1. Introduction
And have you, ever, at 2 AM, been
lying staring at the ceiling and your mind racing when the rest of the world is
asleep in calm content? Or maybe you can even get eight hours of sleep and feel
groggy and unrested and desperately pressing the snooze button. Assuming this
is not new to you, you are not alone. Millions of people are having problems
with sleep and yet what could be the magic to unlock the ability to get deeper
and more restorative sleep is not a prescription or a magic pill, it is a
sequence of small deliberate habits.
Sleeping well is the key to health,
spirit and efficiency. It is the period when your body is resting, rebuilding
the muscles, digesting the memory and balancing the hormones. The constant lack
of sleep has been associated with the suppressed immune system, weight gain,
stress, anxiety, and the risk of developing chronic diseases such as heart
disease and diabetes. It has nothing to do with quantity it is quality.
This is where the term sleep
hygiene is derived. Sleep hygiene is the habits and practices that are
favorable to sleep on a regular basis. It is about getting your body and mind
to a perfect state, both physically and psychologically, to get into a deep and
restful sleep.
The offer is straightforward, with
small and sustainable adjustments to your nighttime routine, you will be able
to condition your body to fall asleep quicker, sleep longer, and wake up
feeling really renewed and rejuvenated. This paper will be your entire guide to
creating that routine right off the ground.
10 Daily Habits to Strengthen Mental Health and Reduce Stress
2. Understanding Sleep Hygiene
Fundamentally, sleep hygiene is the
respect of your natural biological rhythm, which is mainly your circadian
rhythm. It is your body clock of 24 hours, which controls the feeling of being
sleepy and being awake. It reacts to light and darkness mainly in your surroundings.
It is essential to engage in regular
practices since this routine strengthens. By going to bed every night and
waking up early every morning (even on weekends), you are actually training
your body to be sleepy and wake up at the expected time. The poor sleep
hygiene, however, makes this fine rhythm out of balance.
Some of the
typical symptoms of being poor with sleep hygiene are:
· It takes over 20-30 minutes to fall asleep.
· It is waking up in the middle of the night.
· Sitting in the bed with a troubled, anxious
mind.
· Rising too early and fail to get back to
sleep.
· There is a dependence on caffeine to make the
day.
· Irritable, foggy, or low-energy although it
has enough time in bed.
In case these symptoms sound so
familiar, do not panic. The night can be regained with the following steps.
3. Building a Nighttime Routine for Better Sleep
A routine informs your brain that the
day is coming to an end and time to switch to a sleeping mode. The following
is the way to create an effective one.
a. Set a Consistent Sleep Schedule
This is the most essential of all the
rules of sleeping hygiene. Predictability is what your body boasts.
· Waking up at the same time and going to bed at
the same time each day (within a 30–60-minute range, on weekends, as well), is
the strongest method of solidifying the circadian rhythm.
· Why consistency is effective: Consider the scenario with your body being
used to taking a meal at 7 PM daily. At 6:45 PM, you stomach will begin to
growl. The principle of sleep is the same. Having a regular sleep schedule
helps your brain to begin the process of winding down releasing melatonin,
cooling the body and getting less alert at the same time each night.
b. Create a Wind-Down Ritual
It is not possible to pass on a
hectic, stressful day followed by calm sleep. You need a buffer zone.
· Activities which portend relaxation: Spend the last 30-60 minutes before bed on
some relaxing activity. This might be reading a physical book (not a
thriller!), writing down everything in your journal, softly meditating, or
listening to some relaxing music or a sleep story.
· Avoiding stimulating tasks: It implies no work emails, no heated
discussions, no interesting and violent TV shows, and no problem solving. Such
activities stimulate the stress response of the brain (cortisol) and combat
relaxation.
c. Limit Screen Time & Blue Light
This is probably the greatest
contemporary sleep disturbance.
· How screens are interfering with the
production of melatonin: Phone,
tablet, laptop, and TV screens emit blue light that is extremely efficient at
disrupting the production of melatonin, which is the hormone that signals your
brain that it is time to sleep. Watching the screen before sleeping deceives
your brain to believe that it is day time.
·
Actionable
Tips:
o
Impose a
screen time curfew: The goal is to
have all screens shut at least 60 minutes before bed.
o
Switch on
night mode/blue light filters:
Most of these devices have in-built features (such as Night Shift on iOS, Night
Light on Android and so on) that automatically shift the color of the screen to
warmer tones at night. Enable them.
o
Take into
account blue-light-blocking glasses:
In case you have to work late with some device, it helps.
d. Optimize Your Sleep Environment
Make your bedroom a sleep temple. It
must be adapted to one major task and that is rest.
· Cool, Dark, and Quiet: It is the three golden rules.
o
Cool: A room temperature slightly below what it is
normally (65o F or 18o C) would be the best to sleep because it will allow your
body to cool down to the desired temperatures.
o
Dark: Have black out curtains or a good sleep mask
to block ambient light. Even light sources such as chargers or street lamps can
interfere with the quality of sleep.
o
Silence: A white noise generator, earplugs or a fan
can be used to silence annoying sounds.
· Invest in Your Bed: You third your life in bed. Money is spent on
a comfortable bed, supportive pillows and breathable covers.
· Eliminate Stressors: Have the TVs, cell phones and clutter out of
the bedroom. Your brain is supposed to relate this room with sleep and intimacy
rather than work and entertainment.
e. Mind Your Evening Diet & Drinks
The things that you eat at night
directly affect your sleep.
·
Restricting
the amount of caffeine and alcohol:
o
Caffeine: You should stop taking caffeine at least 6-8
hours before going to sleep. It is a stimulant which may remain in your body
hours.
o
Alcohol: It can initially cause drowsiness but alcohol
has a significant negative impact in the latter phases of the sleep cycle
causing disjointed, non-restorative sleep.
· Evening snacks: Does not consume big, heavy and spicy food
just before going to sleep because they bring discomfort and indigestive
problems. When you are hungry, eat a light snack that is high in tryptophan
(such as a banana) or that high in complex carbs (such as a small bowl of
oatmeal).
· Balance of hydration: It is important to maintain hydration during
the day, however, reduce the volume of liquids an hour or two before bedtime to
reduce excessive waking up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom.
f. Gentle Movement & Relaxation
Light exercise would relieve physical
strain and psychological stress.
· Light stretching or yoga: You can choose such practices as Yin or
Restorative Yoga that are ideal on evenings. Emphasize stretched poses which
are held and allow the release of tension in the hips, back, and shoulders.
· Deep breathing exercises: This technique is a very effective one to
trigger the parasympathetic nervous system (the rest and digest mode), and
relax a racing mind: 4-7-8 (4-second inhalation, 7-second hold, and 8-second
exhalation).
· Progressive Muscular Relaxation (PMR): this technique is performed in a systematic
procedure involving the tightening and then relaxation of every muscle group in
the body, starting at the toes up to the head. It induces deep bodily leisure.
How Mental Health Affects Physical Health (And Vice Versa)
4. Daytime Habits That Affect Nighttime Sleep
What you do during your day
predetermines your sleeping at night.
· Natural Light in the Morning: Whether you are in bed or getting ready to
leave the house, go outside within the first hour of getting up even just 15
minutes. The most powerful indicator of the circadian rhythm control is the
morning sunlight, which informs your inner clock that the day has already
started and, therefore, you can find it easier to become sleepy when you need
it to that night.
· Exercise:
Exercise is amazing in increasing the quality and length of sleep. Nevertheless,
attempt to complete intense exercise not less than 2-3 hours prior to sleep,
since it may be too stimulating to others.
· Stress Management during the day: Stress during the day causes one to have a
racing mind in the night. Integrate some little stress relieving activities
into your day like taking short walks, mindfulness, or having a chat with a
friend. Do not allow it to accumulate till you reach the pillow.
5. Troubleshooting Poor Sleep
With impeccable sleep hygiene, not all
difficulties can be eliminated.
· Adjust vs. Seek Help: When you have been actively working on your
good sleep hygiene over 3-4 weeks and you do not see any improvement, you
should consider going down to the next level. Have a basic sleep journal to see
what you are doing and what patterns you are following.
· When to Consult with a Specialist: You should see a doctor in case of
continuous:
o
Difficulties in
falling or maintaining sleep despite healthy practices.
o
Snort with a loud
breathing, difficulty in breathing (symptoms of sleep apnea).
o
Can no longer
control the movement of your legs (Restless Legs Syndrome).
o
Experience severe
sleepiness during the day which impacts on your safety such as falling asleep
on the road.
· A medical practitioner is able to diagnose any
underlying insomnia or sleep disorders and prescribe the best treatments such
as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) that is very effective.
6. Conclusion
Developing better sleep is not a
place, it is a process of self-care. The key to more intensive and deeper sleep
lies in the principle of routines: a stable routine, a relaxing bedtime
routine, an organized sleeping atmosphere, and conscious decisions during the
day.
You do not need to roll everything out
simultaneously. Start small. Select one or two pieces of advice out of this
guide that you find most reasonable to you like establishing a wake-up schedule
or putting a blue light filter on your phone. Master that, then add another. Monitor
your progress and have patience with oneself. You will have more energy, a
better mood, and a clearer mind to enjoy the investment that you will make in
your body and mind. Tonight, make that initial tiny step to the process of
creating that restorative sleep routine that you need.
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7. FAQs
Q1: I have shifts
and my schedule varies on weekly bases. What will I do to have a regular
sleeping pattern?
A: This is exceedingly difficult. The most
appropriate is to engage in consistency within the shift block. Use blackout
and white noise to give you a feeling of a night when you need to sleep. In the
days before a change of shift, gradually change your sleep time by an hour or
two. Another important factor is light exposure- expose yourself to bright
light when one has to be awake and sleep-free light when one has to sleep.
Q2: What would
happen in case I am not able to fall asleep after 20 min in bed?
A: Do not languish in bed toying. Get out of bed
and leave to another room. Perform a tedious task under low-light conditions
such as reading a physical book or listening to relaxing music. Avoid screens. Go
to bed only at the time when you feel like falling asleep. This helps your mind
to stop relating your bed and anxiety and being awake.
Q3: Naps are
either good or bad in regard to sleep hygiene.
A: It depends. It can be refreshing, although
not disruptive to sleep in the night, to take short power naps of between 20-30
minutes in the afternoon before 3 PM. But, the naps may be long or late and may
cause difficulty with getting sleep at night as well as impact your sleep
drive.
Q4: I have heard
that it is easier to watch the TV and fall asleep. Is that true?
A: You may believe that it helps you to get rid
of sleep, but the content and the blue light of the TV actually make your brain
active and inhibits melatonin. It results in improved, lighter and more
disrupted sleep. It is one of the worst sleeping habits.
Q5: What is the
time to improve with the help of improved sleep hygiene?
A: Be patient. This may require several weeks of
practice before your body can be used to the new schedule and you can see
serious changes. It is all a question of consistency and not perfection.
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