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by Deniss Pleiner, M.A.
Stress, anxiety, and the state of the world can steal sleep from us. In order to help you get better sleep, today we are talking about sleep hygiene: or aka good sleep habits!
Sleep is one of our body’s most basic needs. Without sleep, we may feel irritable, forgetful, and make more mistakes. You can’t do any of the more complicated tasks without having good sleep first.
So whether you have trouble falling or staying asleep, these habits should set you up for more quality sleep:
Silence:
This may be tricky depending on your living situation but try to set up a space that is as quiet as possible.
Shut off TV/Radio
Earplugs
Look into using a white noise machine– music or tv will keep part of the brain occupied.
Sleep Schedule
Have a Consistent sleep/wake up time
This will train your body to have a rhythm and be prepared for good sleep rather than interrupted and inconsistent sleep.
Darkness:
As dark as you can. Turn off lights, close blinds/curtains
No tv or phone before bed
No TV an hour before bed. It takes time for your brain to transition after receiving stimulus so it is helpful to help your mind relax before.
No drinking/eating 1-2 hrs before bedtime
Drinking and eating will keep you body occupied and awake with digesting what you’ve just put in your stomach and it may also cause you to have to use the restroom in the middle of the night, disrupting your sleep
No working out 1-2 hours before bedtime
Working out wakes up your body and muscles and can make it difficult to relax.
You don't have to do EVERYTHING on this list but it will definitely help! We know its hard to develop some of these habits but as always, take it slow and try so you can find out what works best for you. And if you feel you need extra support and would like to work with one of our therapists to manage your mental health, request a free consultation down below:
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