Sleep Hygiene Tips
Here are few Sleep hygiene guidelines regarding environment and lifestyle factors that affect sleeping pattern. Common sleep hygiene tips include:
- Regular daytime workout: Moderate intensity exercise improves self-rated sleep quality, lowers the time taken for sleep to occur and increases sleep duration especially for older adults. Vigorous workout sessions within 3 to 4 hours of bedtime should be avoided, so that the adrenaline rush is "toned down" by the time you retire to bed.
- Don't sleep empty stomach at night: Going to bed hungry may affect your sleep. But having heavy meals close to bedtime too will affect your sleep adversely. Rather, a light snack at bedtime may promote sleep.
- Avoid caffeine: It is advised to decrease or eliminate the use of caffeine, during the late evening hours as it fragments sleep.
- Avoid tobacco and alcohol: One should not use tobacco or alcohol near bedtime. Alcohol may make you go to sleep, but the quality of sleep induced is poor and it is likely that early waking occurs. This is due to a rebound in blood sugar and withdrawal from the alcohol after it is metabolized. Nicotine is a stimulant which wakens and alerts the mind. Smokers also have early wake up due to nicotine withdrawal and their need for another cigarette.
- Limiting the use of the bedroom: This serves to re-institute the bed and sleep connection by barring from engaging in non-sleep activities such as watching TV, eating etc. on bed. Your mind should be attuned that bed is for sleeping only, so if you cannot sleep for 15-20 minutes, get out of the bed and come to bed only when you are sleepy again.
- Fix Wake up Time: Regardless of at what time you sleep, you should get up at the same time each day and not nap during the day or sleep in locations other than bed. This helps to maintain a consistent wake-up time.
- Avoid bright lights, noise and temperature extremes when setting off to sleep: Noise keeps the mind alert and occupied, while light regulates the circadian clock by stimulating production of melatonin which regulates the sleep cycle, thus affecting the night sleep.
Light during the day in contrast to the dark at night helps to reinforce the body's natural rhythms.
Daily exposure to bright light in the mornings can be helpful in setting the biological clock.
Good Luck
