Are you frustrated by waking up and still feeling tired, followed by the next night of tossing and turning? All the while wondering where it all went wrong as you stare into the abyss of darkness in your room on another sleepless night. An endless cycle of poor sleep and poor sleep hygiene can really begin to make a person go mad. Let us take a peak at what sleep hygiene is and how you can improve your sleep habits to reap all the benefits and end the sleepless cycle!
What Is Sleep Hygiene?
Sleep hygiene is all about your bedtime habits and your habits throughout the day that can contribute to your lack of sleep. Your bedtime habits should consist of a calm sleeping environment and preparing your mind for sleep by disconnecting from technology and the internet. Moreover, by paying attention to your daily habits you can pinpoint certain habits that should get tossed. For instance, caffeine anytime after 3 can be a huge reason for causing sleep problems and poor sleep hygiene.
What Is Good Sleep Hygiene Entail?
Your physical and mental health is dependent on good sleep hygiene practices. To have good sleep hygiene you must optimize your daily habits to promote better sleep. Healthy sleep habits consist of setting your sleep schedule ahead of time, following a nightly routine, and the cultivation of healthy habits. Your journey for healthy sleep hygiene should start when you wake up and end in reward, when you fall asleep.
In short, good sleep hygiene entails making better and healthier choices for your mind and body. This is not just about fixing your nighttime routine but altering and developing healthier daily habits that affect your sleep quality. In other words, making better choices for yourself and your health. Just like anything in life, this won’t come easily, but the benefits of good sleep hygiene are well worth it! You will thank yourself for putting in the work the next time you wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day!
How Can I Improve Good Sleep Hygiene?
Better sleep hygiene starts with setting your sleep schedule ahead of time. You are making sleep a priority and making sure you are getting at least 7-8 hours of quality sleep a night. Having a consistent nighttime routine is another way to encourage healthy sleep. Things like disconnecting from technology an hour before bed or creating a calming room to doze off in. You could even try things like bedtime yoga, meditation or some light reading right before bed to help improve your sleep hygiene.
Practicing good sleep hygiene also comes in the form of getting your daily dose of daylight exposure and minimizing afternoon naps. Naps after 3 should always be avoided to promote better sleep habits in the evening. Also, participating in physical activity such as a brisk workout or jog can help you get some energy out and help you doze off when the time comes. Even cutting back on caffeine in the late afternoons and evenings help promote better sleep habits. It really is the small things that can help improve your sleep.
What Is Poor Sleep Hygiene?
If you suffer from constant sleep disturbances, have any sleep disorders, or take sleep medicine, odds are you have poor sleep hygiene. Another tell-tale sign is to look at the sleep tips for good sleep hygiene above. If you do not practice any of those, your sleep hygiene habits could probably use some fine tuning. Poor sleep hygiene can be improved by simply paying attention to your daily habits and routines and optimizing them for better sleep quality. This may not be easy at first but once you begin developing better habits, your quality of sleep will reflect.
Why Is Good Sleep Hygiene Important?
Good sleep hygiene practices will directly reflect on your mental health. When you suffer from poor sleep your body is missing out on its time for critical restorative processes, affecting both your physical and mental health. This can cause one to feel fatigued, tired, and even sick due to a weakened immune system. Poor sleep hygiene increases your risk of diabetes and heart disease, and it can even affect your ability to maintain a healthy weight.
If you are thinking of staying up late to finish an assignment or workout, don’t! By putting your sleep and rest needs on the back burner you are putting your mind and body at risk. Good sleep hygiene is crucial to your mental and physical health and overall development. No one is ever at their best if they haven’t been sleeping well. So, put a stop to showing up at anything less than 100% and realize the importance of good sleep hygiene.
Does Good Sleep Help Improve Your Health?
When you suffer from poor sleep you are at an increased risk of many health conditions. You expose yourself to a heightened risk of diabetes and heart conditions and a weakened immune system. However, good sleep habits have the opposite effect. When you choose to make sleep a priority and really focus on developing good sleep hygiene, your mind and body will thank you. Along with helping you maintain a healthy weight, good sleep promotes a healthy growth and cognitive development and even a strengthened immune system! All things that improve your health and quality of life, simply by getting a good night’s rest.
Why You Should Start Practicing Good Sleep Hygiene
Practicing good sleep hygiene truly affects the quality of your entire life! Whether you start improving your sleep habits at 14 or 40, the moment you decide to make sleep a priority, the benefits will show. By choosing to improve your sleep habits you are actively making a choice to live a happier and healthier life. Showing the person that matters most, yourself, that you care and cherish your mind and body. Make the choice to improve the overall quality of your life and start practicing good sleep hygiene today!