Sleep Trouble

Self-help

Sleep Trouble/Sleep Hygiene

Sleeping well directly affects your mental and physical health. Fall short and it can take a serious toll on your daytime energy, productivity, and emotional balance.

Whether you struggle to fall asleep when you get into bed or wake up in the night and find it difficult to go back to sleep, the solution often lies in establishing healthy sleep habits, known as “sleep hygiene”. By improving your sleep hygiene, you can fall asleep faster, stay asleep for longer, boost your overall health, and improve how you think and feel during the day.

5 Helpful Tips to Improve Your Sleep

01.

Improve your sleep environment

A peaceful bedtime routine sends a powerful signal to your brain that it’s time to wind down and let go of the day’s stresses. Sometimes even small changes to your environment can make a big difference to how fast you fall asleep and the quality of your sleep.

Keep noise down
Keep your room cool
Make sure your bed is comfortable.
Keep your room dark, cool, and quiet
Reserve your bed for sleeping and sex, making it easier to wind down at night

02.

learn how to get back to sleep if you wake up

Make relaxation your goal, not sleep (Even though it’s not a replacement for sleep, relaxation can still help rejuvenate your body.)
Do a quiet non-stimulating activity if you’ve been awake for more than 15 minute
If you wake during the night feeling anxious about something, make a brief note of it on paper and postpone worrying about it until the next day when it will be easier to resolve.

03.

Keep In sync with your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle

Try to go to sleep and get up at the same time every day
Limit length and frequency of naps
Spend more time outside during daylight
Avoid bright screens before bedtime

04.

Wind down and Clear your head before falling asleep

Set aside specific times during the day to check your phone and social media
Focus on one task at a time
Journal or write down residual stress or worry from the day before bedtime
Develop a relaxing bedtime ritual

05.

Stay mindful of exercise and drink habits

Exercise during the day. People who exercise regularly fall asleep faster at night, sleep better, and feel less sleepy during the day.
Avoid alcohol before bed
Avoid drinking too many liquids in the eventing
Limit caffeine and nicotine

Helpful Links

Harvard Guide - A guide to a good night’s rest. (Harvard Medical School Special Health Report)
5 Foods that Help You Sleep - Food relates directly to serotonin, a key hormone that helps promote healthy sleep. (Cleveland Clinic)
Adopt Good Habits - How improving your sleep environment and sticking to a regular schedule can improve the quality of your sleep. (Get Sleep, Harvard Medical School Division of Sleep Medicine)