When we think about having good health, our very first thoughts go to showering daily, flossing and brushing our teeth, and wearing tidy clothes. Sleep hygiene, however, is a little bit different from the normal grooming and cleanliness of everyday health. In other words, it has absolutely nothing to do with cleaning your sheets (which you should be doing weekly and is also really important!).
What Is Sleep Hygiene?
Sleep health describes a general set of practices, habits, and methods targeted at promoting great quality sleep and avoiding sleep problems, states certified psychologist Luke Allen, PhD. “These practices consist of both behavioral and ecological elements that can impact sleep quality,” he explains.

How exactly does sleep health work, and what actionable steps can you take to have better sleep health, and for that reason much better nighttime rest? Here’s what sleep experts have to state about what sleep health in fact implies, and how to develop and keep healthy sleep practices for life.
Why Sleep Hygiene Matters
Because we spend one-third of our lives sleeping (or trying to do so), the steps we require to promote good, restorative rest are essential to overall wellness.1 “Up to one in three Americans experience sleeping disorders at some point each year, and a third of them suffer on a nightly basis,” states Robert Satriale, MD, FAASM, a sleep medicine specialist at Temple University. “Good sleep routines are understood to enhance sleep quality, and sleep quality is important in guideline of high blood pressure, keeping cognitive function and control of blood sugar.” 23.

Plus, Dr. Satriale states that getting great sleep lowers chronic discomfort and even risk of cancer.45 That’s why Allen thinks sleep hygiene isn’t just about sleep. “I stress the value of great sleep health to virtually every client I deal with,” he states. “It’s fundamental to physical and mental health.”.

Allen also says great sleep hygiene can make it much easier to drop off to sleep when you wish to, and can assist your body (and brain) discover how to associate your bed with sleep.
What Poor Sleep Hygiene Looks Like.
There appear to be more methods to have poor sleep hygiene than great sleep health sometimes. Consuming caffeine or other stimulants before bed, sleeping in an unpleasant or hot environment, having an irregular sleep schedule (going to bed and waking up at various times each day), working in bed, and consuming heavy meals before bedtime are likewise thought about poor sleep health, Allen states.
Having gadgets that produce blue light in your bed room, like smartphones, laptops, tablets, and e-readers, can interrupt your sleep cycle and are arguably the biggest culprits behind poor sleep health.

” Many grownups might not consider the repercussions of staying up late to see a couple of extra episodes of a television program, or enjoying a midnight snack or additional glass of wine, but these habits considerably detract from general sleep quality,” says Dr. Satriale. “Falling asleep with the television on is another bad sleep habit, as research studies reveal that even low levels of light and intermittent noise contribute to bad quality of sleep.” 6.

And as great as it feels to oversleep, it’s another driving consider bad sleep health. “Sleeping in may look like a privilege adults have actually made, but our circadian rhythms end up being too vulnerable to endure such luxuries, making this poor sleep practice packed with unfortunate effects,” he says.
What Good Sleep Hygiene Looks Like.
There are some widely concurred upon practices, routines, and strategies for following good sleep health. The most significant guiding concept is to just use your bed for the 3 “S’s”: sleep, illness, or sex.

This indicates routines like consuming, working, texting/scrolling, and seeing TV ought to be done anywhere but your bed (the living-room couch or kitchen table are better options). “The more you do other things [besides sleep] in bed, the more difficult it is for your body to associate bed with sleep,” Allen says. “In reality, many psychological health specialists I know do not keep a television in their bed rooms.”.

In addition to practicing the 3 “S’s”, the primary thing you can do for good sleep health is to go to bed and wake up at the exact same time every day of the week, according to Allen.

” You can receive the greatest return on investment by embracing this strategy,” he states. “If there are days you go to bed late or get little sleep, continuing to wake up at the exact same time every day regardless will assist preserve your sleep schedule, as your sleep drive will naturally build throughout the day.” This means the next night, you’ll wish to go to sleep at an affordable time.

Other great sleep hygiene practices include avoiding taking too many naps, especially long ones or far too late in the afternoon (which can make it harder to sleep during the night), getting regular exercise during the day, get some natural light as quickly as you can after getting up, daytime exercising and attempting relaxing activities before bed, like bedtime yoga or taking a warm bath (which has actually been clinically proven to assist you get to sleep quicker) 78.

Allen also advises investing in premium products that help you sleep well (everyone requires various things). “We spend a 3rd of our life sleeping, so it’s wise to buy a comfy sleep environment that’s cool, dark, and peaceful.” This consists of comfy bedding and pillows, perhaps cooling bed linen for hot sleepers, solid tones to block light, excellent earplugs or a sound maker for those with loud next-door neighbors.
How to Improve Your Sleep Hygiene.
Concerned you have less-than-stellar sleep hygiene? Don’t stress. Like any routine you’re trying to break and/or adopt, you can constantly turn things around with a little practice and patience. The key, Allen explains, is taking infant actions, particularly if you’re used to, say, enjoying television in bed or even snacking in bed.

” Trying to make drastic changes to one’s sleep routine at one time can be difficult and frustrating,” he says, “which can result in disappointment or giving up on the objective.” Instead, use a slow-and-steady technique to produce modification. When you’ve begun breaking these habits, you can then change them with brand-new, sleep-promoting practices.

A terrific place to start? Select one or two of your below average sleep routines to work on. For instance, if you always watch TV before bed, try turning it off 20 or 30 minutes earlier and opening up a book to read a couple of pages before lights-out. When you’re used to splitting open a book as the last thing you do before bed, start turning the TV off a little bit earlier, and a little bit previously, gradually. Do you drink caffeinated tea at nights or soda with supper? Change to more soothing, caffeine-free alternatives– or just hit the water rather.

” One secret to success is monitoring and logging your progress daily,” Allen advises. “You can utilize a habit tracker app, an Excel spreadsheet, or notes on your phone.”.