8 healthy sleep habits

Below is an article about ‘sleep hygiene’ - some basic habits to encourage good sleep patterns that serve you well, especially at this time of year.

I include in this month’s resources on rest - not because you will necessarily learn anything spectacularly new about how to encourage better sleep - but because these really are simple tactics and easily achieved. I include it because it is a simple reminder of what we need, and that it is within our power to achieve it.

At the end you’ll find a couple of coaching questions to get you thinking about which habit to develop next.

BY BRITTANY CORDEIRO

https://www.mdanderson.org/publications/focused-on-health/healthy-sleep-habits.h13-1589046.html

Plagued by restless nights? You’re not alone. Nearly 62% of American adults experience a sleep problem a few nights each week, says the National Sleep Foundation.

“Sleep deprivation negatively affects your health and quality of life,” says Diwakar Balachandran, M.D., medical director in the MD Anderson Sleep Center. It can cause moodiness, memory troubles, and problems thinking and focusing.  Chronic sleep loss may lead to weight gain, high blood pressure and a weakened immune system.

To find out if you’re getting adequate sleep, gauge how you feel during the day. “You should feel rested, prepared for the day and able to function well – not sleepy or groggy,” Balachandran says. Most adults should aim for seven to eight hours of sleep each night.

If you have trouble sleeping, check your sleep hygiene.  A healthy lifestyle and simple behavior changes can help you get a good night’s rest.

Balachandran suggests ways to get better sleep.

1.    Set a consistent sleep schedule. Go to bed at the same time and wake up at the same time.  

2.    Create regular bedtime rituals. Do the same thing every night before bedtime, like take a warm bath, read or listen to music. Your pre-sleep activity should be relaxing so your body knows when it’s time to go to sleep.

3.    Get regular exercise. Make sure you exercise at least two hours before bedtime though, or it may be difficult to fall asleep.

4.    Keep a healthy diet. Meals just before bedtime may make it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep. But, a small snack just before bedtime tends to promote sleep.

5.    Limit caffeine and avoid nicotine. Caffeine and nicotine are stimulants that interfere with sleep. Regular users also may experience withdrawal symptoms at night, leading to restless sleep. Limit caffeine intake to less than two servings per day, and don’t drink after noon. Tobacco users who break the habit usually are able to fall asleep faster and sleep better once withdrawal symptoms subside.

6.    Avoid alcohol. Alcohol is a sedative that slows brain activity. While it may induce sleep, it interferes with sleep during the night, causing you to wake up frequently and have nightmares. It’s best to not drink alcohol four to six hours before bedtime.

7.    Keep naps short. During the day, you build up a “sleep debt” that helps you fall asleep at night. Naps during the day pay off that debt, interfering with your night sleep. If you need to nap, limit it to less than 30 minutes. 

8.    Use your bedroom for sleep only. Don’t eat or watch TV in bed. Don’t use electronics – laptops, cellphones or tablets – in bed. Make sure your bedroom is dark, quiet and cool. If you use it only for sleep, you’ll associate your bedroom with sleeping rather than activity or stress.

“We can’t live or function without sleep – it enables us to accomplish the things we want to in life,” Balachandran says. 

Some coaching prompts:

How would you describe your own ‘sleep hygiene’?

Which habits above are you maintaining well?

Of those 8 habits - which one is in most need of your attention?

What will you do to ensure you begin to develop this habit?

What will stand in your way?

What do you need to be successful?

Good luck - and sleep well zzzzzzzzzzzz