“Sleep hygiene” can be that refers to healthy sleep routines or practices you could do to improve your capacity to fall to sleep and remain asleep for all night. Establishing and sustaining a good sleeping routine throughout the day can affect the quality and quantity of sleep that you get every night. It also plays an important part in your mental and physical well-being. The best sleep habits to enhance your health and sleep well-being include:
- The routine of a night that gives time to unwind activities
- The process of getting up and going to bed at the same time every day
- A healthy sleeping space that is surrounded by dim lighting and the optimal thermostat temperature
- Turn off all electronic devices at least 60 min prior to going to bed
- Limiting your intake of caffeine for a few hours prior to the time you go to bed
- Engaging in enough physical activity early in the morning
- Reducing stress levels
- Avoiding large, high-fat meals content prior to the time you go to bed
Impact of Sleep Hygiene
It’s normal to experience occasional ups and downs with your sleeping habits. However, as it’s a matter of following healthy practices and getting enough sleep and a few late nights or disturbed sleep cycle is not unusual. But it’s an issue when poor sleep can affect your routine and overall health. This is especially true since more than a third of American adults do not get the amount of sleep recommended every day.
Short and Long-Term Consequences of Poor Sleep
For healthy adults, the short-term effects of sleep disruption can are increased stress, decreased levels of happiness, mental stress, mood disorders, as well as memory, cognitive and performance impairments.
If sleep disturbance becomes an ongoing problem healthy adults may experience an rise in dyslipidemia, cardiovascular disease and weight-related problems such as the type 2 form of diabetes and digestive disorders as well as other. 3
Link Between Mental Health and Sleep
Mental health issues, such as anxiety and anxiety are associated with sleep issues According to a investigation. The two are often linked.
Sleep problems can occur because of mental health issues. New evidence suggests the causal link can turn the other way around when sleep issues contribute to mental health issues.
How Stress and Sleep are Related
Even daily anxiety can have a negative impact on your sleep habits and general health. It’s because stress and sleep are believed to have a direct relationship. In the America Psychological Association’s Stress in America 2020 Survey the general levels of stress are considerably higher than the norm.
It’s not a surprise to find that quality as well as duration of sleep is being affected by stress. The issue is affecting both ways. Studies show that there is an increase in stress levels when the quality of sleep and duration is reduced, as well as higher rates of being awake during the night due to stress.
Due to the negative psychological and physical health effects that can be triggered by sleep disruption it is crucial to take care to treat any health concerns that may cause sleep disruptions and consult your physician in establishing an effective sleep hygiene program.
How To Practice Sleep Hygiene
The road to better sleeping begins by making small changes to your routines. Setting up routines, doing regular exercise and creating a conducive environment for sleeping, and adjusting eating habits can improve how well you sleep. Here are some suggestions to ensure you are practicing healthy sleep hygiene.
Follow a Consistent Sleep Schedule
Maintaining a consistent routine of getting up and going to bed at the same times each day is not just helpful to keep your routine in place, but it can also help you sleep better. The amount of sleep you catch each night helps to maintain a regular sleep routine.
Establish a Nightly Routine
A nightly routine that you love will help you unwind and prepare yourself to go to the night. If it’s reading a good book, bathing, meditating, doing yoga or moving, listening to relaxing music or writing activities that aid in calming your mind and body let you go from sleep to wakefulness.
Create a Good Sleep Environment
A well-lit and comfortable sleeping space can make falling asleep much more easily. Ideally, your bedroom is free of any electronic gadgets and maintained at a pleasant temperature, and sufficiently dark to allow you to sleep.
Make sure to shut off all electronic devices, including TV, phones tablets, laptops and smartphones within 60 to 90 minutes prior going to bed. Dim or turn off the lights in your bedroom and ensure that the thermostat is set from 60-67 degrees which is the recommended bedroom room temperature. 7
Incorporate Physical Activity Into Your Daily Routine
Regular physical activity will improve your the quality and quantity of sleep. And If you’re an exerciser in the evening it’s not necessary to move your exercise to early morning time. Research suggests that moderate intensity exercise done within 60 to 90 minutes before bedtime will not hinder your sleep quality.
But, you may experience insomnia issues when you do an intense exercise that ends more than 60 minutes prior to going to bed. Therefore, you should save the intense exercise for later in the day. Instead, keep to moderate-intensity exercises like walking, yoga and swimming with low-impact prior to bed.
Pay Attention to Food and Drink Before Bed
A good night’s sleep starts by having a stomach not overly full or empty. It is recommended to avoid eating big meals prior to bed particularly those which are high in fat because they’ve been linked to sleep problems. 10
Limit Caffeine Intake
Consuming the stimulant in the hours before you’re looking to go to sleep could cause difficulty in falling to sleep. If you drink regularly caffeinated drinks like tea, coffee or soda, you should try to consume these beverages early in the day, rather than in the evening. The consumption of caffeine six hours prior to going to bed can disturb sleep. 11
Seek Professional Help
A visit to your physician to discuss sleep-related issues can help determine the root of any problems that can cause insomnia. This also provides you with an opportunity to design a sleeping routine that works for you.
They could refer you to an examination of your sleep to determine whether you suffer from any sleep-related disorder, such as central sleep apnea hypersomnia REM sleep disorder.
If you’re experiencing problems with your mental wellbeing that affect your sleep, you should consider speaking with a therapist, psychologist or psychiatrist. Or, you could consult a expert in mental health. They can assist you in determining whether symptoms of depression or anxiety, grief or another mental health problem is the cause of poor sleep routines.
