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Sleep Hygiene


Here are some tips for how you can improve your sleep hygiene:
  1. Don’t go to bed unless you are sleepy.
    If you are not sleepy at bedtime, then do something else. Find something relaxing, but not stimulating, to do.
  2. If you are not asleep after 20 minutes, then get out of the bed.
    Find something else to do that will make you feel relaxed. If you can, do this in another room. Your bedroom should be where you go to sleep. Once you feel sleepy again, go back to bed.
  3. Begin rituals that help you relax each night before bed.
    This can include such things as a warm bath, light snack or a few minutes of reading.
  4. Try to maintain a regular schedule. Get up at the same time every morning.
    Do this even on weekends and holidays if possible.
  5. Get a full night’s sleep on a regular basis.
    Get enough sleep so that you feel well-rested nearly every day.
  6. Avoid taking naps.
    If you must take a nap, try to keep it short (less than one hour). Never take a nap after 3 p.m.
  7. Keep a regular schedule.
    Regular times for meals, medications, chores, and other activities help keep the inner body clock running smoothly.
  8. Don’t read, write, eat, watch TV, talk on the phone, or play cards in bed. It is best to take work materials, computers and televisions out of the sleeping environment. Use your bed only for sleep and sex to strengthen the association between your bed and sleep.
  9. Do not have any caffeine after lunch. Caffeine is a stimulant, which means it can produce an alerting effect. Caffeine products, such as coffee, tea, colas and chocolate, remain in the body on average from 3 to 5 hours, but they can affect some people up to 12 hours later.
  10. Do not have a beer, a glass of wine, or any other alcohol within six hours of your bedtime. Alcohol may make you feel sleepy initially but will wear off and interfere with your sleep later in the night. Although many people think of alcohol as a sedative, it actually disrupts sleep, causing nighttime awakenings.
  11. Do not have a cigarette or any other source of nicotine before bedtime. Smokers may take longer to fall asleep and wake may up more often during the night.
  12. Do not go to bed hungry, but don’t eat a big meal near bedtime either. Eating or drinking too much may make you less comfortable when settling down for bed. It is best to avoid a heavy meal too close to bedtime.
  13. Avoid any tough exercise within six hours of your bedtime.
    You should exercise on a regular basis, but do it earlier in the day. (Talk to your doctor before you begin an exercise program.) Regular exercise can help relieve daily tension and stress – but be aware that exercise too close to bedtime may lead to trouble falling asleep. In general, exercising regularly makes it easier to fall asleep and contributes to sounder sleep. However, exercising sporadically or right before going to bed may make falling asleep more difficult. This occurs because our body temperature rises during exercise, and may take as much as 6 hours to drop. A cooler body temperature is associated with sleep onset.
  14. Avoid sleeping pills, or use them cautiously.
    Most doctors do not prescribe sleeping pills for periods of more than three weeks. Do not drink alcohol while taking sleeping pills.
  15. Try to get rid of or deal with things that make you worry.
    If you are unable to do this, then find a time during the day to get all of your worries out of your system. Your bed is a place to rest, not a place to worry.
  16. Make your bedroom quiet, dark, and a little bit cool.
    Minimize the amount of noise and light that enters your bedroom. Do not sleep with a television or radio on. Consider using blackout curtains, eye shades, ear plugs, "white noise," humidifiers, fans and other devices.

Sleep Tips

We all have too much to do, so take time out and recharge yourself by getting a good night's sleep. The quality and quantity of your sleep can make all the difference in how productive you'll be the next day. Here are ten tips from the National Sleep Foundation to help you get the sleep you need and deserve.
1. Maintain a Regular Schedule.
A regular waking time in the morning strengthens the sleep/wake cycle and can make falling asleep easier at night. That is also why it is important to keep a regular bedtime and wake-time, even on the weekends when there is the temptation to sleep-in.
2. Establish a regular, relaxing bedtime routine such as soaking in a hot bath or hot tub and then reading a book or listening to soothing music.
A relaxing, routine activity right before bedtime conducted away from bright lights helps separate your sleep time from activities that can cause excitement, stress or anxiety which can make it more difficult to fall asleep, get sound and deep sleep or remain asleep.
3. Use your bedroom only for sleep and sex.
It is best to take work materials, computers and televisions out of the sleeping environment. Use your bed only for sleep and sex to strengthen the association between your bed and sleep.
4. Create a sleep-inviting environment that is dark, quiet, comfortable and cool.
Design your bedroom to establish the conditions you need for sleep – cool, quiet, dark, comfortable and free of interruptions. Check your room for noise or other distractions, including a bed partner's sleep disruptions such as snoring, light, and a dry or hot environment. Consider using blackout curtains, eye shades, ear plugs, "white noise," humidifiers, fans and other devices.
5. Sleep on a comfortable, supportive mattress and pillows.
Make sure your mattress is comfortable and supportive. The one you have been using for years may have exceeded its life expectancy – about 9 or 10 years for most good quality mattresses. Have comfortable pillows and make the room attractive and inviting for sleep but also free of allergens that might affect you and objects that might cause you to slip or fall if you have to get up during the night.
6. Finish eating at least 2-3 hours before your regular bedtime.
Eating or drinking too much may make you less comfortable when settling down for bed. It is best to avoid a heavy meal too close to bedtime. Also, spicy foods may cause heartburn, which leads to difficulty falling asleep and discomfort during the night.
7. Exercise regularly.
Regular exercise can help relieve daily tension and stress – but be aware that exercise too close to bedtime may lead to trouble falling asleep. In general, exercising regularly makes it easier to fall asleep and contributes to sounder sleep. However, exercising sporadically or right before going to bed may make falling asleep more difficult. This occurs because our body temperature rises during exercise, and may take as much as 6 hours to drop. A cooler body temperature is associated with sleep onset.
8. Avoid Caffeine close to bedtime.
Caffeine is a stimulant, which means it can produce an alerting effect. Caffeine products, such as coffee, tea, colas and chocolate, remain in the body on average from 3 to 5 hours, but they can affect some people up to 12 hours later.
9. Don't smoke.
Smokers may take longer to fall asleep and wake may up more often during the night.
10. Reduce alcohol intake.
Although many people think of alcohol as a sedative, it actually disrupts sleep, causing nighttime awakenings. Consuming alcohol may lead to a night of less restful sleep.

 

Links

Sleepiness Scale This is the standard series of questions that are widely used to see how your sleep affects your daily life. You will rate how likely you are to fall asleep in certain situations.
Sleep Education Sleep Apnea takes your breath away…CPAP gives it back. CPAP Central by Sleep Education is resource to help make CPAP therapy for sleep apnea a positive experience for you.
American Sleep Apnea Association The ASAA is a non-profit organization dedicated to reducing injury, disability, and death from sleep apnea and to enhancing the well-being of those affected by this common disorder.
A.P.N.E.A. Net The Apnea Patient's News, Education & Awareness Network
American Academy of Sleep Medicine The AASM's mission is to assure quality care for patients with sleep disorders, promote the advancement of sleep research and provide public and professional education.
Center of Narcolepsy Under the direction of Drs. Emmanuel Mignot and Seiji Nishino, the Stanford Center for Narcolepsy today treats several hundred patients with the disorder each year, many of whom participate in various research protocols. Other research protocols are conducted in animal models of narcolepsy.
National Sleep Foundation The National Sleep Foundation is dedicated to improving public health and safety by achieving understanding of sleep and sleep disorders, and by supporting sleep-related education, research, and advocacy.
Restless Leg Syndrome Foundation The RLS Foundation's goal is to provide clear and unbiased information to help you find the answers you need about your RLS-diagnosis, treatment, and support from others with the condition.
The Sleep Site Bringing the mysteries of the night to the light of day.
Shut Eye This site features information and tools that can help you.
Talk About Sleep This site is for patients to research advances in sleep as well as blog with other patients.
Texas Health Resources
ResMed

 

Videos

Sleep Apnea Diagnosis and Treatment - Margaret E. Mike, MD (Sleep Specialist)
Dr. Margaret E. Mike specializes in the full spectrum of sleep disorders including narcolepsy, obstructive sleep apnea, schedule distrubances, parasomnias, insomnia, and restless legs syndrome and periodic limb movements in sleep. She works as a consultant to provide comprehensive interpretations of a patient's sleep studies and develop a treatment plan for her patients. View this video to learn more information about obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), how it is diagnosed and treatments options.
Explaining Sleep Studies and the Consequences of OSA - Scott Conard, MD
(Family Practice, Certified in Behavioral Sleep Medicine)
The Clinical Video Library was designed to provide physicians with important educational information. What are the signs a patient may have sleep apnea? What are the indications for odering this particular study? In this video, Dr. Scott Conard provides the common indications for sleep apnea along with a detailed explanation for ordering these tests.
Introduction to OSA - Aliya Ferouz-Colborn, MD (Otolaryngology and Sleep Medicine)
Learn what to expect from CPAP and how to make sure you gain the maximum benefits from treatment, for better sleep and better health. View this video to learn more about OSA - the Journey to more comfort and better sleep.