Sleep hygiene is all of the recommended behaviors and environmental factors that affect your sleep in order to improve your sleep quality. After evaluating your sleep disorder, your doctor will give you information about some behavioral recommendations and precautions. If you still have sleep problems after 4-6 weeks despite these precautions and behavioral changes, it would be beneficial to consult your doctor or a sleep center.
What is sleep hygiene and how is it achieved?
Sleep hygiene is all of the recommended behaviors and environmental factors that affect your sleep in order to improve your sleep quality. After evaluating your sleep disorder, your doctor will give you information about some behavioral recommendations and precautions. If you still have sleep problems after 4-6 weeks despite these precautions and behavioral changes, it would be beneficial to consult your doctor or a sleep center.
You can evaluate the following suggestions to ensure good sleep hygiene:
- You should avoid overeating or starvation in the hours close to sleep. In both cases, your metabolism speeds up.
- Reduce fluid intake close to bedtime. This can cause you to wake up frequently in your sleep due to urination.
- Caffeine-containing beverages, smoking and alcohol use negatively affect your sleep. Do not consume excessive coffee at least 4 to 6 hours before bedtime.
- Do not smoke tobacco or alcohol. Avoid energy drinks and sodas.
- Before going to sleep, you should avoid situations that can stress you out. Excessive mental and physical activities can cause you to wake up.
- Make plans for your work or what to do the next day earlier and in a different room from your bedroom.
- Before going to sleep, try to solve all your problems by writing down.
- Do sports activities regularly. Do these sports activities usually in the morning or at noon. Complete these activities at least 6 hours before going to sleep. Exercise for at least 30 minutes 3 times a week.
- Avoid daytime naps if you have trouble falling asleep at night. If you need to sleep during the day, go to sleep before 15.00 and do not sleep for more than 20 minutes.
- If you are over 65, sleep for no more than 30 minutes during the day, but do not continue this sleep for more than 30 minutes.
- Be sure to stay away from naps and “beautifying” sleep in the evening.
- Use your bedroom only for sleeping. Your bedroom should be dark or dimly lit and a quiet environment. Bright or white lights can disturb your sleep.
- The bedroom should be ventilated and clean. Fresh air brings sleep. Your bedroom should not be too dry, too humid or dusty.
- Your bedroom should not be too hot or cold. The temperature of your bedroom should be between 22-24 degrees. A hot room above 24 degrees causes restlessness, while cold makes it difficult to fall asleep, causing frequent awakenings and disturbing dreams.
- Stay away from medications that may interfere with your sleep or may disrupt your sleep patterns.
- Establish a relaxation period at least 1 hour before sleep each day. For this, you can do relaxation exercises or take a warm shower.
- It may be effective to read a book or listen to classical music in a different room before going to sleep to make it easier for you to fall asleep.
- Stick to your sleeping hours as much as possible. Make sure to go to bed and wake up at the same times, even on weekends and holidays.
- Try to sleep only when sleep comes. If you can’t sleep, get out of bed and don’t go back to bed until you’re sleepy.
- The bed, pillow and quilt you will sleep on should be comfortable and hygienic. They should not be too hard or too soft, not too thick or thin. Your mattress should be flexible and orthopedic, not deformed.