Sleep Hygiene 101: Habits That Can Help You Get More Sleep

Have you ever counted all night and could not sleep? Or do you get out of bed tired in the morning, despite having had several hours of sleep at night? If so, there could be a whole lot of problems, starting with poor sleep hygiene. Sleeping hygiene is defined as an integral set of conditions, behaviours, and practices that affect your ability to sleep well. Thus, working on these aspects you’ll be able to sleep better at night and wake up feeling much more alive.

Here in this blog post, we will be looking at basic sleep hygiene tips that can help make the difference between a night full of tossing and turning and a sleep-filled night. All of the strategies vary from establishing regularity and schedules to improving your sleeping conditions and altering your lifestyle appropriately throughout the day.

1. Have a Sleeping Schedule

Having a proper schedule is one of the factors that is fundamental to encouraging good sleep hygiene. We need routines in our bodies, and if you go to bed and wake up at the same time every day including during the weekends you can program your body clock.

The circadian rhythm is what ‘tells’ you that you need to sleep or that it is time to wake up. When people go through a day with an improper sleep-wake schedule, it is difficult to sleep, to wake up at night, and in the morning feel rested and fresh. To train your body to follow a consistent rhythm:

Set up a sleeping and wake-up time that aids at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep
Be consistent with this schedule even on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays.
Establish a relaxing pre-bedtime ritual, such as reading or meditating, to signal to your body that it's time to sleep.

This established routine will lead to better health and well-being since after some time, the body clock will adapt to your sleeping and rising pattern.

2. Reduce Screen Time Before Bed

It has become very common to spend several hours on a phone, tablet, or TV every night. Although this may not seem like such a bad habit, it is among the worst habits that are likely to ensure one gets a low quality of sleep. Gadgets give out blue wavelength light, which disrupts the production of melatonin which is a natural sleep-regulating hormone.

Melatonin levels increase at night and can be used to make you feel sleepy. Blue light has the bad effect of reducing melatonin production in the body, which is responsible for putting the body to sleep and keeping it there. To protect your sleep:

Reduce screen exposure at least 30-60 minutes before bedtime.
Choose low-stimulating tasks such as reading a physical newspaper or magazine, writing, or deep breathing exercises.
If exposure to screens cannot be availed then use night mode or blue light filters on the gadgets in the evening.

This gives your body enough time to produce melatonin to facilitate your body to sleep off during the night.

3. Create a Sleep-Friendly Environment

Your bedroom is a place where you get your precious sleep, and that is why it should be comfortable as well. An appropriate environment makes a big difference for relaxing and getting a better night’s sleep. Factors such as room temperature, light, noise, and many more all affect the kind of sleep one gets.

Room Temperature: Keep your bedroom cool. The suggested temperature when going to sleep is between 60-67°F (15-19°C) temperature range. A cool environment reduces our body temperature and signals our body to sleep or rest.
Lighting: Make sure that your bedroom is free from light using a black-out curtain or using an eye mask. Use less artificial light at least one hour before you get to bed to help tell the body it is time to relax. Melatonin production can take a long time to reset after being exposed to bright light at night.
Noise: Another very critical factor includes noise since this would disturb sleep. If you find that there is a lot of noise where you are living, you may want to get some earplugs, or even run a white noise machine.

Your bedding also matters a lot concerning how comfortable they will be all through the night. Clean nice pillows, warm blankets, and fresh and cool bed linen can give the best conditions for a sound sleep. Amity Home presents comprehensive collections of luxurious bedding essentials that will easily transform your bedroom into a personal haven.

4. Watch What You Intake Before Bed

What you take during the evening can determine your quality of sleep - whether it will be good or bad. Consuming heavy foods before going to bed or taking caffeine products before retiring to bed may extend your effort to fall asleep while some foods or drinks may ease one to sleep.

Avoid Caffeine and Nicotine: Caffeine and nicotine are both stimulants and they produce an alerting effect. It is advised to stay away from them in the afternoon and evening. You should remember that caffeine is in not only coffee but also in tea, in soda, and even in chocolate.
Limit Alcohol: It has also been proven that alcohol makes you drowsy but subsequently impairs sleep quality during the night.

Light Snacks: The last meal should be taken early in the evening so if you’re still hungry before bedtime, consume foods that are conducive for sleep such as bananas, almonds, or a cup of yogurt. Such foods contain natural sleep-enhancing nutrients such as magnesium and tryptophan.

5. Exercise Regularly, But Not Shortly Before Going To Bed

Exercise is crucial for your body and can boost the quality of your sleep. Exercise routine is also useful in getting good sleep during the night. However, in working out or exercising, timing is everything. Exercising right before bed may leave the person feeling more alert than ever.

It is advisable to complete all rigorous exercise activities at least two to three hours before the time of sleeping.
Yoga or stretching for instance should be done in the evening to help relax the muscles and the mind.

6. Limit Naps During the Day

Yes, there is such a thing as ‘power napping’ but taking a long nap or napping in the evening or late afternoon can be disruptive to your sleep at night. And if you need to nap, then the best practice is to make sure it is short and is done early in the day. An ideal nap hould not exceed thirty minutes.

7. Stress Management for Better Sleep

Low-quality sleep is also a result of stress and anxiety, making it hard for a person to go to sleep or to stay asleep. When you are overthinking, you can hardly wind down and go to dreamland. There is no doubt that healthy ways of handling stress help improve the quality of a person’s sleep.

Try stress-reducing activities that include; breathing exercises, meditation, or muscle relaxation exercises.
Consider writing in a journal before you go to sleep to help you have a clear mind every night.
Exercise and indulge in all those fun things that you don’t get to do when you’re stuck behind a desk all day.

Conclusion

Sleep hygiene is all about preparing the right environment and inculcating the right practices throughout the day for good sleep. From sticking to the right hours of sleep to establishing a good bedtime routine and making minor changes to your bedroom surroundings, it is possible to greatly improve your sleep.

At Amity Home, we realized that comfort is vital when it comes to getting good quality sleep. That is why we have decided to present various types of premium quality bedding that should improve your night’s sleep. Whether it is light and airy linen, fluffy bedspread, or cozy duvet cover, this range has been designed with comfort in mind.

Check out our complete collection of bedding items at Amity Home, and begin making your comfy sleep environment now.