Exhausted? Our Tips to Improve Sleep Hygiene and Snooze Soundly

One of the best ways for both men and women to maintain their overall health and well-being is by prioritizing consistent, good quality sleep – which means at least 7 or more hours each night for most adults. Improving sleep hygiene through the habits and practices we’ll explore in this article will help you sleep more soundly and enjoy the plentiful benefits a good night’s rest has to offer. 

We’ll cover what sleep hygiene is, share a few healthy sleeping habits to incorporate into your nightly routine, address harmful sleeping habits to avoid, and lastly, consider how sleep impacts your overall health.

At Cary Medical Group, we understand that wellness means more than a yearly checkup – our goal is to help you enhance and maintain your quality of life all year round and at each stage of your adult life. We invite you to contact us to learn more about how we’ve been providing the finest personalized healthcare available for more than 50 years.

What is Sleep Hygiene?

Sleep hygiene refers to the beneficial habits and practices that help you get consistent, high-quality sleep each night, which allows your body to repair tissues, strengthen the immune system, and otherwise provide maintenance, repair and renewal to support your overall health.  

We’ll discuss these healthy sleeping habits in the next section, but briefly, they include things like consistent sleep and wake times, adjusting your sleep environment and other related factors. 

What Are Some Healthy Sleeping Habits?

We’ve probably all heard someone say, “I only need 5-6 hours of sleep a night.” And while the amount of sleep each person needs varies by age and individual health factors, most adults need 7 to 9 hours per night for optimum health. 

The person who claims to need only 5-6 hours? It’s likely they’re sleep deprived, and they’ve simply become used to feeling tired and underslept. 

So, how can you avoid that fate and get a healthy amount of ZZZs each night? Here are some healthy habits to help you get consistent, high-quality sleep:

• Create a comfortable sleep environment. Keeping your bedroom cool, dark and quiet can help reduce disruptions that interrupt sleep.
• Keep a consistent sleep schedule. Going to bed and waking up at the same time each day, including weekends, helps promote healthy sleep. 
• Practice a wind-down bedtime routine. Relaxing activities before bed, such as reading or taking a warm bath, can help your mind and body feel calm and ready for sleep. 
• Limit the use of electronics close to bedtime. Avoid using smartphones, computers and other electronic devices for at least 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime. Blue light from devices suppresses the sleep hormone melatonin.
• Avoid large, heavy meals close to bedtime. Try to eat your last meal two to three hours before you plan to sleep to give your body time to digest. A full stomach can cause indigestion and disrupt your sleep. 
• Exercise regularly. Daily exercise can help the body fall asleep faster and improve overall sleep quality.
• Manage stress. Practice healthy ways to keep your stress in check, such as meditation and yoga, to improve your sleep. 

What Are Some Harmful Sleeping Habits?

Harmful sleeping habits include doing the opposite of the healthy behaviors above, such as keeping an inconsistent sleep schedule, not getting enough exercise, eating your last meal too close to bedtime and using electronic devices within 30 – 60 minutes of bedtime.

Other habits that interfere with quality sleep include:

• Long or late afternoon naps
• Consuming caffeine or alcohol close to bedtime
• Stimulating activities like work projects, reading the news, checking email or scrolling through social media right before bed
• Staying in bed while awake can train your brain to associate being in bed with not sleeping
• Strenuous workouts later in the evening, which can stimulate the body and make it harder to fall asleep

How Does Sleep Impact Your Overall Health?

The right amount of quality sleep each night has a significant impact on your overall health. Sufficient sleep is essential to your physical and mental well-being and for ensuring that all your bodily functions operate well.

Adequate sleep:

• Supports your brain health by consolidating memories, providing cognitive renewal, and performing other critical brain functions 
• Reduces the risk of chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and obesity
• Supports immune function, including recovery from illness or injury 
• Improves your mood and energy 
• Increases your ability to build muscle

Not getting enough sleep on a consistent basis may put you at higher risk for:

• Reduced immunity, which can lead to frequent infections and other health issues
• Cognitive decline and dementia
• Heart attack and stroke 
• Type 2 diabetes
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Depression and anxiety
• Injury from accidents
• Weight gain and obesity 
• Hormonal imbalances

Having Trouble Getting Your ZZZs? Let Cary Medical Group Serve as Your Starting Point for Sleep Issues

Consistent, quality sleep is essential for optimal health and well-being. If you’re having sleep issues, you know how it can negatively impact your life. 

While improving your sleep hygiene using the tips in this article may help you alleviate occasional sleeplessness, chronic sleep issues may be a sign of an underlying health condition. One of our expert primary care providers at Cary Medical Group can evaluate your condition and refer you to a sleep specialist for diagnosis and treatment if needed. 

We invite you to contact us to schedule an appointment and see why we’ve been the trusted internal medicine providers of choice in Cary for more than 20 years.