10 Essential Tips for Better Sleep Hygiene: A Guide to Restful Nights

Did you know that poor sleep is a contributor to many mental and physical health problems?

• Poor sleep can cause tiredness and lower energy levels throughout the day.
• Being sleep deprived can also cause hormonal imbalances and reduced immunity.
• Not giving the body proper restful sleep can cause hindrances to its natural functioning.
• Poor sleep can contribute negatively to mental health, causing irritability and mood swings.
• Disturbed sleep patterns can be detrimental to overall quality of life by reducing the overall sense of well-being.
• Sleep deprivation can lead to higher levels of anxiety and excessive stress.

How do we keep these problems caused by poor sleep at bay?

By practicing sleep hygiene strategies!

Sleep hygiene means a set of practices that help promote restful sleep. Good sleep habits, a relaxing bedtime routine, a sleep-friendly environment, and a regular sleep schedule are major aspects of sleep hygiene.

Let us examine each of these aspects in detail and explore tips on sleep hygiene.

Good sleep habits help you prepare for bed and are a way of ensuring a good night’s sleep. These practices can be performed throughout the day to make sure that we get a restful night.

Let us take a look at a list of top sleep hygiene advice:

• Stay active throughout the day by getting some movement or exercise.
• Eat well. Avoiding processed foods and sugars can help reduce overstimulation. Replacing unhealthy foods with nutritious meals can actually help sleep better.
• It is also a good idea to avoid or limit caffeine and alcohol intake.
• The same goes for naps. Taking naps too often can reduce the quality of continuous sleep at night. The best naps are short and taken in the afternoon.

Sleep-conducive rituals can help prepare for bed and greatly promote the quality of sleep.

Some sleep hygiene tips to include in your bedtime ritual are:

• Reading a book.
• Disconnecting from technology.
• Taking a warm shower.
• Doing a skin-care routine.
• Aromatherapy with essential oils.
• Meditation.
• Practicing gratitude.
• Journaling about the day.

Having good sleep habits and a nighttime routine is not enough by itself. A sleep-conducive environment is the crux of having a good night’s sleep. A proper environment for getting restful sleep has the following features:

• Darkness: Your bedroom should be completely dark. Nightlights or light from open windows must be avoided. Otherwise, use a SP mask that prevents any external light from disturbing the eyes.
• Try to keep the noise level in your bedroom as low as possible so that you don't wake up due to loud noises or bothersome sounds like electronic humming. Such noises can cause discomfort.
• Optimal temperature: Make sure the temperature in your bedroom is just right. Not too hot, and not chilly.
• Ventilation: Air flow is also necessary to promote good sleep. Avoid sleeping in a stuffy room. Adequate ventilation is an important feature of any sleep-conducive environment.
• Cleanliness: Make sure that your bed is made and your room is relatively tidy. A messy room makes sleeping in it equally chaotic.
• Proper bedding: A mattress with adequate support, a comfortable pillow, and light bedding is great for encouraging restful sleep.

An erratic sleep schedule always equals poor sleep, despite the number of hours. Regularity is important when it comes to your sleep schedule. An hour here and there is no problem, but if your sleeping times vary drastically, then it might confuse the body’s resting patterns.

Following a consistent sleep pattern can also help with stable immunity, weight management, and reducing the risk of the onset of chronic diseases.

• This is why one of the most important sleep hygiene techniques involves building a regular and adequate sleep schedule.
• These four aspects of good sleep hygiene—good sleep habits, a relaxing bedtime routine, a sleep conducive environment, and a regular sleep schedule—that we have discussed here are the pillars of ensuring a restful night’s sleep.
• They are all dependent on each other, and all are equally important when it comes to sleep hygiene.

Sleep is necessary for the body, regardless of how much we think we have worked in a day. We might not have gotten around to doing that load of laundry or organizing that stack of papers that we meant to, but our body has been continuously engaged in digestion, breathing, movement, blood circulation, and protecting us against diseases.

These internal processes, which the body performs for us without our asking, take up energy and exhaust the body. This is why it is essential that, at the end of a productive or unproductive day, we get a restful night’s sleep to ensure that we wake up tomorrow feeling refreshed and even more energized to take on the world!

So, sleep tight, and don’t let poor sleep hygiene bite!