Sleep Hygiene

Why do you need to prioritize sleep hygiene?

Isn't this baby so precious? Looking sound asleep. Im sure being a parent is one of the sweetest blessings. You can look at this precious little buttercup's face all the time. In all honesty, I do not know this baby but I put it in here to remind us that we all can be sound asleep peacefully just like this. As an adult, it seems like sleep is one of those things that is very low on our priority list. We've gotten accustomed to sleeping for 4-5 hours and hoping that we are able to function at optimal levels for the next day. Now don't get me wrong, some people probably have adjusted to that and are able to function well generally speaking. On average, most adults need 7-9 hours of sleep so my recommendation is to try to amp up those hours if you normally average less than 7 hours. Keep reading for my recommendations on how to prioritize sleep hygiene for a more full life. Think of it like a "Sleep Hygiene Checklist:"

1. Be Consistent

As an adult, it may feel very childish to say that you have a bedtime, but if you ask me, I would disagree. Adults often feel like they don't need a bedtime but I have news for you: we do. We live in a very busy culture that forces you to feel like you have to constantly be on-the-go. Unfortunately, being on-the-go all the time is a part of the issue. I like to think of a bedtime as a boundary for yourself and to the world. A bedtime says "this is my time to reset" so that Im fully ready to tackle the next day. Be consistent with your bedtime. If you plan to get 7-9 hours of sleep, then do the math, and set up your bedtime around that goal. If this is your first time making your sleep health a priority, start small. Start by being consistent with your bedtime 3x/week and then progress from there.

2. Exercise throughout the day

Proper exercise can help alleviate sleep related problems and improve your sleep overall. Who doesn't want better sleep? In one of my previous blog posts, I talked about the benefits of movement; one of which includes better sleep quality. There was a study that suggests that those who exercised after 8pm or later, showed better sleep quality and were able to fall asleep a lot faster than those who exercised earlier. Now, I'm not saying that you need to workout super late, but if you want to try it, by all means go for it. The point for sharing that study was just to show you the bidirectional relationship between sleep and physical activity.

3. Create an Bedtime Routine

Training your brain to wind down is half the battle. What is your current bedtime? Here's what I mean: at what time do you want your eyes to close for bed? Let's say your answer is 10pm. Alright, if that is the case, you should start your bedtime routine at 9pm at the latest. There are many things that you can include in your routine. I love doing puzzles! They say that puzzles are a great way to calm down the brain and I would honestly agree. You can also read a book, journal, or meditate. Listen, don't act brand new and forget to brush your teeth and wash your face before laying it down too. On another note, add whichever components you need to wind your brain down so that by the time 10pm rolls around, your eyes are shut. For some of us, it takes a while to fall asleep and that's okay but I believe that implementing this routine will help slow your brain down and get you to sleep a lot faster.

4. Avoid stimulants after lunch time

Stimulants lead to increased alertness and difficulty falling asleep. So if you are thinking about having caffeine before bed or honestly, after lunch time, that may not be the best idea. Other stimulants in food that you should avoid are foods high in sugar, high in saturated fats, and low fiber diets.

5. Turn off all electronics - Ditch your phone for sure!

Am I the only one who scrolls on Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, etc. right before bed? OMG don't leave me hangin' yall. It is definitely a challenge to unplug but we have to do it for better sleep health. Melatonin is the hormone that controls your sleep-wake cycle (aka circadian rhythm) and is particularly suppressed by the blue light omitting from your phone. So think of it this way, the longer you stay on your phone right before bed, the harder it will be for your brain to wind down. That's likely why you are still up at 1am talkin' bout "I can't go to sleep." haha. My recommendation is ditch the phone at least an hour before it's bedtime. Im preaching to myself too. Lets do it!

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