What is sleep hygiene?

The term “Sleep hygiene” refers to the habits that we have when it comes to sleep and bedtime routines. I like this term because it immediately clarifies two important elements of good sleeping behaviour. Much like cleaning, in order to improve your sleep hygiene you need to prep your space and build in some healthy routines! 

Poor sleep hygiene

Someone who stays up each night watching TV and scrolling their social media – waiting to get “tired” before going to sleep – likely has poor sleep hygiene. They may go to bed at different times each night. And they may keep their minds stimulated with TV and social media.  And so they may find it hard to fall into a routine. Their minds will be buzzing by the time they get to bed.

Good sleep hygiene

Now compare this to an example of good sleep hygiene: After dinner, you spend some time watching TV. At 9pm you turn off the TV and dim the lights in the house. You start preparing your clothes for the next day and pack your lunch. By 10pm, you put on your pyjamas and pick up your book. By 10,30pm, you find yourself yawning, and you put your book down. Perhaps you play a 10 minute guided meditation while you lay in bed and within minutes, you drift off – getting your 8 hours of much-needed shut-eye by the time your alarm rings at quarter to 7. This example has many of the elements of good sleep hygiene. There is clear little ritual of preparing the space by dimming lights and reducing stimulation from the TV. And there is a routine of a set bed time and spending some time reading before bed. These habits will help to calm the mind and prepare the body for sleep. This will help them to get to sleep faster and also sleep better!

So if good sleep hygiene is about prepping your space and tidying up your routines, what can I do clean up my own sleeping habits?

Well firstly, lets take a look at how we can shape our environment to prepare ourselves for sleep, and to get us to sleep faster and sleep better:

Sleep tip number 1: Dim those lights

Humans are programmed to sleep at night and be awake during the day. In the days before electricity, the setting sun starting preparing our bodies for sleep by releasing hormones that allow us to wind down and get sleepy. Yet we are now tricking our bodies into staying up later by mimicking that day-time sunlight. We light up our houses, and often stare at bright TV’s, computers and phones until our heads hit that pillow. No wonder our bodies are not ready to sleep once we put down the phone and turn off the bed-side light. It is because our hormones never got the memo that the sun had set 3 hours ago!

So, for at least an hour before you hope to get to sleep, try to dim the lights in the house. Avoid using brightly lit phones and computers during this time as well. And once you do get to bed, make sure that your room is as dark as possible. Your sleep hormones will finally be able to do what they were designed to do! They will get you snoozing when the sun, or lights, have set!

Sleep tip number 2: Keep the noise down

Allow your thoughts to settle by keeping your bedroom quiet. If you are distracted by noise coming from outside, wear ear plugs. Or perhaps consider using something called white noise to drown out any other noises. This could be something physical in your room such as a fan. You can also find actual white noise CDs or tracks online.

Sleep tip number 3: Get the temperature right.

Being too hot or cold can take its toll on your sleep quality. Studies show that the optimal sleeping temperatures are between 18-22 degrees Celsius. 

Sleep tip number 4: Use your bedroom for sleeping

Getting into bed should be a little signal to your brain that its time to rest and recharge. Try to keep your bed as a place where you go to relax and sleep. Do you spend your time in bed scrolling social media, watching movies and doing work? If so, the little signal to your brain may get blurrier and it’ll be more difficult to get to sleep.

Sleep tip number 5: Avoid screen time for an hour before bed

Screens, be it TVs, computers or phones, stimulate our brains and make it harder for us to calm our racing minds down. Not only does the light from the screens keep our sleep hormones at bay, but our minds remain active. Switch off those screens to give your thoughts the time they need to wind down before bed!

Sleep tip number 6: Unwind and relax

The stresses of the day can cloud your thoughts and leave you feeling tense and anxious. Stress can be incredibly difficult to overcome, but there are a few things that you can do to help yourself to unwind. Talking to others about your concerns and worries can be useful. Some people find that writing down their thoughts and worries in a little notebook helps them clear their minds before sleep. Some gentle stretching exercises or a warm bath may help to relax the body before bed. And the smell of lavender may help to relax the mind. Mindfulness and meditation are also great ways to clear your head and relax your body. There are lots of apps and videos online these days that can help you to learn these techniques. If you are finding it hard to manage your stress, do not be afraid to look for help.

Sleep tip number 7: Time your exercise right!

Regular exercise is a fantastic way to improve your sleep. A physically tired body is more likely to doze off quickly. Yet avoid exercising in the 2 hours before going to bed, as this may have the complete opposite effect, leaving you feeling energised and stimulated. 

Sleep tip number 8: Avoid heavy meals before bed

Studies show that eating too close to bedtime can leave you feeling restless and bloated. A healthy low-fat meal, with some wholegrains, vegetables and lean protein, taken at least 4 hours before bedtime is likely to be best when it comes to sleeping.

Sleep tip number 9: Fluids for sleep

Firstly, staying well hydrated throughout the day is a great way to boost your energy levels. Yet some people find that drinking the majority of their fluid needs in the evening can disrupt their sleep with annoying toilet trips. So try to spread out your fluids over the course of the day, starting off your morning with a big glass of water rather than ending your day with one.

And we already mentioned this in our first video, but caffeine is a great way to boost our energy levels during the day. However, it can keep us tossing and turning when trying to fall asleep. So avoid caffeinated drinks such as tea, coffee and energy drinks after 2-3pm to help you get to sleep quicker. 

And on a side note, although alcohol is thought to help you fall asleep, studies show that sleep quality is severely reduced when you consume alcohol before bed. So better to avoid those evening tipples if you want to wake up refreshed in the morning.

OK, so after prepping our space and our minds for sleep, the other important element of good sleep hygiene is routine! Our sleep hormones run somewhat like a clock, and finding the right rhythm helps us to fall asleep quicker! How can I build a healthy routine to help me to get to sleep faster and sleep better?

Sleep tip number 10: Set your bedtime, not just your alarm.

By getting to bed at the same time every night and waking up at the same time in the morning, you will notice a huge improvement in your sleep. Your body clock will start to know when to produce those sleepy hormones. And this will help you to fall asleep faster and sleep better when you hit that pillow. 

Sleep tip number 11: Create a bedtime ritual

Develop a bedtime routine that helps you to relax and prepare for going to sleep. It can involve several of the tips we have discussed so far. For example, dimming the lights half an hour before bed, spending a certain amount of time reading and then listening to a 10 minute mindfulness meditation. Again, this helps your body to prepare for sleep, and will get those sleep hormones flowing.

Sleep tip number 12: Make sleep a priority!

Our final tip today is to make sleep a priority! As tempting as it may be to watch that one extra episode of the show you are obsessing with, or to stay up talking to your friends online – if you do not prioritise getting enough hours of sleep, it will simply not happen. Set one little sleeping goal each week. Be it to get to bed at an earlier time, or to start a meditation before bed for example. And stick with it. Build on your good habits and over time, you may be reaping in all those benefits that a good night’s sleep will bring you!

Good sleep hygiene is about getting our environment prepped and building some routine into our evenings to help keep that body clock ticking at the right pace! Its about dimming the lights, keeping down the noise and getting the temperature right. Its about dedicating our bedroom to relaxing and sleeping, and staying away from screens before bed. Exercise and diet play their parts, as long as they are timed right. Get to bed at a set time every night, and build your own bedtime rituals into your evening to help you prepare for sleep. And most importantly, see sleep as the priority it should be. You’ll wake up refreshed and ready to take on your day if you do!

So over the past 3 posts, we have looked at how we can fuel our bodies to boost those energy levels. We have reviewed what the links are between sleeping and our weights and we have explored the 12 top tips to help us to get a better night’s sleep! 

I now challenge you to set yourself one goal, be it as big or small as you feel able, that will help you to improve your energy levels and your sleep. Make it realistic, make it specific. And make it happen!

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