Top Sleep Hygiene Tips

1. Consistency Is Everything

When you want to improve your sleep, you need to focus on consistency. Consistency with your sleep and wake times is crucial. Try to go to bed at the same time every night. This is one of the easiest ways to improve your sleep habits. This is true whether it’s a weekday or the weekend. You also want to make an effort to understand your sleep chronotype. This is when you feel most alert and when you do bed at going to bed. This will help you figure out if you’re more of a ‘morning person or a ‘late-night owl.’ You also want to look at your hypnogram to see what kind of routine you should set for your personality. By understanding the type of sleeper you are, you can effectively adjust and optimize your sleep schedule. You want to know when you perform your best so you can get yourself primed to be ready to work during those hours. A hypnogram is a good way to figure out how long you were sleeping and how many times you work up throughout the night. It also gives you ideas on how many stages you went through and how long each stage lasted. All of these things can help you figure out whether or not there are certain areas of your sleep you can work on.

The fact is, our bodies work best on routines. This is from the moment you are born. Because of this, you want to try to maintain consistency with your routine. Figure out what works and what doesn’t. This is a good way to ensure that you are sleeping and waking up at the same time every day. You should eventually get to the point where you are waking up without an alarm clock. You want to set alarms not only for your wake schedule but also for the time you are supposed to go to bed.

2. Reduce Stimulant Intake

While a lot of people run on caffeine, it’s best to avoid stimulants if they are negatively impacting your sleep. For the majority of people, you can drink coffee and take caffeine earlier in the morning. However, it’s always best to avoid drinking too much coffee and taking caffeine later on in the day. Caffeine can continue to stimulate you for up to 6 hours after consuming it. Because of this, it’s always a good idea to cut it out mid-day. Try to switch to beverages that don’t have caffeine once you get past lunchtime.

3. Chill Out

You want to ensure that your bedroom is properly optimized for high-quality sleep. This means keeping your bedroom nice and cool. You want your bedroom to be comfortable to sleep in. Believe it or not, the recommended temperature to set your bedroom at is rather cool. It should sit around 60-65 degrees depending on personal preference. Your body drops its temperature at night to prep your body for sleep. Thus, keeping your bedroom cool can make this process smoother and quicker. You want to be comfortable too. You also want to ensure that your bedding is cool and breathable. It should also be comfortable. Not everyone is the same. Find out how comfortable Birch mattresses are. Pick a bedding material that feels the best for you and you should notice improvements in your sleep. 

4. Stay Out

You don’t want to get into the habit of using your bedroom for all kinds of different things. It’s best to leave it for sleep and sex alone. If you must use your bedroom for other things, try to stay out of bed. Only go into bed for those two activities. Don’t make a habit of watching TV in bed at night. You want your brain to start associating the act of getting into bed with those activities alone. 

5. Optimize Your Diet

Whatever you eat can directly impact your sleep. Because of this, it’s time to start being mindful of what you are putting into your body. You want to look at the different foods that you are eating and potentially keep a journal of them. Keeping a sleep journal can help you figure out what foods bother you at night and which foods you want to incorporate into your nighttime diet. Some do best to avoid spicy foods. If you are someone that experiences a lot of indigestion, you would likely do your best to avoid them for dinner. It’s also a good idea to avoid eating too large of a meal. You want to get something in your stomach, but keep it light.

6. Don’t Workout Too Close To Bed

It’s always a good idea to get an effective workout into your day. However, it’s best not to leave it for nighttime. After all, when you work out, you get your body going. You end up energizing your body which is the last thing you want to do when it’s nighttime. After all, you are going to have to hop into bed and if your body is too stimulated, it can make things very difficult. Try to keep your workouts either in the morning or during the mid-day. This can keep you from disrupting your sleep with your workouts.

7. Screen Time

It’s best to avoid using any screens at night. When it’s close to your bedtime, make a rule of no screen time. If you must use screens at night, try to turn on the blue light filter. The blue light from these screens can stimulate your senses and trick your brain into thinking it’s daytime. Try to find other activities that don’t involve using screens at night. Some good relaxing activities without screens could include reading a book or even listening to music.