Improve Your Sleep with Good Sleep Hygiene › ... › Sleep-Hygiene.pdf · • DO use relaxation...

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Improve Your Sleep with Good Sleep Hygiene Many factors play a role in affecting our sleep, making it difficult to both fall asleep and stay asleep. Sleep hygiene is a term used to describe good, healthy sleep habits. Here are some helpful tips to help you get the most out of your sleep routine. These tips can take time to develop into habits, and with careful attention to them every night you can eventually see beneficial results in both the quality and quantity of your sleep. DO: DO maintain regular bedtime and awakening hours, even on the weekends! This helps your body get used to awakening and sleeping at the same time every day. DO give yourself approximately one hour to “wind down” before you try to fall asleep. DO keep a pen and a pad of paper on your bedside table at night. If you are preoccupied with something while trying to fall asleep, write it down. DO keep the bedroom cool, dark, and quiet. DO maintain a regular exercise schedule. However, don’t perform any strenuous exercising within two hours of your bedtime, as this can interfere with falling asleep. DO have a light snack before you go to bedtime. A small snack that is high in the amino acid tryptophan can help you to fall asleep. Examples of these types of snacks include warm milk or bananas. DO use relaxation techniques such as guided imagery and breathing exercises to decrease anxiety before bedtime. DO use comfortable bedding. DON’T: DON’T take naps during the day. If you must nap, limit your naps to 30 minutes at the most. DON’T read in bed when you can’t sleep. If you find you can’t sleep within 20 minutes, get out of bed and go to another room to read while you try to make yourself sleepy. Then, return to bed only when you are tired. DON’T watch the clock while you’re trying to fall asleep. DON’T exercise within two hours of bedtime. DON’T watch television or use your phone or other electronic devices with a screen while in bed trying to fall asleep. DON’T use caffeine, alcohol, or cigarettes before bedtime. DON’T eat a heavy meal right before bedtime. DON’T eat in bed, exercise in bed, or talk on the phone in bed.

Transcript of Improve Your Sleep with Good Sleep Hygiene › ... › Sleep-Hygiene.pdf · • DO use relaxation...

Page 1: Improve Your Sleep with Good Sleep Hygiene › ... › Sleep-Hygiene.pdf · • DO use relaxation techniques such as guided imagery and breathing exercises to decrease anxiety before

Improve Your Sleep with Good Sleep Hygiene

Many factors play a role in affecting our sleep, making it difficult to both fall asleep and stay asleep. Sleep hygiene is a term used to describe good, healthy sleep habits. Here are some helpful tips to help you get the most out of your sleep routine. These tips can take time to develop into habits, and with careful attention to them every night you can eventually see beneficial results in both the quality and quantity of your sleep.

DO: • DO maintain regular bedtime and awakening hours, even on the weekends! This helps your

body get used to awakening and sleeping at the same time every day. • DO give yourself approximately one hour to “wind down” before you try to fall asleep. • DO keep a pen and a pad of paper on your bedside table at night. If you are preoccupied

with something while trying to fall asleep, write it down. • DO keep the bedroom cool, dark, and quiet. • DO maintain a regular exercise schedule. However, don’t perform any strenuous exercising

within two hours of your bedtime, as this can interfere with falling asleep. • DO have a light snack before you go to bedtime. A small snack that is high in the amino

acid tryptophan can help you to fall asleep. Examples of these types of snacks include warm milk or bananas.

• DO use relaxation techniques such as guided imagery and breathing exercises to decrease anxiety before bedtime.

• DO use comfortable bedding.

DON’T: • DON’T take naps during the day. If you must nap, limit your naps to 30 minutes at the most. • DON’T read in bed when you can’t sleep. If you find you can’t sleep within 20 minutes, get

out of bed and go to another room to read while you try to make yourself sleepy. Then, return to bed only when you are tired.

• DON’T watch the clock while you’re trying to fall asleep. • DON’T exercise within two hours of bedtime. • DON’T watch television or use your phone or other electronic devices with a screen while in

bed trying to fall asleep. • DON’T use caffeine, alcohol, or cigarettes before bedtime. • DON’T eat a heavy meal right before bedtime. • DON’T eat in bed, exercise in bed, or talk on the phone in bed.