Since sleeping is such a popular topic in today’s world, you may be familiar with the term sleep hygiene. In fact, sleep hygiene plays a great role in how we sleep and how we feel in the morning while also affecting our health and overall wellness. That is why it is best to not only know the definition of the term but also how to improve the hygiene you have. Let’s explore this below.
What is Sleep Hygiene?
Sleep hygiene refers to basic, good behaviours that help people fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.
In general, proper sleep hygiene usually includes the following:
- limiting caffeine at least 5 hours before bedtime;
- using your bed for sleep only;
- having a calming pre-sleep routine.
Making some simple changes in your exciting sleep hygiene can improve short-term sleeping problems and boost the quality of someone’s sleep. However, if you have chronic sleep issues, like insomnia, you will probably need to consult a healthcare professional. However, if you have minor sleep issues and want to explore some simple ways to improve your sleep hygiene for better night rest, check the following tips:
8 Tips to Improve Sleep
Increase Physical Activity
Psychical activity is vital for our health. Exercises help release our happy hormones that not only help reduce stress but are also beneficial for deep sleep. However, it is vital to include intensive exercises into your wellness routine early in the morning and choose more calm activities like yoga not to trigger your inner clocks.
Reduce Your Stress Levels
Stress, pressure and racing thoughts we all have from time to time all have an impact on our sleep. That is because people can’t fall asleep and stay asleep when there are high-stress levels and thoughts disturbing their minds from focusing on sleep and relaxing. In this case, you can try meditation or breathing exercises to better manage stress and stabilize your mood.
Limit Caffeine Consumption
If you drink caffeine before going to bed, it will make it harder to fall asleep since you will be too focused and not feel sleepy enough to go to sleep. That is why the golden rule for everyone experiencing sleeping issues and looking for a better night’s rest is to limit
Have a Hot Milky Drink
Instead of drinking coffee or soda before sleep, we recommend creating a hot milky drink before bed as an excellent alternative. That is because this warm drink will help promote healthy sleep. Milk also contains tryptophan, known as a precursor of melatonin, the hormone that is responsible for our sleepy feeling.
Don’t Eat Too Much Too Late
If you want to achieve healthy and deep sleep, you should avoid eating your main meal before bed. However, you don’t need to feel hungry as well. Therefore, a small light snack before going to sleep may be a better alternative.
In addition, you can add some foods to your dinner since they can even be beneficial to your sleep. For example, milk, chicken, turkey, salmon and nuts, since they are high in tryptophan (as mentioned above). You should definitely avoid fatty and spicy foods because they can cause indigestion, which will make it harder for you to fall asleep.
Find Your Perfect Pillow & Mattress
One of the key things that affect how we sleep is our sleeping conditions. This involves the temperature, aroma, light and many other factors. However, the right pillow and mattress are one of the most important things.
Make sure that you sleep in a position where your spine and neck remain in a neutral position. However, if you prefer to sleep on your back, you may need smaller pillows. It is always a great idea to choose the perfect mattress and pillows by physically trying them out in a store.
Use Sleep Applications
Sleep applications represent a brand-new way for people to cope with sleep issues and achieve a quality night’s rest. They are different and can be used for various issues. For example, a nap app allows users to get control over their sleep disorders. These applications may help users to enjoy sleep-inducing sounds and check how they have slept based on several parameters.
In addition, some applications like mesmerize app provide hypnotic visuals along with soothing psycho-acoustic music and guided meditations that may also help improve sleep.
Put Away Your Phone
The bright light that comes from electric devices can disrupt the ability of the brain to produce melatonin. That is why experts always recommend avoiding using phones or laptops for at least an hour before going to bed.
The first reason is that this blue light from LED devices can disrupt our inner clocks while also telling our brains that it isn’t the time to produce sleep hormones. That is because our brain sees the bright light and believes that it is still daytime. If you need your phone before sleep, you can either download an app that blocks this blue light or use “night mode” on your phone.
The second reason is being distracted by scrolling social media, which makes us procrastinate instead of going to fall asleep. We may also reply to work emails or resolve some issues which cause us to become increasingly focused, stressed or anxious, which only worsens the situation.
Final Thoughts
Sleep is essential for our health. However, how we prepare to sleep and in what conditions we sleep are also vital. Sleep hygiene is in charge of our night rest, so we need to maintain several habits that prepare our bodies to fall asleep and produce melatonin. Here you can find some simple yet effective tips to consider to improve your sleep.
