Snooze Series Part 2: Treat Yourself to Better Rest with These 8 Sleep Hygiene Tips

Wellnicity Team - Oct 23, 2018

First things first. You might be wondering, "what the heck even is sleep hygiene?". Despite its name, sleep hygiene doesn't have anything to do with cleanliness. Sorry clean freaks! It refers to a variety of different habits that help you wind down before bed, prepare your body for quality sleep and help ensure you wake up feeling rested and ready to conquer your busy day.

If you don't currently have sleep hygiene habits or are looking for more ways to make your nighttime routine more relaxing and restful, we've compiled a list of our favorite tips and habits that you can start practicing.

1. Create a sleep schedule. Waking up and going to bed around the same time every day, even on the weekends (we know, it's hard!) helps set your internal body clock into a steady rhythm. Following a consistent schedule can help prepare your body to start settling down before bed time, ensuring quality rest.

2. Turn off electronics. If you can, try to turn off your phone and television a couple hours before you're planning on heading to bed to avoid the distraction and bright lights that strain your eyes.

3. Supplements. Avoid going straight for a bottle of melatonin when sleep issues arise. If you are not melatonin deficient, taking melatonin may end up making you feel more sleep deprived. Some key nutrients important to sleep include vitamin D, magnesium, calcium and B vitamins. If you are not sure what supplements are the best to improve your sleep, try a Wellnicity Sleep & Mood at-home test kit. You can also speak to a Wellnicity clinician to help determine a customized supplement regimen best suited for your needs.

4. Exercise regularly. Getting in a 30-minute workout 4-5 days a week is recommended. Just imagine how good it will feel for your head to hit the pillow after completing a challenging workout.

5. Reduce stress. Yoga and meditation are both great ways to feel grounded and allow your mind and body to wind down at the end of the day. You can combine these practices with relaxing or soothing music to cue your body that it is time to relax.

6. Invest in your sleep environment. Investing in black out curtains can help keep your bedroom as dark as possible throughout the night. They also help block out early morning sunlight, as well as bright lights from street lamps and passing cars that may disrupt your sleep cycle. Additionally, using calming colors for your bedroom décor can help create an environment ideal for sleep.

7. Maintain a healthy diet. Eating whole foods and limiting your intake of processed products and added sugar are great ways to maintain a balanced diet. Cutting back on caffeine intake can also help you get to sleep at night. If you can't quite get into the swing of things without a cup of coffee in the morning, try to limit your caffeine consumption to before noon to limit its effects on your nightly routine.

8. Herbal tea. Find a tea you like that does not contain caffeine, such as passionflower, lemon ginger or chamomile. Drinking a warm cup of tea can help you relax before heading to bed.

Implementing even a few of these tips in your nightly routine can make a positive impact in the quality of your sleep, and help you get in a better place for a full eight hours of shut-eye. Plus, when your friends notice what a good mood you've been in from all those quality ZZZs, you can share your tips with them!