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sleep hygiene

What is sleep hygiene and why is it important for a good night's sleep?

sleep hygiene: the habits, routines and practices that influence a good night's sleep.

It's important because you can either promote or prohibit a good night's sleep with your daily and nighttime practices. When there are issues with sleep quality, sleep hygiene is often addressed.

a word about blue light......

Asking to remove electronic screens and such from the bedroom a few hours before lights out is a big ask. Most folks have something electronic in their sleeping spaces. Quite a few have a television in the bedroom, and for many, a quick look at their phones is the last thing they do before shutting their eyes.

It's important that you lessen, or remove, blue light from your nighttime activities because the light that enters your eyes from electronics and LED screens cues your brain into alertness. It is believed that blue light affects circadian rhythm (the internal rhythm that controls our sleep/wake cycle) more than other light wavelengths.

Some recommendations:

If watching television or streaming before bed is what usually relaxes you at the end of the day, watch in the evening, but turn that screen off about 2 hours before bedtime and choose an analog or non-screen activity until it is time for your bedtime routine. Audiobooks and podcasts are good alternatives.

Smartphone - Use the technology, not the screen. Opt for audio. Have your screen on the dimmest setting possible and set up your audio on a timer. Place the phone face down (preferably away from the bed) and leave it there until it’s time to get out of bed in the morning.

If you wake up during the night - do NOT automatically grab your phone and check the screen.

Instead, try to naturally return to sleep without a quick peek at a screen. If you're still unable to get back to sleep after about a half hour, it is time to get up out of bed and occupy yourself with a screen-free activity in another location.

a word about RED light......

if you must light up your environment during the wee hours, opt for red light. We recommend a red LED light array.

The Color of Light/Circadian Rhythms - cdc.govThe National Institute for Occupational Sfety and Health (NIOSH

screen-free, bedtime and overnight activities

It's a good idea to plan ahead. Think about what you can do before bed, and in the middle of the night when trying to get back to sleep.

The guidelines for sleep-promoting, overnight and bedtime activities:

•no screen

•quiet

•relaxing

Some suggestions:

in-bed techniques

these techniques can be done with the lights still off.

breath work

body scan

audio on a timer

reposition yourself in bed

out-of- bed activities

Reading (paper)

Journal notebook entries or other writing

Crossword puzzles

Jigsaw puzzles

Music making

Relaxing yoga

Relaxed stretching

knitting or hand-sewing

adult coloring

When - from about 2 hours before bedtime until up out of bed the next morning

Try an in-bed technique first. If after about 30 minutes you are still awake, it's time to get up out of bed and try an out-of-bed activity.

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There are probably screen-free activities you already enjoy. Start a list. You will need to explore a bit to figure out what works best for you. Add these activities to your list of personal strategies.

try this in-bed technique

Shift your position in bed 180º

Place your pillow at the foot of your bed

Adjust your comforter or blankets

Take a few deep breaths and settle in to this new position

20-30 minutes later and Still No Sleep?

Time to get up out of bed.

Choose a relaxing activity that does not require a screen, like reading a book(paper), or taking a warm shower or bath.

problem solve with a sleep hygiene worksheet

Use the Sleep / Wake Schedule Planner Worksheet to help yourself to a better night’s sleep.

sleep hygiene printable worksheet @offplumbPrintables / Etsy

One way to practice good sleep hygiene is to have a regular sleep / wake schedule. The wellness worksheet helps plan your sleep /wake schedule, simple bedtime routine, and sleepless-night-activities. Having a plan for those tough nights can help keep things calm and increase the likelihood of getting back to sleep. Information and suggestions are provided to help plan smarter back-to-bed-activities.

12 h and 24 h schedule planner pages

shaded rows with prompts or no-fill minimalist pages

For personal and clinical use.

keep a sleep strategy notebook and sleep log

Physicians and sleep specialists will often suggest a sleep log for folks that are having difficulty getting a good nights sleep. Daily/nightly entries over a 2-3 week period are usually sufficient for valuable insights.

Include this information in your notebook entries:

•observations and notes of daily and nightly practices, sleep environment, and other elements that could be effecting your sleep.

•a subjective - sleep quality rating of your night's sleep.

and we suggest a section in your notebook for screen-free activities and techniques. As mentioned above, it's a good idea to reference these strategies when trying get to, or back to, sleep

You can use our bound Sleep. Bedtime Logbook (see below), or build your own from any notebook. Notebook entries are a screen-free activity and and an excellent addition to your bedtime routine.

Collecting your sleep data should be easy. The more information you gather the easier it will be to see patterns, and the easier it will be to see where to focus in order to improve sleep quality. Sleep: Bedside Sleep Logbook and Insomnia Tracker is the just-right solution between blank and overly complex pages. While it is predominantly an easy-fill tracker, there are some helpful suggestions on improving sleep hygiene and what to do if you can’t sleep. There's also a section for you to add your personal strategies.

sleep. available at amazon bound paperback notebook

look inside Sleep. here on site

Create a simple bedtime routine

Keep a sleep notebook.

Use the sleep hygiene tips you find here and other places online to practice sleep hygiene dos and avoid sleep hygiene don'ts .

If you have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, and experience daytime fatigue on a consistent basis, talk to your physician or sleep specialist.

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