14th Jan: Here’s Why Good Sleep Hygiene is important

Do you also feel that your sleep hygiene has completely taken a toll in your life due to the lockdown? If yes, then you are not alone. People are still working from there home which directly has affected their physical and mental health and also has mismanaged their schedules. Now this may result in either under-sleeping or oversleeping, or sleepless nights. Talking about the importance of having good and healthy sleep hygiene, here is what exactly sleep hygiene means!

What is sleep hygiene?
You will be surprised to know how often people ask about what good sleep hygiene means! Does it mean cleaning yourself before bed? Well, It’s understandable when you think of the standard definition of the term ‘hygiene’.

Despite the fact that taking a hot bath or shower before bed can help you in relaxing your body for a better night’s sleep, sleep hygiene doesn’t really refer to cleanliness.

Instead, it’s a term that refers to the behaviour, rituals, habits, and norms you do to help you get better sleep. Making improvements in sleep habits and sleep hygiene are usually the first step recommended when you are having trouble while sleeping.

Why is Sleep Hygiene Important?
While you’re asleep, the body and mind are busy replenishing your cells, rebuilding tissues and restoring energy. Without sleep, you will not have the required energy to accomplish basic bodily functions. So try getting enough sleep to provide benefit to your physical and mental health as well. An adequate amount of sleep has been known to lower the risk of
Stroke, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and obesity. It also helps in leveling up your energy, improving your mood swings and also fighting against depression and anxiety.

Did you know? Inside you, a biological clock is fitted that helps in regulating all the processes in your body that happen within a 24-hour period. The process is known as the circadian rhythm which indicates your body at what time you have to go to sleep and wake up each day. When your rhythm is out of sync, you may have trouble sleeping or staying asleep which can lead to some sleep issues like insomnia and so forth. The perfect way to control your circadian rhythms is by practicing your good sleep hygiene.

Some habits that can improve your sleep hygiene:

• Try to be consistent. Make a fixed time to go to bed each night and get up at the same time each morning, even on the weekends.
• Ensure that your bedroom is quiet, relaxing, dark, and at a comfortable temperature
• Remove all the electronic devices, such as computer, TV, and smartphone, from your bedroom.
• Prevent caffeine, large meals, and alcohol before you hop on to your bed.
• Do some relaxing exercises during night time. You can also do some physical activities during the day that way it can help you fall asleep more easily at night.

Over To You:
Sleep hygiene, like most things in life, requires daily care and maintenance. Ensure to create a schedule and stick with it every day. Managing your sleep is the most vital thing you can do to promote good sleep hygiene. Follow these simple sleep hygiene tips, and before long you will start feeling the benefits of great rest on a regular basis.