How to Practice Sleep Hygiene for Better Health
Sleep-related problems have been growing among different sections of our society. Students, housemakers, and professionals encounter several sleep disorders like insomnia, sleep apnea, narcolepsy, and restless legs syndrome.
Lifestyle changes, stress, addiction, and poor nutrition may contribute to this problem. There are also growing cases of sleep deprivation due to ignorance.
In such a scenario, you should know some sleep ethics, like sleep hygiene, to combat such issues.
What is Sleep Hygiene?
Sleep hygiene is all about a collection of behavioral practices, including healthy lifestyle habits and bedroom environment conditions, to attain a good night's sleep, which is essential. It involves patterns that aid your sleep and increase your productivity.
Practicing sleep hygiene doesn't require any revolutionary lifestyle changes. You can only modify your sleep habits to attain peaceful sleep.
Signs of Poor Sleep Hygiene
Have you noticed specific changes in your sleep routine? Like feeling tired throughout the day or noticing mood swings? These are the signs of poor sleep hygiene.
Here are a few symptoms you may have also observed:
- Poor concentration
- Frequent yawning
- An urge to sleep during the day.
- Sleep disturbance
- Low productivity
- Mood swings
- Laziness
Benefits of Sleep Hygiene
A healthy sleep pattern is pivotal for your daily life as it keeps you active, protects you from lifestyle diseases, and improves your mental health.
Let's discuss the benefits of sleep hygiene. Sleep hygiene may help you:
- Lower your stress.
- Improve your immune system.
- Boost daytime energy level.
- Maintain heart health.
- Regulate sugar level.
- Improve concentration and social skills.
- Reduce age-related psychological disorders like Alzheimer's and dementia.
How to Practice Sleep Hygiene?
Sleep hygiene requires you to follow the best practices that improve your sleep quality and help you maintain a consistent sleep schedule. These practices are practical enough to follow comfortably.
Here are some tips you can stick to practice sleep hygiene at your convenience:
Set Up Your Sleep Environment
Creating a healthy bedroom environment is your first step toward sleep hygiene. You can set your bedroom temperature between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit. Adjusting bedroom lighting that comforts your mood and eyes is also great for sleep hygiene.
How about investing in bedding that suits your body, like opting for natural fabrics, such as bamboo, cotton, and natural silk, which are also breathable? They improve your sleep quality. You can also select the right pillow that encourages better alignment and supports your posture.
Develop a Consistent Sleep Schedule
You can attain sleep hygiene by developing a consistent sleep schedule. It is an easy practice that requires maintaining a plan for sleeping and waking simultaneously. Surprisingly, it reinforces your circadian (sleep-wake) cycle and activates the body's clock.
It is always suggested to take 7-8 hours of daily sleep and avoid oversleeping, as it helps you lower stress, improve your mood, and enhance your focus. You stay alert throughout the day and don't need daytime sleep, which is good for your health.
Exercise
Include yoga, cycling, aerobics, powerlifting, and jumping rope in your daily routine to achieve healthy sleep. Especially aerobics helps your body release endorphins for better sleep. You can do these exercises for 30 minutes daily for better immunity and sweat release.
It is best to avoid strenuous exercises before bed. Since they affect your nervous system and increase your heart rate, they make it harder for you to fall asleep.
Avoid Heavy Meals Before Sleep
Your metabolism naturally slows down during the night. Eating heavy meals or foods rich in fat and spices may contribute to indigestion and bloating and trigger heartburn. They also cause acid reflux, which disrupts your sleep latency.
There are several foods you can try that provide nutrients and also promote sleep. You can eat cruciferous vegetables, whole grains, and citrus fruits that stimulate melatonin and other sleep-inducing nutrients.
Limit Technology
Too much digital screen exposure and late-night cell phone use can disturb your sleep cycle, especially their blue light emission. The screen's light hinders melatonin secretion in the brain and can affect sleep latency. It also damages your retina and may derange your circadian rhythms.
You can tackle this problem by turning off notifications, creating a no-technology policy in your bedroom, and limiting screen time. Listening to calm music or reading a book can be a better alternative.
Practice the 20-minute Sleep Rule
The 20-minute rule for sleep hygiene means getting out of bed if you don't fall asleep within 20 minutes of going to bed. The rule is to avoid using your cell phone or any other device if you struggle to sleep. Instead, get out of bed and do some relaxing activities.
You can read your favorite book, try stretching, or look outside your window to glimpse the starry night. Stay engaged in healthy activities that naturally put you back to sleep.
Takeaway
Everyone, more or less, struggles with sleep issues throughout their lives at some point. Living with such issues negatively affects your productivity and lifestyle. However, modifying your sleep behaviors and environment can improve your situation and provide a comfortable sleep.
The tips mentioned are practical enough to apply to your sleep routine to attain magical results. Try them for healthy sleep hygiene.
