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What is sleep hygiene? 10 tips to snooze for better health

12 December 2022

5-minute read

Sleep Well Mental health Healthy Mind

Improve sleep duration and quality by developing good sleep hygiene practices. (Credit: Shutterstock)

Sleeping may seem like a period of inactivity for your body and mind. But sleep is a dynamic state where your brain and body are busy with repair and regeneration – making sleep hygiene vital for your health.

Sleep hygiene is a set of good habits that help enhance sleep duration and quality, with excellent benefits for the brain and body. It enables you to fall asleep quickly and sleep well.

With enough good quality rest, you can wake up feeling refreshed, energised and alert, enabling you to be at your best during the day.

Sleep hygiene practices for better health

Maintaining a regular sleep routine is a great way to improve your sleeping habits. (Credit: Shutterstock)

Studies suggest that sleep can help boost your immunity, contribute to longevity, and enrich your overall quality of life.

In young children and adolescents, sleep is crucial for growth. In deep sleep, the body also increases the production of proteins needed for cell growth and repair. Sleep also aids the nervous system functions, affecting thinking, memory and performance. In addition, it helps maintain a robust immune system to protect you from infections.

Getting a good night's rest – or at least #OneMoreHour of sleep – delivers many health benefits. Here are 10 ways to develop sleep hygiene practices to improve sleep health.

1. Develop a consistent sleep schedule

Get up and go to sleep at the same time, even on weekends and holidays. This helps your body's circadian rhythm determine your sleep and wakefulness schedule.

2. Avoid napping during the day

Napping provides positive benefits such as improved mood and energy levels, but the American Sleep Association states that naps can "decrease the sleep debt necessary for easy sleep onset."

3. Exercise regularly

Working out during the day can help you fall asleep more easily at night. But avoid exercising too close to bedtime. It can delay the onset of sleep due to a rush of endorphins in the body.

4. Limit caffeine intake

Too much caffeine, which can come from sodas, certain teas, and coffee, can disrupt your body's internal clock and keep you awake at night. So, avoid caffeine late afternoon and evening, especially if you're sensitive to even small amounts.

5. Avoid oversized meals before bedtime

Give your body time to digest a heavy meal to avoid disrupting your body's circadian rhythm. Limit fluid intake, too, so you don't keep waking up to go to the bathroom, which can make it difficult to go back to sleep.

6. Remove electronic devices from the bedroom

Blue light from gadgets can affect your body's internal clock and disrupt sleep. (Credit: Shutterstock)

Watching shows, reading in bed, or working in your bedroom trains your brain to associate it with work and play instead of rest. Blue light from screens can also stimulate your brain and keep you wide awake.

7. Make your bedroom a relaxing and quiet place

Dim your lights to signal your body it's time to sleep. Keeping your bedroom dark, quiet and cool helps promote a good night's rest.

8. Establish a calming routine before bedtime

Soothing night-time routines – such as drinking caffeine-free herbal teas like chamomile or lavender, taking a warm bath, and meditating – can help you relax and unwind after a long day.

9. Clear your mind before bed

A 2018 study published in The Journal of Experimental Psychology: General found that participants who wrote down a detailed to-do list at bedtime fell asleep faster than those who journaled about completed tasks. So, if your mind is preoccupied with the things you still need to do, write them down. It may help make you feel more prepared for the next day.

10. Don't lie in bed when you can't sleep

Lying in bed can make you associate bed with wakefulness when you have insomnia or anxiety. Do something soothing like reading in another room for a few minutes until you feel sleepy. Then go to bed and try again.

This is one way to strengthen the bed and bedroom as cues for sleep – behavioural treatment for insomnia pioneered by clinical and research psychologist Richard R. Bootzin. If you have difficulty falling asleep, this can help establish a more consistent sleep-wake schedule.

Sleep: An essential biological function

Getting quality sleep helps you feel refreshed, energised and ready to take on whatever comes your way. (Credit: Shutterstock)

Your sleep hygiene is vital to your sleep health, which is affected by the amount and quality of your sleep. Guidelines also show the amount of sleep necessary changes as you age.

Sleep experts worldwide recommend a range of seven to nine hours for adults, while children and adolescents require more to help them grow. (It is best to discuss your child's sleep with the paediatrician.)

Sleep quality and timing are equally important in delivering the necessary benefits for optimal health.

If you have a sleep disorder, your sleep hygiene may look different, so it is best to consult with your medical health practitioner. You can also check out AIA Vitality, a comprehensive wellness programme that promotes holistic health. Its tools, rewards, and community can help you eat well, stay active, and get started on the path to better sleep.

For more sleep tips, read #OneMoreHour to help you live a healthier, longer, better life.

What can you do if you're sleep-deprived? In this episode of AIA Voices, Kate Yan, one of China's leading psychotherapists, shares tips to improve your sleeping habits.

AIA Voices is a community of influential and educational voices from around Asia to talk about life, health and wellness. A platform to educate, motivate and inspire people to make positive behavioural changes on their health and wellness journey. Providing an opportunity for communities across Asia to connect, collaborate, and learn from each other. Designed to drive AIA One Billion, our ambition to engage a billion people to live Healthier, Longer, Better Lives by 2030.

References:

American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. 2015. An Official American Thoracic Society Statement: The Importance of Healthy Sleep. Recommendations and Future Priorities. [online] [Accessed on 4 August 2022]

Nature and Science of Sleep. 2020. The Relationship of Sleep Duration with Ethnicity and Chronic Disease in a Canadian General Population Cohort. [online] [Accessed on 3 August 2022]

Nature and Science of Sleep. 2018. Sleeping hours: what is the ideal number and how does age impact this? [online] [Accessed on 3 August 2022]

Sleep Foundation. 2022. Stages of Sleep. [online] [Accessed on 4 August 2022]

American Sleep Association. Stages of Sleep: The Sleep Cycle. [online] [Accessed on 4 August 2022]

Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. 2016. Tips for Better Sleep. [online] [Accessed on 3 August 2022]

American Academy of Sleep Medicine. 2020. Healthy Sleep Habits. [online] [Accessed on 3 August 2022]

National Sleep Foundation. 2020. 10 Tips for a Better Night's Sleep. [online] [Accessed on 3 August 2022]

American Sleep Association. What is Sleep and Why is it Important? [online] [Accessed on 8 August 2022]

American Sleep Association. How Important is Sleep? [online] [Accessed on 4 August 2022]

American Sleep Association. When to Wake Up, When to Go to Bed and the Importance of Sleep Schedules. [online] [Accessed on 4 August 2022]

Life Sciences. 2018. Tissue regeneration: Impact of sleep on stem cell regenerative capacity. [online] [Accessed on 4 August 2022]

Sleep Foundation. 2022. Exercise and Sleep. [online] [Accessed on 8 August 2022]

Cleveland Clinic. 2022. Is Eating Before Bed Bad for You? [online] [Accessed on 8 August 2022]

Disclaimer:

This is general information only and is not intended as financial, medical, health, nutritional or other advice. You should obtain professional advice from a financial adviser, or medical or health practitioner in relation to your own personal circumstances.