Habitual Sleep Behaviors
In my previous article, I talked about how getting good sleep is important for muscle recovery, memory retention, prevention of chronic disease, mood control, and brain development. If you want to know more about the different stages of sleep and why they are important you could go back and read my “Why Sleep” article. In this article, I will be focusing on habitual behavior changes that can be made to improve the quality of your sleep. Whether you suffer from a sleeping disorder or you are looking to optimize the quality of your sleep, there are behaviors that you can change to significantly improve your sleep. Below I list my top 5 behaviors you could change today to improve your sleep.
#1 - Sleep Environment
Take a second and imagine your perfect sleeping environment. You might imagine a cool, dark room with a soft bed. Maybe there is a fan blowing on you while you are wrapped up in warm blankets. Whatever it is you are imagining as your perfect sleep environment, it is unique to you. Each person has different needs for their sleep environment. But, no matter what your needs are, there are a few common characteristics that should be considered to further optimize your sleep.
Temperature - The ideal temperature for sleep is slightly cooler than daytime temperatures. Naturally, temperatures cool off at night. Humans associate dropping temperatures with sleep. An ideal bedroom temperature should be between 60-65 degrees Fahrenheit.
Comfortable - This one might be a little obvious, but it must be mentioned. Your bed, blankets, and pillows need to be comfortable for you. If you are having trouble sleeping, getting a better bed or pillows could improve your sleep.
Dark - Limiting light exposure with blackout curtains and turning off any electronics that produce light can improve sleep. Light is one of the main cues for our circadian rhythm. Your sleeping environment should be as dark as possible.
Sound - Each person is used to a certain amount of noise when they are sleeping. I remember when I moved to Madison for college, I couldn’t sleep for the first couple of months because I wasn’t used to all the outside noise from the city. Having a white noise device, soundproofing, or earplugs could help you sleep better if your sleep environment is too loud for you.
Activity – We can use our sleep environment as a strong cue for sleep if it is consistently the same. Our environment can help reinforce good sleeping habits if it is used for only sleep. Minimizing the amount of time that you spend in your bed can help you create a stronger association between your sleeping environment and good, restful sleep. Try not to watch TV, scroll through social media, or do homework from your bed. The more specialized your sleeping environment is (when it is used for only sleep), the stronger the association will be between your environment and sleeping.
#2 - Wake up at the same time
Before doing research, I believed that it is important to go to bed at the same time to develop good sleep habits. This is not entirely true; it is actually more important to wake up around the same time. Waking up at the same time every day has a stronger influence on your circadian rhythm than the time you fall asleep. If you consistently wake up at the same time, you will also find it easier to fall asleep when you decide it is time for bed the next day. Having a consistent bedtime is still helpful to get the same amount of sleep each night, but the time you wake up has a greater impact on your circadian rhythm and the quality of your next sleep.
#3 - Use light to your advantage
Just like how darkness triggers restfulness, the light will trigger alertness. A natural part of our circadian rhythm is to be exposed to light during the day. Exposing yourself to the sun during the day, especially during the morning will help you sleep at night by keeping your circadian rhythm in check. You should try to get at least 30 minutes of sunlight per day to help with your sleep.
#4 - Work out
Working out has many different health benefits, one of which is that it can help you sleep. Cortisol spikes from working out during the day can help our natural circadian cycle and improve the quality of our sleep at night. Many people that are extremely physically active will notice a decrease in their quality of sleep when they are not active during the day. However, be careful working out directly before bed. A cortisol spike from an intense workout three to four hours before bed could make it harder to fall asleep. Try to work out in the morning or early afternoon.
#5 - Relaxing Pre-bedtime routine
Similar to how having a consistent sleeping environment can help reinforce good sleep by association, so can your pre-bedtime routine. Having good, consistent habits will help your body get into a restful state and prepare for sleep. Avoid stimulation from social media, television, and work. All of those things can increase alertness and cortisol levels, making it difficult to sleep. Instead, try to do restful activities in low-light conditions like journaling, reading, stretching, or meditating. Whatever you enjoy, try to do the same thing consistently so you get both the relaxing effect, and your brain makes the association between that activity and sleep.
No matter what your current sleeping environment and habits are, there is something you can improve. Start by making your sleeping environment the best it can be for you and then minimize the other activities you do in your bed. After you have that down, try to wake up at the same time every day (yes, even on the weekends). You can also try to get more light exposure during the day, work out, or try a new pre-bedtime routine. There is a lot you can do to change your habits to help you sleep better. If changing your habits isn’t enough for you, next week’s article will tell you about different supplements that can improve the quality of your sleep.
How to Sleep Better. (2009, April 17). Sleep Foundation. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-hygiene/healthy-sleep-tips
Koulivand, P. H., Khaleghi Ghadiri, M., & Gorji, A. (2013). Lavender and the Nervous System. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2013, e681304. https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/681304
The Best Temperature for Sleep: Advice & Tips. (2020, October 29). Sleep Foundation. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/bedroom-environment/best-temperature-for-sleep
Twelve Simple Tips to Improve Your Sleep | Healthy Sleep. (n.d.). Retrieved January 15, 2023, from https://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/getting/overcoming/tips
