Good sleep is essential for both physical and mental health, yet many people
struggle to get enough quality rest. One of the easiest ways to improve sleep is by
focusing on sleep hygiene. Poor sleep habits can disrupt your body clock, making it
harder to fall asleep and wake up feeling refreshed.
What is sleep hygiene?
Sleep hygiene refers to the daily habits and bedroom environment that support
healthy, restful sleep. These habits help your body relax, fall asleep faster and stay
asleep during the night. Improving sleep does not require drastic changes- small,
consistent habits can make a big difference.
Why is sleep important?
Sleep is a vital part of our daily lives, having decent quality sleep can help:
- Improve energy, focus and mood
- Support the immune system
- Reduce stress and anxiety
- Improve overall health and wellbeing
- Consolidates memories, processes information, and helps you learn new things
- Important for brain health, allows time for toxins to be cleared that build up during the day
- Allows heart rate and blood pressure to drop reducing risks for hypertension, stroke and heart disease
- Helps control appetitie hormones, reducing cravings and maintaining healthy weight
- Supports growth and repairs tissues and muscles, essential for physical recovery.
Simple tricks to improve sleep
- Set a regular sleep schedule- got to bed and wake up at the same time everyday, even on weekends. This helps regulate your internal body clock.
- Avoid phones before bed- try to stop using your phone at least one hour before bedtime. Blue light from screens can interfere with melatonin, the hormone that helps you sleep.
- Create a calm bedtime routine- reading a book, listening to calming music or using a pillow spray with lavender can help signal to your body that it’s time to wind down.
- Dim the lights- keep bedroom lighting soft and dim in the evening to encourage relaxation and melatonin production.
- Get morning sunlight- exposure to natural sunlight first thing in the morning helps reset your circadian rhythm and improves nighttime sleep.
- Gentle morning and evening stretches. Evening stretches to relax you and get you ready for bed. Morning stretches to wake your body up slowly and get ready for the day.
- Try breathing exercises which calm your nervous system. Trying to fall asleep stressed is difficult, building the habit of doing some diaphragmatic breathing can prepare your body physically and mentally for sleep.
- Keep well hydrated throughout the day and evening. Water is especially important for your muscles and discs in your spine. Being consistently dehydrated could contribute towards muscle tension and pain.
- Consider your bedroom temperature. Sleep is triggered by a drop in your core temperature if the room is too hot your body struggles to drop the core temperature. Also, melatonin (your sleep hormone) releases better in cool dark environments.
- Sleeping position- consider how many pillows you sleep with and what angle your head is at, you want your head to be in a neutral position. If you sleep on your side, try sleeping with a pillow between your knees to keep your pelvis from twisting. If you want to read more about sleeping position click here.
As you can see, good sleep routine and environment is vital. Read here