Sleeping is one of the most important (if not the most important) activity for the physical health or any human, as well as their intellectual capacity to function.
Lack of sleep has been linked to serious illness, including cardiovascular disease, deficient immune system, stress and anxiety, depression, cancer, obesity.
Tips for a healthy sleep hygiene
- Maintain a sleep schedule, going to bed and waking up at the same time each day.
Physical exercise is great but not too late in the day. - Try to exercise at least 30 minutes on most days but not later than 2 to 3 hours before bedtime.
- Avoid caffeine and nicotine later in the day. Coffee, colas, certain teas, and chocolate contain the stimulant caffeine and its effects can take as long as 8 hours to wear off fully.
- Avoid consuming alcoholic drinks before bed. Having a nightcap or alcoholic beverage before sleep may help to relax, but heavy use can hinder deep restorative sleep. Heavy alcohol ingestion may also contribute to impairment in breathing at night, and lead to waking up in the night once the effects of alcohol have worn off.
- Avoid large meals and beverages late at night. A light snack is ok but a large meal can cause indigestion, which interferes with sleep. Drinking too many fluids at night can cause frequent awakenings to urinate.
- Don’t take naps after 3pm. Naps can help make up for lost sleep but late afternoon naps can make it harder to fall asleep at night.
- Relax before bed. Don’t overschedule your day so that no time is left for unwinding. A relaxing activity such as reading or listening to music, should be part of your bedtime ritual.
- Dark bedroom, cool bedroom, gadget-free bedroom. Having a comfortable mattress and pillow can also help promote a good night’s sleep.
- Have the right sunlight exposure. Daylight is key to regulating daily sleep patterns; try to get outside in natural sunlight for at least 30 minutes each day.
- Don’t lie in bed awake. If you find yourself still awake after staying in bed for more than 20 minutes or if you are starting to feel anxious or worried, get up and do some relaxing activity until you feel sleepy. The anxiety of not being able to sleep can make it harder to fall asleep.