What is sleep hygiene?
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Sleep hygiene is a list of good habits that you follow to achieve sound sleep. When your body gets into a rhythm and an ambience that is regular and comfortable, the mind is able to fetch sleep signals better. Consistency is the key and one can be consistent only when the habits are sustainable. For that, you must experiment. We are listing down some basic guidelines for good sleep hygiene. Try for yourself and see what works and what doesn’t. Make your own personalized sleep hygiene routine. If you need assistance, feel free to write to us @(we need to make a CTA)
Why is sleep hygiene so important?
Setting up a perfect surrounding that’s unique to our lifestyle puts us into a comfort zone. This comfort gives a sense of belonging to our body and helps it to relax fully. A good ambiance sets up the mood and the brain can work towards achieving sleep more efficiently. When the body is fully relaxed and the brain is preparing to wind down, our sleep quality is greatly enhanced and we can achieve all sleep stages optimally.
Ways to achieve better sleep hygiene
Create a good sleep environment – Set up the mood!
A clutter-free, clean and fresh surrounding will help you to relax your mind and direct your thoughts in a more positive approach.
Use a good mattress – Using the right mattress has a positive impact on your sleep posture and sleep quality. Choose the optimal mattress that align with your spine and body in such a way that it feels relaxed and comfortable. If you are suffering from back pain or injury, make sure you go for a good orthopedic mattress.
Use a good pillow – A good pillow should support your head and neck. Choose from a range of best pillows made of various materials, shapes and sizes that are available to suit your requirement. Keep replacing regularly, for example, every 2 years for the best hygiene.
Use clean and good quality bed sheets – Our skin cells are rejuvenating in sleep, making new and shedding the old ones called dead skin. If the bedsheet is not cleaned or replaced regularly, we may inhale bacteria or have allergies. Using organic cotton bedsheets is best for sleep and comfortable breathing. There are, however, umpteen varieties available today and you may choose what suits you for your perfect sleep.
Use a good blanket – You must use fresh and clean blanket that don’t overheat your body.
Dim the lights – Your body has an internal biological signal that identifies darkness and releases essential sleep hormones. Bright light can interfere with this and may hamper your sleep quality.
Temperature control – Allowing the room to cool down helps in reducing the core body temperature. This causes sleepiness. Body temperature has been linked to the amount of deep sleep you get at night as well.
Indulge in Aromatherapy – A good aroma can reduce anxiety. Some extremely beneficial essential oils can have a positive impact on the quality of your mood and hence can help in better sleep.
- Lavender – This essential oil calms the nervous system due to the chemical compounds linalool and linalyl acetate found in it.
- Bergamot – It has properties that may lower blood pressure and improve mental health.
- Chamomile – It has active ingredients known to reduce anxiety and pain.
- Cedarwood – It has a sedative effect due to a chemical compound called Cedrol20.
- Mandarin – Again, this is a great sedative and works against nervous disturbances and inflammation.
Relax your body – Feel light like a feather!
Doing things physically in order to get into the slumber mode literally tells your brain ‘’I am ready to sleep’’. That’s one of the first on the list of positive affirmations.
Light meal – The last meal of your day should be light and easy to digest. Make sure you eat 2 hours before bedtime so that it gets digested properly before you sleep. A light stomach reduces gas and acid formation which is a deterrent to good deep sleep.
Oral hygiene – Our mouth serves as a portal to the body’s interior organs. Keeping it clean is imperative to good health. Off course, we all know that brushing ensures removing bacteria, sugary acids and food particles but it’s the feeling of freshness that pushes us into a positive zone.
Warm water shower – A nice bath lowers the body temperature by improving blood circulation. It ensures feeling refreshed and helps in falling asleep quickly.
Clean comfortable clothing – Nobody wants to get up in the middle of the night feeling stiff in tight clothes. Loose and cozy cotton clothing ensures comfortable movements during the night that will not disturb your sleep. It also ensures optimal body temperature.
Hot oil massage – A good head massage increases blood flow to the scalp allowing the brain to relax and release the stress.
Oil massage on your feet – This is an amazing ayurvedic practice that our ancestors used for a goodnight’s sleep. Several acupuncture points can be found on our feet. Massaging them with coconut oil relaxes the nerves. It is said that when pressure is applied to the specific areas of the foot, the energy travels up that channel to the correlating organ to help clear energy blocks.
Light exercise – Doing some light body movements ensures good blood circulation and makes you flexible. The idea is not to go overboard as it can increase the body temperature and can be a deterrent to sleep. Start light, train yourself with what suits you. Exercising rigorously close to bedtime can negatively impact sleep quality but exercising at least a few hours before bedtime and preferably in the daytime can improve sleep significantly.
Calm your mind – Take a chill pill!
Before you fall asleep you must do things that make you happy and your mind calm.
Put the gadgets away – All the gadgets should be kept away 1 hour before bedtime. The lights from the screen not only strain the eyes but stops the brain to release melatonin, a hormone extremely essential for sound sleep.
Put caffeine and alcohol away – Caffeine can impact the onset of sleep since it keeps the mind in an alert mode and doesn’t allow it to doze. Soda, cold drinks, tea, coffee, green tea and decaf coffee, chocolates and cocoa products all have caffeine in varying proportions. One must avoid these foods, especially during bedtime. Consuming alcohol can result in frequent night time awakening.
Meditate – It helps in calming down the brain. While some prefer listening to relaxing music, some like to do yogic asanas, and some practice breathing exercises. Whichever way you choose, just know that it should make you feel pleasant and happy.
Read a book – A very effective technique to take away the mind from present circumstances. Reading inspirational or self-help books helps in building up morale.
Talk to an elder or play with a child – The sheer joy of reminiscing the good old days and learning some life lessons from experiences can de-stress the mind. It can give hope, positive vibes and a new direction.
Journal your thoughts – Keeping a diary and writing down your thoughts is a proven technique to tell your brain that you are keeping it safe here. This way your brain stops worrying or overthinking and it is clear of any negative energy associated with it.
An essential prerequisite for sleep hygiene to work most effectively.
For an amazing and relaxing good night, you must have an equally amazing and active good day. Make sure that your entire biological clock is in sync with one another.
- Eat balanced meals at fixed times
- Manage your time and resources in the best possible way
- Be active and don’t procrastinate.
- Exercise
- And off course, don’t forget to smile often. Live in the moment and also invest in building up a lifestyle that’s content and meaningful.
Sleep hygiene for people working night shifts.
We just can’t stress enough about the importance of good sleep hygiene if you are working in shifts. We can’t but agree with the fact, that it severely impacts the quality and quantity of sleep that can lead to sleep disorders and other illnesses.
While everything listed above remains the same, the sleep-wake TIME changes. As it brings about considerable discomfort initially, a consistent and clear sleep hygiene routine will help reduce the impact and provide the foundation for good sleep. When you flow with a well-thought-out rhythm predictably, the mind can relax faster without having to get worried about the uncertainty. Some important points to keep in mind are,
- Use black-out curtains to control the light.
- Invest in soundproof doors and windows or use earplugs if you feel comfortable.
- Inform people around you about your schedule so you are not disturbed for those hours of your precious uninterrupted sleep.
To sleep deep and comfortably with a consistent routine, to wake up fresh and rejuvenated and to look forward to a positive and productive time ahead is what the best sleep hygiene talks about.