Spring Forward… into Better Sleep Hygiene!
If you saw that title and thought something along the lines of, “Oh great, someone else to tell me to leave my phone in the kitchen at night” I have good news! I’m not here to suggest you do (only) that.
What I DO want to do is help you make choices you’re ready for that maybe, just maybe, could improve your quality of sleep and how you feel the rest of the day.
If you find yourself desperately craving more rest, one of the best things to check out first is your sleep hygiene. “Sleep hygiene” is the fancy term for “good sleep habits” (or lack thereof). When we neglect our sleep hygiene, many aspects of our lives can be affected including our memory, brain functioning, likelihood of accidents/making mistakes, stress levels, and even metabolism. Many people think sacrificing significant sleep gives them time to study or work more, and while it might feel like that for a day or two it’s likely that in the long run, that’s actually counterproductive.
We also recognize that sometimes seasons of life really make it almost impossible to implement some of these. Maybe you work in a job or school setting right now where you’re at a computer all day until later in the evening right before bed. That would make it difficult to follow some of these! As you read through this list, please keep in mind that not all of these are intended to be implemented at the same time and there is lots of grace needed as you work to change habits. Do the best with what you can right now!
Like any hygiene routine, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach, but the 10-3-2-1-0 routine is a great place to start when your sleep hygiene needs some refining!
10- The number of hours to stop drinking caffeine before bed.
Note that we aren’t recommending cutting out caffeine completely! We aren’t monsters. We do know though that caffeine can stay in our systems for up to 10 hours. That’s a LONG time! If you feel the afternoon slump and make a cup of coffee or drink a soda every day to power through, it makes sense that you’d have trouble getting your brain to switch to rest mode at the end of the day. While it may take some time to cut out that mid-afternoon coffee run, there is a lot of evidence showing how making that change can improve your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep!
Tip: Find a friend who also struggles with this and work together to cut that habit! Having a friend working toward the same goal as you can help increase your motivation and ability to follow through on days when it’s the most difficult.
3- The number of hours before bed to limit food and alcohol.
“Is this lady serious? No snacks right before bed?” Well, I’m not one to use absolutes so I’m not going to say NEVER to have a little snack before bed, but if this is becoming common for you not only is it likely to disrupt your quality of sleep, but it also can cause you to be more hungry during the day. When we’re tired, this can lead to more cravings throughout the day (typically for foods that don’t fuel our bodies efficiently), as well as our ability to fall asleep quickly, often leading to a cycle of exhaustion and eating more foods that don’t fuel our body well. Try replacing that bedtime snack or glass of wine with some sparkling water (in a wine glass if you want to be extra fun!) or a cup of hot tea.
2- The number of hours before bed you should stop working.
By this point, you’ve probably realized this isn’t a satire post. I hope you also can tell though that I KNOW these are difficult to read about and fathom implementing when they’re such long-standing habits. Did you just feel a wave of shame come over your body? If so, please take a deep breath and remind yourself this doesn’t have to change overnight. But, that screen you’re reading this blog post on (unless you’re my grandmother who’s printed it out to read with her morning coffee) emits a light that makes your body think it’s time to wake up. Working (in general, not just on screens) before bed also often increases anxiety and overstimulates the brain, which doesn’t sound like a great idea right before trying to go to sleep.
1-The number of hours before bed to avoid screen time
Related to the point above, this is the same concept that receiving information through a device shortly before bed can increase anxiety and stimulate our brain. Consider taking the first step by putting your devices on silent mode an hour or so before bedtime. If you’re worried about missing important or emergency phone calls, check into the settings of your phone to see how to set up a list of approved people who can “breakthrough” the do not disturb setting.
Some people find it helpful to leave their phones/screens in a different room than where they’re sleeping. This can be especially difficult if you have a TV in your room! If that’s the way your room is set up and it’s either difficult for you to resist turning the TV on at bedtime or you don’t feel like taking the TV out of your room, consider winding down in a screen-free room of the house instead of in bed. Have a cup of tea at the kitchen table with a good book, sit on the porch and listen to calming music, or even take an extra long shower before bed to avoid those screens as your day is ending.
0- The number of times to hit the snooze button
Let’s be real. How many of us really feel THAT much better after sleeping for a little bit longer? More often than not, we feel even more rushed and frazzled going into the day than we would have if we had just gotten out of bed the first time. Hitting snooze brings us out of REM sleep and can activate the part of our nervous system that puts us in fight or flight mode.
Tip: If you find yourself unable to break this habit, try moving your phone across the room so you’re forced to get up.
Remember, these tips aren’t meant to be implemented all at once! You’re a human, not a robot. Choose one of these tips that you think would make a positive and significant change in your life and commit to working on it for the next week or two. Break the goal down into smaller pieces and set deadlines for each smaller piece, too. Give yourself grace! *We’ll keep saying it because we know many people struggle with that! Tell a friend, family member, or therapist you’re working on this and ask them to check in with you about how it’s going. Having support while changing habits is pretty foundational and impactful. Don’t let shame stop you from reaching out for support! Each of us deserves restful sleep even in seasons where that might be more difficult to obtain.
So, to recap:
Cut out caffeine 10 hours before bed.
Don’t eat anything or drink alcohol 3 hours before bed.
Stop working 2 hours before bed.
Get away from your screens 1 hour before bed.
Hit the snooze button 0 times.
Bonus point: give yourself some grace. This isn’t going to be an overnight switch!
Need a judgment-free space to talk about implementing some of these practices? Contact us today!
Author: Kristen Hearn, MA, Prelicensed Therapist