What is Sleep Hygiene?
Strong sleep hygiene means having both a bedroom environment and a daily routine that helps to promote consistent, uninterrupted sleep. Obtaining healthy sleep is important for both physical and mental health, improving productivity, and overall quality of life. Everyone, from children to adults, can benefit from better sleep, and sleep hygiene can play a key part in achieving that goal.
We’ve created a guide to help you achieve strong sleep hygiene to obtain a better night’s sleep. Learn more below.
Achieving Strong Sleep Hygiene
Maintain a regular sleep routine
Go to bed at the same time every night and wake up at the same time every morning. Ideally, your schedule will remain the same (give or take 20 minutes) every night of the week.
Avoid daytime naps
Naps decrease the “sleep debt” that is necessary for easy sleep onset. Each of us needs a certain amount of sleep over a 24 hour period so when we take naps, it decreases the amount of sleep that we need the next night – which may cause sleep fragmentation and difficulty initiating sleep, and may lead to insomnia and sleep deprivation.
Don’t stay in bed awake longer than 5 to 10 minutes
If you find your mind racing or you worry about not being able to sleep during the middle of the night, get out of bed, and sit in a chair in the dark until you’re sleepy, and then return to bed. No TV or internet during these periods as it will just stimulate you more than desired.
Don’t watch TV, use the computer, or read in bed
When you watch TV or read in bed, you associate being in bed with wakefulness. The blue light from screens can adversely affect your circadian rhythm. Using an inexpensive pair of blue light blocking glasses two hours prior to bedtime has shown to improve the duration and quality of sleep.
Drink caffeinated drinks with caution
The effects of caffeine can last for several hours after ingestion. Caffeine can fragment sleep, and cause difficulty initiating sleep. If you drink caffeine, try to before noon. Remember that soda and tea contain caffeine as well.
Avoid inappropriate substances that interfere with sleep
Cigarettes, alcohol, and over-the-counter medications may cause fragmented sleep.
Fresh air
Crack a window to ensure you have plenty of fresh air throughout the night. If you want to avoid a draft, use an air purifier that removes bacteria and odors from the air in your room.
Exercise before 2 pm every day
Avoid rigorous exercise before bedtime. Rigorous exercise circulates endorphins into the body which may cause difficulty initiating sleep.
Have a comfortable bedroom
Creating a quiet and comfortable environment for sleep is important for quality sleep.
- Set the thermostat at a comfortable temperature. Generally, a cooler temperature is better than a warmer one.
- Turn off the TV or other extraneous noise that may disrupt sleep. Background “white noise” like a fan is OK.
- Keep pets outside the bedroom if they often wake you up.
- Keep your bedroom dark and turn off any bright lights.
- Have a comfortable mattress.
- If your bed partner snores, this could be causing sleep fragmentation. Consider snoring remedies to help stop snoring.
Have a comfortable, pre-bedtime routine
Some practices you can include in a pre-bedtime routine are:
- A warm bath or shower
- Meditation or quiet time
Get Quality Sleep
A good night’s rest is vital for both your physical and mental health. If you feel your sleep quality is related to something bigger than improper sleep hygiene, contact Argyle Dental Sleep and TMJ. We can get to the root of your sleeping problems and offer effective solutions.
With oral appliance therapy, we can make your sleep apnea a thing of the past. Dr. Argyle will work with you to custom-fit your oral appliance, ensuring it’s comfortable and provides reliable results. Call us today at (801) 416-3562 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Argyle and learn more about your treatment options.