What Exactly Is Sleep Hygiene?

So you’re curious about sleep hygiene but don’t want to waste hours researching it. You’ve come to the right place! We’ve included a brief explanation of sleep hygiene below.

Let’s take a step back before diving into sleep hygiene.

What is the significance of sleep?

Our bodies recharge while we sleep

Muscle and tissue repair requires growth hormones and melatonin, which our bodies produce during critical processes. When we don’t get enough sleep, our daily lives can become difficult. We can suffer from a variety of side effects, including brain fog, increased inflammation in the body, depression, and obesity. Sleep is essential for overall well-being and mental strength. We’ve all heard how a bad night’s sleep can ruin your day. In fact, there are some bizarre statistics surrounding inadequate sleep.

Now that we’ve seen the numbers, it’s time to talk about some sleep hygiene tips!

Nourishment

Gluten and fatty foods can wreak havoc on your digestive system if you eat too much of them. Eating whole foods on a regular basis and avoiding excess sugar will prepare your body for sleep. Even if you consume it a few hours before going to bed, the effects it will have on your sleep will be erratic.

Exercise

Regular, early-morning exercise allows your body to expend excess energy, raise dopamine levels, and exhaust itself. Exercising late at night, on the other hand, may keep you awake, so try to work out in the morning!

Maintain a Routine:

We are creatures of habit. Making good sleep a priority in your daily routine will help you form a habit that will lead to better sleeping habits in the future. An irregular schedule can make it difficult to achieve the recommended 8 hours of quality sleep.

Limit Devices

Put away devices and bright lights at least one hour before going to bed. Bright lights and stimuli disrupt our circadian rhythm and keep us awake at night. Your body’s circadian rhythm affects your energy, and bright lights before bedtime may confuse your body.

Set Bed Boundaries

Only use your bed for sleeping and sex. While lying in bed for a few minutes is acceptable, it is critical to maintaining boundaries with your bed. Stop scrolling, you’ll associate your bed with waking up if you use your phone while you’re in it.

Avoid stimuli such as alcohol and caffeine.

Okay, we all love wine and our morning coffees, so we’re not saying you should stop drinking entirely, but you should limit your consumption. Drinking before going to bed can cause rapid heartbeat, anxiety, and dehydration. Caffeine has a similar effect and may even keep your mind racing at night.

Make a Dreamy Bedroom

Design the ideal sleeping environment. Have you ever seen those Pinterest-worthy rooms? Make your bedroom your dream space!

Besides the obvious comfy durable queen size rv mattress, the color of your room should be soothing. Your pillows and bedding should be soft and clean. Also, keep that room clean! Nothing beats sleeping in a clean room. Mental clutter can be caused by physical clutter.

Maintain a cool room temperature. When we get too hot at night, we can sweat, become restless, and/or wake up frequently! Sleeping in a cool environment allows the body to fully rest and recharge.

Plants!

Put plants in your room to sleep in clean air. Mother Nature’s air purifiers are plants. Sleeping in fresh air allows you to sleep longer. During the night, your body is able to repair your cells and organs because it doesn’t have to deal with the polluted air.

Be mindful of your water intake before bed!

Don’t drink a gallon of water before going to bed! If you drink 8+ glasses of water during the day rather than at night, you won’t wake up in the middle of the night to pee.

Make a Nighttime Routine

Begin the night with a peaceful bedtime ritual. Relaxation activities include taking a bath, drinking warm (non-caffeinated) liquids like hot tea, meditating, stretching, using sleep affirmations, reading a book, and listening to calming music.

Get Naked

Sleep in your loose pajamas or in your underwear! Yes, we did say it: sleep naked! Internal body temperature rises as a result of wearing tight clothing to bed. You will be able to fully relax if you sleep naked!

Allow it to go!

Avoid going to bed when you are extremely stressed or irritated. It’s impossible to avoid stress in our lives, but we can control our reactions to it. Try one of our suggested bedtime routines if you’re feeling anxious.