Sleep Hygiene
Many people struggle with Insomnia which can be very debilitating. Here are some tips to get you started.
1. Find a routine. Your body’s internal clock follows a specific sleep-wake cycle. Going to bed late one night and early the next throws your circadian rhythm off balance. Attempting to catch-up on missed sleep (sleep deficit) over the weekend may not always be effective and can result in physical and mental fatigue. Thus, adhering to a daily sleep schedule can be highly beneficial for your overall health and well-being.
2. Cut the late-night cardio. If you’re feeling run-down in the morning, your late-night workout on the treadmill may be to blame. For some, a midnight workout or intensive yoga session too close to bedtime can make it harder for the brain to wind down. Aim to finish heavy exercise two to three hours before hitting the sack.
3. Avoid caffeine and nicotine consumption. Caffeine temporarily blocks the signal from adenosine, a crucial sleep chemical in your brain, which nonetheless continues to accumulate. This pent-up adenosine eventually breaks through, causing a dramatic crash, often at inopportune times. Nicotine, another stimulant, can lead to very light sleep.
4. Avoid alcohol. Alcohol before bed may help you relax, but too much of it can contribute to a lack of sleep. Alcohol robs you of REM sleep—the deep slumber your brain requires for optimal restoration. Heavy alcohol consumption can also impair your breathing at night and isn’t good for staying asleep, either (you tend to wake up multiple times, even if you don’t remember doing so).
5. Eat light at night. When it comes to late-night eating, small snacks are preferable to heavy meals, which can cause indigestion that interferes with your sleep. Avoid drinking fluids a couple of hours before bedtime to prevent frequent bathroom trips in the middle of the night, interrupting sleep, which can lead to sleep fragmentation.
6. Talk to your doctor about your medication schedule. Some heart and lung medications, and over-the-counter cold and allergy drugs, can disrupt sleep patterns. If you have trouble sleeping, ask your health-care provider or pharmacist if medication may be the culprit—and whether you can take them earlier in the day.
7. Leave time to unwind. Create a relaxing routine before bed—like reading, listening to music, or doing light stretching. Matthew also recommends keeping a worry journal, which can help you process difficult emotions before bed.
8. Baths are best. It sounds paradoxical, but taking a hot bath before bed can drop your body temperature once you’re in bed, in addition to making you feel sleepier and more relaxed.
9. Check your devices at the door. Think of the ideal bedroom as a prehistoric cave somewhere in the Great North: cool, dark, and gadget-free. Charge your phone in another room, get rid of electronics that cause noise, and ditch the alarm clock, which can make you hyper-aware of every passing minute.
10. Get some sun. Exposing yourself to natural sunlight for at least 30 minutes a day can help regulate your sleep patterns. Aim to catch those rays in the morning, which can make you more alert as you start your day. Also, turn the lights down before bedtime to avoid disrupting melatonin production.
11. Avoid lying in bed for too long. Lying in bed for prolonged periods, hoping you’ll finally nod off, isn’t an ineffective sleep strategy, but it can make you anxious and frustrated. Your brain will associate bed with being awake if you do anything in it besides sleeping or sex. If you cannot transition into wakefulness after about 25 to 30 minutes of lying in bed, get up and do a relaxing activity until you start feeling sleepy.
Adapted from Matt Walker