3 Basics of Sleep Hygiene

You may be asking yourself: what is sleep hygiene. Did you even know that was a phrase? Most people don’t when asked. Sleep hygiene can be likened to dental hygiene or other commonplace occurrences that we incorporate into our everyday lives. Simply put, sleep hygiene is the combination of behaviors and environmental factors that can help or hurt our sleep. A lot goes into ensuring the perfect night of sleep, and too many individuals overlook perfect sleep as a reality every day. It doesn’t have to be a dream.

Here are three easy steps for achieving good sleep hygiene.

1. Routine bedtime

You’re probably thinking – I thought bedtime routines were only needed for children? Though this is true, there’s a reason bedtime routines are so effective for younger ones. Your body is a delicate organism that operates at a level of consistent homeostasis. When something offsets that balance, it sends the whole system into panic mode. Develop your own bedtime routine. Incorporate series of quiet, calming activities like reading, praying, or meditation to let your mind wind down. Avoid electronics, bright lights, loud music, and any other thing that would violently stimulate your mind. Lie down, relax, and try to do it all around the same time each night.

2. Sleep schedule

You knew we were getting to this one. Probably the most hotly debated and ignored component of sleep hygiene, your sleep schedule is crucially important to the quality of sleep you get. For starters, you need at least 7 hours of sound sleep every night. Doctors recommend, depending the person, that each adult get between 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night. It’s important to give your body a recharge period.

Now that you’re sleeping 8 hours per night, you need to also have your head hitting the pillow at the same time each evening. If your body can anticipate sleep, it’s more likely to wind down and go into that same zen state every time.

3. The environment

It’s incredibly important to be comfortable and physically situated for each night of sleep. That starts with a quality, firm, and supported mattress equipped with a box spring, frame, and level footing. Sleep with a pillow or two, but never so many that you’re craning your neck. If you mattress is worn, it’s time to get a new one. Sleeping on old mattresses is so detrimental to the health of your spine and back.

Sound like a lot? If you follow these three recommendations, your sleep hygiene will be up to par in no time.

by-Alexandra Fasulo