What is sleep hygiene? Sleep hygiene is a term used to describe the habits, behaviors, and environmental factors that you practice each day before going to bed. It is important to develop a good sleep hygiene routine to make the sleep you get each night count so that you can wake up feeling refreshed!
Although the amount of sleep needed varies throughout the population, most adults require 7-9 hours of good quality sleep each night.1-2 However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that an estimated 33% of the US population is sleep deprived, meaning they are either not getting enough sleep or the sleep that they are getting is of poor quality.2-3
This is problematic since studies have shown that sufficient sleep is crucial for learning, memory formation, neural development, exercise recovery, metabolic function, cellular waste removal, good health, and overall quality of life.2 On the other hand, sleep deprivation has been associated with a multitude of negative consequences, such as impaired cognition and decision-making, increased reaction time, increased incidence of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disorders, decreased protein synthesis, impaired hormone secretion, and more.1
So how do you know if you have good sleep hygiene? Read through the tips below to see how many you are already incorporating into your routine and where you may need to improve:
Tips for Practicing Good Sleep Hygiene1-2,4
Be consistent: Go to bed and get up at the same time every day – even on weekends and holidays. This allows your body to maintain its circadian rhythm (your body’s natural 24 hour sleep/wake cycle).
Wind down: Avoid exercising within 4 hours of bedtime and screens (including your phone and watching TV) or any other stimulating activities one hour before bed.
Avoid naps: Try to get a full night’s sleep every night and avoid naps during the day. If you must nap, do so for 1 hour or less and before 3:00 pm.
Avoid caffeine: If you must have caffeine, try to restrict caffeine intake to mornings only with no caffeine after lunch.
Avoid alcohol: If you must use alcohol, avoid intake right before bed.
Light: Expose yourself to bright light upon waking and throughout the day.
Dark: Sleep in a dark room with black out curtains. If nightlights are needed for getting up in the middle of the night, opt for motion-activated night lights.
Cool: Sleeping in a room with a temperature of 60-70℉ has been shown to improve sleep quality. Hands and feet should be kept warm, especially during winter months.
Use bed only for sleeping: Reserve your bedroom for sleep and intimacy only. Avoid doing work, studying, reading, etc. in bed.
References
1. Mukherjee S, Patel SR, Kales SN, et al. An Official American Thoracic Society Statement: The Importance of Healthy Sleep. Recommendations and Future Priorities. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2015;191(12):1450-1458. doi:10.1164/rccm.201504-0767ST
2. Vitale KC, Owens R, Hopkins SR, Malhotra A. Sleep Hygiene for Optimizing Recovery in Athletes: Review and Recommendations. Int J Sports Med. 2019;40(8):535-543. doi:10.1055/a-0905-3103
3. FASTSTATS: Sleep in adults. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed August 14, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/data-research/facts-stats/adults-sleep-facts-and-stats.html
4. Catherine F. Siengsukon, MA, Suzanne S. Sleep Health Promotion: Practical Information for Physical Therapists, Physical Therapy, Volume 97, Issue 8, August 2017, Pages 826–836, https://doi.org/10.1093/ptj/pzx057
Written by Abigail Anderson, PT, DPT
