What is sleep hygiene?
Sleep hygiene refers to the habits and practices that support healthy, sufficient sleep. Good sleep hygiene is crucial for both physical and mental health.
When we practice good sleep hygiene, we set ourselves up for deep, restorative sleep that leaves us feeling energized and refreshed the next day. Some key components of sleep hygiene include:
- Sticking to a regular sleep schedule: Going to bed and waking up at consistent times, even on weekends, helps regulate your circadian rhythm so your body expects sleep at those times.
- Creating an optimal sleep environment: This means a dark, quiet, comfortable bedroom that is not too hot or cold. Consider using blackout curtains, a white noise machine, and ensuring your mattress and bedding are comfortable.
- Avoiding screens before bed: The blue light from device screens can disrupt circadian rhythms and melatonin production, making it harder to fall and stay asleep.
- Establishing a calming pre-bed routine: Practices like taking a warm bath, reading, gentle yoga, journaling or meditation can help your body unwind before sleep.
- Limiting caffeine, alcohol and big meals before bed: These can all disrupt sleep, so it's best to avoid them in the hours leading up to bedtime.
Improving your sleep hygiene takes some consistency and effort upfront, but pays off exponentially in deeper, more restorative sleep and next-day energy. At Vitality Hormone Clinic, we often recommend our patients focus on sleep hygiene while balancing their hormone levels for optimal health and wellbeing. Contact us today to learn more about our sleep and hormone optimization programs!