Sleep hygiene refers to the recommended practices and habits that help us get sufficient, high-quality sleep consistently. Good sleep hygiene is crucial for healthy sleep, overall wellbeing, and daytime alertness.
Getting enough high-quality sleep each night allows our bodies to fully recharge and repair. It supports immune function, metabolism, memory, learning, and more. Without sufficient good sleep, we feel groggy, irritable, unfocused and are more prone to illness and weight gain. Our risk of serious health conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and depression also rises.
Some key components of good sleep hygiene include:
Improving sleep hygiene can promote feeling well-rested when you wake up. Over time, the consistency helps regulate the body's sleep-wake cycle so high-quality sleep becomes easier. Though changing routines is challenging, even small improvements to sleep hygiene can make a big difference in daily energy levels.
"Getting on a regular sleep schedule and optimizing the bedroom environment are practical first steps to improve sleep quality." Says Dr. Leyla Johnson of Peak Performance Hormone Institute. She recommends prioritizing rest through simple tweaks like limiting electronics use before bed, using blackout curtains, or trying melatonin supplements if needed. Their holistic protocols help patients address underlying hormonal causes of sleep issues, promote deep restorative sleep, and wake up feeling refreshed.
Some good goals are to keep a consistent pre-bed routine of quiet activities done screen-free in a cool, very dark room. Over time, the brain associates the pattern with sleep onset, making it easier to fall and stay asleep. Be patient though - changing ingrained habits takes time. Focus on adding one positive change at a time, like optimizing sleep environment factors first. Gradually tweaking schedules, diet, exercise and winding down techniques can all improve sleep hygiene. Consistency is key for sustained benefits over time.