7 Habits For Good Sleep Hygiene To Improve Your Quality of Life

Do you ever lie in bed wondering if you’ll ever fall asleep while staring at the ceiling? Well, you’re not alone. Many people struggle with insomnia.

Healthy sleep is crucial for physical and mental well-being, enhancing performance, and general quality of life. Better sleep can benefit everyone, from young children to elderly adults.

Environment and habits are included in sleep hygiene, which can result in better sleep and improved general health. This article will cover sleep hygiene and habits you can form to improve your sleep quality.

The National Sleep Foundation suggests that healthy adults should get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night. During this time, your body rests and rejuvenates.

What is Sleep Hygiene?

Healthy sleep patterns are referred to as sleep hygiene. Because having a good night’s sleep is so critical to your entire quality of life and mental and physical health, proper sleep hygiene is crucial.

Your actions throughout the entire day, not just before bed, can impact how well you sleep. Your ability to sleep is influenced by various factors, including your schedule, nighttime routine, food and beverage choices, and numerous other activities.

1. Form a Relaxing Bed Time Routine and Be Consistent!

You can unwind and get ready for bed by following a relaxing evening routine. Additionally, by following the same daily routine, your body will learn it is time for bed.

Roughly 30 to 60 minutes before you go to bed is the ideal time to begin your routine.

Your routine can include anything that helps you unwind unless it includes blue light-emitting devices (yes, that includes TV, cellphones, and laptops!). Here are a few ideas:

2. Excercise Routinely

Your overall health and sleep quality can improve by as little as 30 minutes of aerobic exercise daily. And since exposure to natural light helps regulate your sleep cycle, the advantages may be increased even further if you can exercise outside.

Try to avoid exercising for an hour or two before going to bed. Your body temperature and energy levels may rise. As a result, making it more difficult to fall asleep.

3. Set Up An Ideal Sleep Environment

Have comfortable pillows, a mattress, and bed sheets. It may be simpler to get to sleep and stay asleep the more at ease you are.

You could find it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep in a cool, quiet, dark environment. Our circadian rhythm a biological process that regulates our sleep-wake cycle can be disrupted by sleeping in an environment with too much light.

4. Go To Bed Only When You’re Feeling Tired

Avoid lying in bed and tossing and turning if you are not tired. Instead, try relaxing until you feel sleepy, at which point you should go to bed.

Get out of bed if you can’t fall asleep after 20 minutes. You may grow frustrated if you can’t sleep, which will likely keep you awake longer.

Engage in something relaxing, like reading on the couch, until you are sufficiently exhausted to return to bed.

5. Form A Consistent Sleep Schedule

Even on weekends, try to wake up and go to bed roughly the same daily hours. It may be easier for you to go to sleep and wake up each morning due to your body’s internal clock being reinforced.

Maintaining a regular schedule may also assist in reducing afternoon tiredness. Make sure you can obtain 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night when you choose to go to bed.

6. Be Cautious Of Your Caffeine Intake

Caffeine’s effects may linger for three to seven hours after consumption. This implies you might stay awake and alert much longer than you’d like after a cup of coffee in the afternoon.

Everyone has a varied tolerance to caffeine, so while it’s generally advisable to limit your intake to the morning, keep this in mind.

While some individuals might be able to delay stopping their consumption until mid-afternoon, others would need to do so much earlier to fall asleep quickly.

7. Don’t Eat Too Close To Bedtime. Especially Sugar!

Sleep can be interrupted by the foods we ingest before bed. It is recommended to go to bed at least 3 hours after eating. This allows your body time to digest food, preventing indigestion or acid reflux.

Eating a sweet snack before can disrupt sleep, as the spike in insulin levels has been correlated to nightmares and thus, poor sleep.

In Conclusion

Healthy sleeping practices are a vital component of sleep hygiene. Your actions can influence how well you sleep, both during the day and before night.

Sleep quality can be impacted by following a schedule, having a soothing nighttime routine, frequently exercising, keeping your bedroom dark and at a suitable temperature, and being mindful of what you eat and drink.

It’s essential to consult a doctor if you experience persistent or severe sleeping difficulties or daytime tiredness so they can advise you on the best course of action.

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