We all know what the word hygiene means, but what about sleep hygiene? Sleep hygiene is absolutely essential to our sleep health and our overall health. Contrary to what you may believe, the better our sleep hygiene, the better our mental performance, as the two are tied together quite closely. In this article, we’ll explore this connection and why good sleep hygiene is critical for your mental health and performance.
We’ll explore what defines good sleep hygiene, just how it impacts your mental performance, how you can improve your sleep hygiene, and more. By the end, you’ll have all the knowledge you need to work on improving your sleep hygiene – one night at a time! First, let’s define sleep hygiene and get clear on what this term really means.
What is Good Sleep Hygiene?
Before we discuss what qualifies as good sleep hygiene, it is important to understand what sleep hygiene refers to. According to an article from Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment, sleep hygiene is defined by one’s sleep quality, quantity, timing of such, and the environment that they slept in. Not everyone knows their sleep hygiene, but Pillow can help you gain insight into this with data about your quality and length of sleep.
To have good sleep hygiene, you must sleep for long enough, sleep deep enough, and preferably all at once rather than over multiple sessions. The reason for this is that your deep sleep usually only occurs in a few-hour cycles. If you only get one to two hours of sleep at a time, you’re not getting nearly enough deep sleep, which helps your overall health.
Additionally, you need to sleep in the right environment. Not many people enjoy sleeping in a hot, humid environment. The National Sleep Foundation recommends people sleep at about 65 degrees Fahrenheit, but this may not be the same for everyone. As long as your room is comfortable and cooler, you can encourage good sleep hygiene.
How Does Sleep Hygiene Impact Mental Performance
Your sleep hygiene doesn’t just affect your energy levels, but it can also impact how you perform mentally. In fact, it can impact your mental performance and health much more than you think. One study on PubMed demonstrated that people with insomnia or poor sleep hygiene actually experienced more stress and anxiety. That means that your sleep hygiene can actually lead to some mental health challenges.
Not only that, but sleep hygiene can also lead to excessive sleepiness and poor academic performance for students. Another study illustrated that daytime sleepiness was higher in people who struggled with poor sleep hygiene, leading to them not being able to perform well mentally. A similar study also showed that poor sleep hygiene was associated with lower academic performance and even student learning abilities, showing that people who did not sleep well did not perform like their peers who had better sleep (Source: PubMed).
Many of these studies have focused on students, specifically medical and pharmacy students, but the point is true for everyone: if you struggle with sleep hygiene, you may be causing challenges to your ability to perform and your mental health, too. So, what can we do to improve this?
How Do I Improve My Sleep Hygiene?
Fortunately, there are so many ways to improve your sleep hygiene. The criteria for sleep hygiene make it even easier to make changes and to help yourself feel your absolute best. However, for many people, improving their sleep hygiene is as easy as learning about it, but some may also need to seek cognitive behavioral treatment, especially if there are larger concerns related to stressful events like the pandemic or even other sleep disorders.
For others, it is a matter of recognizing what their current habits are like now. How long do you sleep? Do you sleep well? Do you wake up frequently? What is your environment like in your bedroom? By recognizing and self-assessing your own sleep habits, you can foster better ones that support your overall health and sleep hygiene.
If you struggle with sleep hygiene, try some of these tips in the future:
Monitor Your Sleep
Sticking to a sleep schedule is great, but you also want to monitor your sleep to ensure that you are getting enough, especially enough deep sleep! Pillow is perfect for this, allowing you to monitor your schedule, your amount of deep sleep, and the quality of such.
Make Your Bedroom Cozy
Even if you can’t get your bedroom down to 65 degrees Fahrenheit, make it cozy and cool. Ensure that you have a safe, comfortable space to wind down at night. Whether it’s changing your covers or simply turning down the dial a few degrees, make some changes for your health.
Ditch the Technology
Staying up late watching videos can be fun, but it can also lead to poor sleep. Limiting your electronic devices from the bedroom – including TVs and phones – can be a huge benefit to restful sleep that is uninterrupted and deep for maximum rest.
With these tips, you can improve your sleep hygiene even more. Even if it takes you some time to find the ideal setting for your sleep, it is important that you do so. Not just for your mental health but also so that you always wake up feeling your absolute best, ready to tackle the day’s agenda.
What Steps Will You Take to Improve Your Sleep Hygiene?
It’s not too hard to get yourself back on track, especially once you understand what your sleep hygiene is and how it is measured. With a few adjustments to protect your health and set the right mood before bed, you can go to sleep knowing you’ll feel rested in the morning. And remember: your sleep hygiene is up to you. Find what works for you, and you’ll be well on your way to happier, healthier, and more energized days ahead.
