How to practice good sleep hygiene

We all love a good lie-in when we can get one, but if you find yourself needing them more often than not, you may want to have a look at some of the tips below for good sleep hygiene – to stay well rested all year round.

What do we mean by sleep hygiene?

‘Sleep hygiene’ is a broad term to refer to good habits and environmental changes to ensure a good nights sleep. It includes all the day-to-day things that you do to help you sleep at night.

What makes good sleep hygiene?

Good sleep hygiene is built on the basis of a solid bedtime routine, and making your sleeping environment as comfortable as possible. Some examples of good sleep hygiene include:

1. Stick to a consistent sleep schedule. Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day will help your body clock prepare you for a good nights sleep even without you thinking about it.
2. Have a set ritual of things you do before bed. This might be a simple routine of washing your face, brushing your teeth, and meditating for 10 minutes. Once you get used to this routine, you will start to feel yourself unwind whenever you begin.
3. Physical activity, but not too late! Including some physical activity in your day helps promote better sleep, but make sure you don’t do it too close to bedtime or this will actually keep you awake. Make sure you leave a few hours before finishing your workout and going to bed.
4. Screens off! Looking at digital screens can cause both eye strain and keep your brain overthinking, so put your phone down around an hour before bed and don’t pick it up again until the morning.
5. Create a restful environment. You want your room to be dark, quiet, and generally cool. It’s easy to overheat in the night, so by keeping the room temperature lower, then you are less likely to wake up in a sweat. Of course, keeping it dark and quiet means that there are minimal outside distractions to wake you up.

Hopefully you can try out some of these tips, and get a better nights sleep to help you reach your maximum potential at university! 

* Every year on the last Sunday in October, it's National Sleep in Day. There are some great initiatives and tips around this time online and via social media: Awareness Events - The Sleep Charity

Fall asleep faster and sleep better - Every Mind Matters - NHS (www.nhs.uk)