Building a Habit of Good Sleep Hygiene for Mental Wellness

Sleep is essential for the healthy and smooth running of a person’s routine activities. Creating good sleep habits is also important for maintaining health and safety. Sleep hygiene, or better still, maintaining a healthy sleeping environment, is one of the most important factors in guarding our mental health.

Similarly, some of the negative consequences of sleeplessness include hallucinations, delusion, weak immunity compensation, and lack of concentration, which is why it is important to sleep well. This information seeks to establish that sufficient sleep contributes to mood, cognition, work output, and some general well-being.

In this guide, you will learn why sleep is important and how to achieve healthy sleep habits. Keep on reading to find out how small shifts can result in huge positive changes in the quality of your life.

What is Sleep Hygiene?

Sleep hygiene is defined as the range of behaviors that benefit an individual’s well-being and help them get a proper night’s rest. Getting enough good-quality sleep impacts health, mood, and quality of life.

Moreover, some aspects of healthy sleep involve decisions made during the day and in the evening regarding foods and drinks, stress, and the sleep environment. Measures that can be taken to have a better night’s sleep include avoiding caffeine or high-calorie meals before retiring to bed, avoiding naps during the day, and maintaining a regular sleep schedule.

Hence, remaining in those habits will benefit sleep and health. You may also book an appointment if you observe any of the mental health issues due to the lack of sleep. We are here to assist you and suggest the best treatment option for you!

Sleep Hygiene for Teens- Follow A Healthy Routine

Teenagers need to develop a regular sleep pattern because it coordinates the physiological processes in the body. They should try to sleep and wake up at the same time every day, including on weekends. Developing a bedtime regimen that signals to the body that it is time for relaxation, such as reading or listening to soothing music, helps them fall asleep and have peaceful sleep.

Equally, the sleep context plays a role in sleep quality. In addition to a regular sleep schedule, Teenagers should ensure that their room is quiet, dark, and cool, as this environment will improve sleep quality. So, consumers should avoid consuming products containing caffeine.

Sleep Hygiene for Kids- Build A Happy Life Ahead

Bedtime is very important for children to ensure that they grow healthy and happy. Bathing, reading a book, or listening to music before going to bed signals to their brain that it’s time for rest. Therefore, a daily sleep schedule, even on the weekend, helps to synchronize the body clock and ensure that the child gets the correct number of hours of sleep. It is just as important to create the right environment for sleep.

Furthermore, children’s bedrooms should be free from noise, light, and other interferences like light and noise. Reducing the time spent on screen by at least one hour at bedtime will prevent them from coming across blue light that affects their sleep pattern. Hence, by adopting these habits, children are likely to become healthier, more alert, and better placed to deal with life.

Importance of Sleep Hygiene

When thinking about sleep hygiene, you might wonder how it is possible to do it. The answer is that it takes barely any time at all to start getting better sleep. After a while, you get into a routine, and it becomes easy to follow and will help you get an adequate amount of sleep. There are a few tricks to follow that show the importance of good sleep habits.

Use these healthy sleep practices to improve your sleep quality:

• It’s also beneficial to attempt to sleep and rise simultaneously daily, including during the weekend. It helps regulate your body’s circadian rhythms.
• Reading a book, taking a warm bath, or even practicing deep breathing can help your body understand that it’s time to sleep.
• Caffeine and nicotine should be avoided, and heavy meals should not be taken before going to bed.
• A suitable environment for sleep, keep your bedroom cool, quiet, and dark.
• Minimize using phones, tablets, or computers before going to bed because their light hampers your body from falling asleep.
• Staying active during the day will also help you fall asleep faster, but avoid intense exercise before bedtime.

Steps to Follow to Minimize the Habit of Poor Sleep Hygiene

1. Consistent Sleep Schedule

Establishing an early bedtime and early rise time has a positive effect on the body clock, meaning that the body can tell when it is time to sleep. Commit to your routine as much as possible, including weekends. However, you need to start gradually changing these timings.

2. Avoid Using Mobile Phones, TV, and Laptop Before Sleeping

Screen light emits a specific wavelength of blue light that interferes with the manufacture of melatonin, which is needed for sleep. Reducing the time spent on screens at least half an hour before bedtime helps your body wind down for the night. If devices are the problem, they can be replaced by more relaxing activities, such as reading.

3. Regular Exercise

Exercise is also known to lower anxiety levels and hence improve relaxation improving sleep. However, do not exercise for several hours before retiring to bed simply because it may have an invigorating effect. Moderate exercise should be done in the early part of the day to improve sleep.

4. Limit Caffeine Intake

Caffeine has a stimulant effect, which takes hours to metabolize, and this will lead to difficulty in making you fall asleep. If you take caffeine later in the day, you may have problems going into deep sleep or even waking up during the night. It is advisable to avoid caffeine after the early morning or early afternoon.

5. Avoid Noise and Over Crowdedness

Noise or crowding can also interfere with your sleep because you wake up frequently. Try to get a good night’s sleep, reduce noise and make your environment quiet. If it is necessary, use earplugs or a white noise machine. Make your room well-aerated, well-lit, free from any noise, and have ample space for you to rest. It will be easier for you to sleep deeper and soundly at night when you choose a quiet environment.

Maintain Good Sleep Hygiene by Applying Easy Practices

Here are some of the good sleep hygiene tips and habits that you can follow to build a healthy lifestyle. These include:

• Sleep and rise simultaneously each day, including during the weekend.
• Use activities such as reading or meditation to help your body know it is time for rest.
• Do not use phones, tablets, or computers at least an hour before going to bed to minimize blue light effects.
• Avoid taking caffeine in the afternoon, and also avoid taking large meals before going to bed.
• Exercise is a natural way to help oneself fall asleep faster and also have a sound sleep.
• If you must nap, do it for only half an hour to 45 minutes and before 3 p.m.
• Morning sunlight exposure is beneficial in maintaining your sleep-wake cycle.

Poor Sleep Hygiene to Avoid

• Work out near bedtime. Workouts energize your body, and that is not helpful when getting ready to sleep.
• Consuming foods or beverages before going to bed. Hunger is an insatiable force that will ensure you don’t sleep at night.
• Consuming excessive levels of caffeine, especially during the late afternoon or later.
• Caffeine is a stimulant that affects the systems of your body for some time after it is consumed.
• You create an adverse sleeping environment by making your bedroom too warm or cold, loud, etc., which doesn’t make it conducive to good, restorative sleep.
• Some people use their phones for the last time before going to bed, but this action keeps them awake and disrupts their relaxation.

Closing Remarks

People with mental illness are strongly advised to practice proper sleep hygiene. First, they should choose regular sleep-wake hours, including weekends, though weekends are considered useless. Then, they should create a calming pre-sleep routine: turn off the lights, do not use any gadgets, and try some light exercises or relaxation.

Likewise, getting up and moving during the day helps improve your sleep, but avoid intense exercises before going to bed. If you have anxious thoughts that can’t let you sleep, try writing in a journal before going to bed.

As you recall, healthy sleep is not a luxury but rather a necessity for maintaining emotional stability, mental performance, and health. For more information about the better habits necessary for mental health, visit us at MAVA Behavioral Health.

FAQ’s

What are the four pillars of sleep hygiene?

The four pillars of sleep hygiene are:

1. Timing
2. Environment
3. Behavior
4. Lifestyle

What is hygiene, and what is an example?

Sanitation is the state or measures taken to preserve health and prevent disease through cleanliness. For example, people take a bath or wash their hands with soap and water before eating or after visiting the toilet to reduce germs.

What are the best practices for sleep hygiene?

Go to bed at the same time each night and wake up at the same time each morning followed by a no-screen time policy before going to bed and a cool and dark room, no caffeine, or heavy dinner before sleeping.

What are 5 things you can do to maintain healthy sleep habits?

Here are 5 key practices to maintain healthy sleep habits:

1. Stick to a consistent sleep schedule
2. Create a tech-free wind-down routine
3. Design an optimal sleep environment
4. Watch your daytime habits
5. Practice mindful eating