Sleep Hygiene Tips

Sleep problems are fairly common. In fact, one in four people experience sleep difficulties, which include trouble falling asleep, trouble staying asleep, early morning waking, sleeping too much, or restless or unsatisfying sleep. Getting a good night’s sleep can improve your mental well-being and help you to better manage your anxiety.

The good news is that there are things you can do to improve your sleep. Here are some tips:

1. Go to bed at the same time each night and get up at the same time every morning. Do this even on weekends and holidays. This will help your body and mind develop a regular sleep rhythm.
2. Establish a regular, relaxing bedtime routine. Having a bedtime routine cues your body that it’s time to sleep. This may include a warm bath or shower, relaxation exercises, reading, or listening to soothing music.
3. Don’t go to bed unless you are sleepy. If you are not sleepy at bedtime, then do something else. Read a book, listen to soft music or browse through a magazine. Find something relaxing, but not stimulating, to take your mind off worries about sleep. This will relax your body and distract your mind.
4. If you are not asleep after 20 minutes, get up and do something calming or boring until you feel sleepy, then return to bed and try again. Sit quietly in another room with the lights off (bright light will tell your brain that it is time to wake up), or read something boring like the phone book. Avoid doing anything that is too stimulating or interesting, as this will wake you up even more.
5. Avoid looking at bright screens beginning two to three hours before bed. Do not watch TV, use a computer, tablet or smart phone. At night, light throws the body’s biological clock—the circadian rhythm—out of whack. Sleep suffers. This is especially true for the blue light emitted by screens.
6. Get a full night’s sleep on a regular basis. Get enough sleep so that you feel well-rested nearly every day.
7. Do not change your daytime routine the next day if you didn’t sleep well. Even if you have a bad night sleep and are tired it is important that you try to keep your daytime activities the same as you had planned. That is, don’t avoid activities or stay in bed late because you feel tired. This can reinforce the insomnia.
8. Do not increase caffeine intake the next day, this can keep you up again the following night.
9. Avoid taking naps if you can. Napping does not make up for inadequate nighttime sleep. However, a short nap of 20-30 minutes can help to improve mood, alertness and performance. Never take a nap after 3 p.m.
10. Keep a regular schedule. Regular times for meals, medications, chores, and other activities help keep the inner body clock running smoothly.
11. Do not watch the clock. Frequently checking during the night can wake you up (especially if you turn on the light to read the time) and reinforces negative thoughts such as “Oh no, look how late it is, I’ll never get to sleep” or “it’s so early, I have only slept for 5 hours, this is terrible.”
12. Use your bed only for sleep (and sexual activity). This will help you associate your bed with sleep. Don’t read, write, eat, watch TV, talk on the phone, or play cards in bed.
13. Avoid consuming caffeine at least four hours before bedtime. This includes coffee, some teas, soft drinks, and chocolate. Caffeine is a stimulant and it can keep you awake.
14. Do not have a beer, a glass of wine, or any other alcohol within six hours of your bedtime. While alcohol can make you drowsy it later causes sleep to be light and fragmented.
15. Do not have a cigarette or any other source of nicotine before bedtime. Nicotine is a stimulant and can cause insomnia and withdrawal symptoms similar to caffeine. Smoking may also cause other sleep disturbances.
16. Do not use marijuana to help you sleep. Research shows that while moderate doses of THC (the active ingredient in marijuana) initially increased deep sleep, that effect disappeared with repeated use.
17. Eat right. A healthy, balanced diet will help you to sleep well, but timing is important. Some people find that a very empty stomach at bedtime is distracting, so it can be useful to have a light snack, but a heavy meal soon before bed can also interrupt sleep. Some people recommend a warm glass of milk, which contains tryptophan, which acts as a natural sleep inducer.
18. People who exercise tend to have more restful sleep; but not right before bed! Avoid vigorous exercise within six hours of bedtime. Get regular exercise each day, preferably in the morning. Even a 20-minute walk during the day can help you relax.
19. Avoid sleeping pills or use them cautiously. Most doctors do not prescribe sleeping pills for more than three weeks. Ongoing use of sleeping pills may lead to dependence and prolong sleep difficulties. Do not drink alcohol while taking sleeping pills. Do not take another person’s sleeping pills.
20. Do not take over-the-counter sleeping pills without consulting your doctor. Tolerance can develop rapidly to those medications.
21. Try to resolve your worries or concerns before bedtime. Jot down what’s on your mind and then set it aside for tomorrow. Stress management might help. Start with the basics, such as getting organized, setting priorities and delegating tasks. Meditation also can ease anxiety.
22. Expose yourself to lots of bright light during the day, which will boost your ability to sleep at night, as well as your mood and alertness during daylight. Try to spend some time outdoors or in natural light every day; preferably in the morning. Getting some sunlight early in the day can be helpful for setting your body’s natural wake and sleep cycle.
23. Make your bedroom quiet, dark, and a little bit cool. A cooler room with enough blankets to stay warm is best, and make sure you have curtains or an eye mask to block out early morning light and earplugs if there is noise outside your room. Keep your feet and hands warm. Wear warm socks to bed.
24. No electronics! Remove electronic devices, such as TVs, computers, and smart phones, from the bedroom.