Sleep Hygiene Tips
- Things you
can do to promote good sleep
Maintain a regular sleep routine
- Go
to bed at the same time. Wake up at the same
time. Ideally, your schedule will remain the same
(+/- 20 minutes) every night of the week.
Avoid naps if possible
- Naps
decrease the ‘Sleep Debt’ that is so
necessary for easy sleep onset.
- Each
of us needs a certain amount of sleep per 24-hour
period. We need that amount, and we don’t
need more than that.
- When
we take naps, it decreases the amount of sleep
that we need the next night – which may
cause sleep fragmentation and diffulty initiating
sleep, and may lead to insomnia.
Don’t stay in bed awake for
more than 5-10 minutes.
- If
you find your mind racing, or worrying about not
being able to sleep during the middle of the
night, get out of bed, and sit in a chair in the
dark. Do your mind racing in the chair until you
are sleepy, then return to bed. No TV or internet
during these periods! That will just stimulate
you more than desired.
- If
this happens several times during the night, that
is OK. Just maintain your regular wake time, and
try to avoid naps.
Don’t watch TV or read in bed.
- When
you watch TV or read in bed, you associate the
bed with wakefulness.
- The
bed is reserved for two things – sleep and
hanky panky.
Do not drink caffeine
inappropriately
- The
effects of caffeine may last for several hours
after ingestion. Caffeine can fragment sleep, and
cause difficulty initiating sleep. If you drink
caffeine, use it only before noon.
- Remember
that soda and tea contain caffeine as well.
Avoid inappropriate substances that
interfere with sleep
- Cigarettes,
alcohol, and over-the-counter medications may
cause fragmented sleep.
Exercise regularly
- Exercise
before 2 pm every day. Exercise promotes
continuous sleep.
- Avoid
rigorous exercise before bedtime. Rigorous
exercise circulates endorphins into the body
which may cause difficulty initiating sleep.
Have a quiet, comfortable bedroom
- Set
your bedroom thermostat at a comfortable
temperature. Generally, a little cooler is better
than a little warmer.
- Turn
off the TV and other extraneous noise that may
disrupt sleep. Background ‘white noise’
like a fan is OK.
- If
your pets awaken you, keep them outside the
bedroom.
- Your
bedroom should be dark. Turn off bright lights.
If you are a ‘clock watcher’
at night, hide the clock.
Have a comfortable pre-bedtime
routine
- A
warm bath, shower
- Meditation,
or quiet time
Reviewed September, 2007
Article Reviewers
|
