Sleep habits for the long run
If you are reading this you probably already know the standard recommendations on things that promote good sleep. Sometimes these are not enough, which is where an overnight sleep study can help pinpoint your sleep trouble. But, for good measure, we have listed the top ‘sleep hygiene’ recommendations here in case there are tips or routines you may not have tried yet. We want to help you cover all the bases so you can truly sleep well!
GOOD SLEEP
STARTS IN THE MORNING
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Try to wake up at the same time every day to maintain your inner clock or circadian rhythm. For shift workers, see tips at the shift work tab here.
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Try to get at least 20 minutes exposure to bright light in the morning, as soon after waking as possible. Natural light is best but if that is not possible, at least expose your face to super bright indoor light first thing in the morning.
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Get your caffeine hit early in the day and try to cut it off between 3 and 7 hours before bedtime, depending on how it affects you.
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Also get your most strenuous physical work and/or exercise routines done in the morning, afternoon, or early evening so that your body can wind down a few hours before bedtime. Your daily movement and exercise is an important part of sleeping well — you just don't want to go full tilt and then try to go straight to sleep!
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GOOD SLEEP ENVIRONMENT -
TIPS FOR SETTING UP YOUR BEDROOM
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Is your room cool, dark and quiet at night? Do what you can to help make it this way including light blocking curtains, a fan or air conditioner and noise blocking headphones or some white noise at night (see our sleep tips page for white noise apps) .
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Try to tidy up and de-clutter your bedroom a little (or a lot) in the morning or before bedtime. Even just hanging up some clothes or organizing some piles or clearing off your bedside table can make a real difference.
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Cover up room lights at night, especially the alarm clock face if it is lighted. Watching the clock when you cannot sleep will only fuel the fire! Also, cover those little blue or red lights on any electronics in the room with some black tape or by just putting a black sock over the lights at night.
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Find some scents you find relaxing and keep them by your bed in an essential oil or candle or diffuser. Scents that many people find relaxing include lavender, ylang ylang, chamomile, valerian and bergamot. Try to keep these especially for night time so your brain will begin associating the scents with sleep, creating an instant sleep-inducing effect each time you smell them. If you shower or take a bath just before bedtime, you can use the essential oil there.
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Make your bed as comfortable as possible. Experiment and find the ideal pillow. And although a new mattress may be out of the question, you may be able to add a foam topper or other cushioning to help you relax into sleep.
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GOOD BEDTIME ROUTINES -
MIX AND MATCH THESE IDEAS
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Try to wind down with a calming activity an hour or so before bedtime.
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In spite of what most of us think, watching a screen is not an ideal winding down activity. The blue light from these devices interferes with production of melatonin, which is the hormone that make us sleepy. Some people are more affected than others.
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The official recommendation is to avoid all screens two hours before bedtime. For many this will not be possible. If it is not possible, at least install a blue light filter on your screens. Look for 'night mode' on your device or search for an app that will adjust the settings for you. In addition, be aware of the content and choose work or programming that is least stressful or stimulating later in the evening.
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Ideally, instead of a screen activity, try reading, gentle stretching like yoga, calming activities like whittling or knitting, or another relaxing pastime in the late evening.
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Try a warm shower or bath before bedtime. Studies show a drop in core body temperature helps us fall asleep faster. It may seem odd that a warm bath can drop your body temperature for sleep, but it does this by causing the blood vessels on your skin surface to dilate so more heat escapes through their walls and you lose body heat faster. Therefore when you go to bed, you’re already in the process of cooling down Even just a warm foot soak before bed can have this same effect.
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Don’t go to bed full, hungry or thirsty. Most of us realize a heavy meal and the digestion process following it will keep us awake if we eat too close to bedtime. Likewise, feeling hungry can keep us awake. Try a light a snack that combines protein and carbohydrates like cereal and milk , or crackers with peanut butter as an ideal combination if you are hungry close to bedtime.
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Try a warm, milky drink or herbal tea to relax. Avoid too much alcohol because even though you may feel like it ‘knocks you out’, the effect is reversed during the night and your sleep cycles are disturbed - leading to that groggy feeling in the morning.
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Write a "to do" lists for the next day to help organize your thoughts and clear your mind of any distractions before bedtime.
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Try a book on tape or a relaxation CDs or app. These can help by using carefully narrated scripts, gentle hypnotic music and sound effects to relax you. We have a list of free ones here.
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Warm up your feet, either with a foot soak before bedtime or loose warm socks when you go to bed.
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Try sleeping with an eye mask and/or ear plugs to keep things dark and quiet for sleep.