What is sleep hygiene?
Sleep hygiene refers to the recommended practices and habits that help promote sound, restful nighttime sleep and full daytime alertness. Good sleep hygiene involves following routines and tips for better sleep.
Some key tips for good sleep hygiene include:
- Sticking to a regular sleep schedule - Going to bed and waking up at consistent times, even on weekends, helps regulate your body's internal clock for better sleep.
- Creating an optimal sleep environment - This means a cool, quiet, and dark room for sleeping. Consider using blackout curtains, a fan, white noise machine or earplugs if needed. Also make sure your mattress and pillows are comfortable.
- Avoiding screens before bed - Blue light from phones, TVs and computers can disrupt melatonin production and your circadian rhythm. Stop using screens 1-2 hours before bedtime.
- Establishing a calming pre-bed routine - Relaxing activities like light reading, meditating or taking a bath send signals to your body that it's time to wind down for sleep.
- Limiting caffeine, alcohol and big meals before bed - These can all disrupt sleep, so avoid them in the later hours of the day.
If you have chronic issues with falling or staying asleep, poor sleep hygiene may be an underlying cause. Review your habits and make adjustments to align with these sleep hygiene best practices. The experts at Optimal Hormone Health Clinic also offer specialized testing and treatment plans utilizing bioidentical hormone therapy to address hormone imbalances that could be interfering with sleep. Contact them today to learn more!
Improving sleep hygiene takes some diligence but the impact on sleep quality and daytime energy makes it worthwhile. Stick with the changes for a few weeks to see the full benefits. Sweet dreams!