because our bodies need food energy in order to function properly.
Why is sleep hygiene important?
Sleep hygiene is important because it provides a better quality of sleep, which means you’ll be more alert during the day.
The first step towards improving your sleep hygiene is to establish healthy habits before bedtime like not drinking coffee after dinner time or using electronics screens an hour prior going off into another room where darkness will prevail (such as your bedroom)
What are examples of Good Sleep Hygiene?
o Create a regular sleep schedule and stick to it as much as possible. Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day. This will help regulate your body’s natural sleep rhythm.
o Avoid caffeine, alcohol, nicotine before bedtime! All these substances can disrupt our cycle by messing with hormones that control when we’re tired and when we’re awake.
o Avoid working or studying in bed. If you associate your bed with anything other than sleep or sex, it’ll be harder for you to relax and fall asleep.
o Keep a cool, comfortable environment in your bedroom. Make sure the room is dark, quiet, and free from distractions.
o Get up and move around every few hours if you can’t sleep. Don’t stay in bed tossing and turning for hours on end!
How can I improve my sleep hygiene?
If establishing good habits before bedtime doesn’t seem to help, there are always other ways to try and improve our quality of slumber such as using earplugs if noise is keeping us up at night, wearing sunglasses outside during the day to block out light exposure, or investing in a white noise machine to help drown out any disruptive sounds.
The bottom line is that good sleep hygiene is essential for a restful night’s sleep! By following these simple tips, you can make sure that you’re getting the most out of your slumber and waking up feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.
