SLEEP HYGIENE : Techniques and Technologies to Improve Sleep Quality
TO REMAIN YOUNG HEALTHY AND CONFIDENT JUST SLEEP AWAY!
When the body enters a state of deep sleep it switches its processes to detoxification, repair, reset, re-growth, immunity and metabolism stabilizing. People who do not get enough sleep are seen to become obese and experience premature aging with wrinkles, under eye bags, the skin also take longer time to recover from everyday damage. They often fall sick often due to a weak immune system and are shown to be at a higher risk of developing diabetes, hypertension, heart disease , stroke, anxiety, depression, mental disorders , memory loss, Alzheimer’s etc. The risk of these diseases has been shown to significantly reduce in people who regularly get good sleep both in quantity and quality.
The science of sleep is not as straight forward as one would think. There is on and off switch to falling asleep; It is more of a gradual process that takes 2-3 hours for the body to transition from an active to a calm and eventually a deep sleep state. It is complex, it involves multiple systems of the body ( Neuro -Bio-Chemical and hormonal), and the hormonal interaction with the external environment Current lifestyle with crazy working hours, demanding commitments and extended screen time have disrupted our natural sleep- wake cycles (Circadian Rhythm). Hence it is better to practice a good Sleep Hygiene rather than an unplanned dive into bed’
Sleep Hygiene is a set of behaviors, habits and environmental settings that promote healthy sleeping patterns. People who regularly follow a good sleep hygiene practice are known to fall asleep faster and also experience prolonged deep sleep and wake up feeling fresh and energized. Given the multidimensional and complex nature of sleep a number of factors are included in Sleep Hygiene; sleep timings, nutrition, food and drink timings, recreation, exercise, exposure to light, sounds, bedroom environment etc.
Here are some of the most effective Sleep Hygiene Techniques :-
1- Develop a regular consistent sleep schedule – the oldest trick in the book is to go to bed at night and wake up each morning around the same time everyday . Stick to the sleep timings even on weekends and holidays . This maintains the circadian rhythm of the body and makes it easier to fall asleep at night and stay fresh awake in the day time. Make a schedule that accommodates at least 7- 9 hours of continuous undisturbed sleep.
2- Establish a wind down routine – One hour before going to bed, set aside an hour for wind down activities. During this hour spend time with your loved ones – family members or a pet dog. hang out together in your living room, or balcony . Just talk, tell stories or jokes, play games, sing songs just engage with each other without any distractions of social media or mobile phones. This signals the brain to put a stop to the day-to-day work worry. To pause the over thinking and to make space to begin the calming down stage necessary to initiate the sleep process.
3- Avoid intense physical exercise before sleep, 3-4 hours before bed time. Intense physical activities like jogging, cycling, gymming, weight training etc pumps up blood supply and excites the heart, brain , and muscles into active state. This is detrimental to achieving deep sleep later at night. Shallow disturbed sleep leaves you groggy headed and fatigued the next day.
Instead, you could go for a light stroll, or relaxing breath routines and simple joint relaxing rotating movements that help the muscles to calm down and prepare for a good deep sleep.
4- Meal time – Keep a window of 2- 3 hours between your last meal and bed time. This gives the stomach enough time to digest the meal before laying down for bed time. food moves into the small intestine thus minimizing acid reflux, heart burn and midnight snacking. just before going to bed the digestive system continues to work even in your sleep. Thus keeping your body only partially rested. Late dinners also lead to spike in blood glucose levels at night which get stored as fat resulting in excess weight gain, central obesity, diabetes and heart disease.
Peppermint tea, ginger tea, lemon grass tea or a glass of warm water aid are recommended to aid digestion.
5- Avoid consuming tea, coffee or energy drinks after 2-3 pm – Tea, coffee or other energy drinks contain caffeine which stimulates the brain to remain alert and energetic. Adenosine is an important sleep chemical its concentration must increases at night to generate the sleep drive (intense want or need to sleep, drowsiness). It also relaxes the brain and stabilizes the deep sleep state. Caffeine prevents Adenosine from rising and counters your need to sleep thus keeps you awake at night. caffeine takes 8 hours to be eliminated from the body hence avoid such beverages 8-10 hrs before bed time, limit it to first half the day. Other high sugar containing carbonated drinks, and flavoured artificial juices are also better avoided around bed time as they tend to produce a sugar rush in your system.
6- Create an optimum bedroom environment – A dark, quiet and cool ambience is best suited for a good sleep.
7- Black out curtains and Eye masks to block residual lights from street lamps or other sources. Add dim light feature to your bedroom for night light requirements , night reading or other stuff.
8- Noise cancellation curtains and noise cancellation ear pieces to block noise and unwanted sounds that could disturb your sleep. This is especially helpful when you live in a busy city area with late night traffic and noise you have no control over.
9- Daylight exposure –direct exposure to sunlight in the morning increases the sleep duration and improves quality of sleep at night. The bio-chemicals responsible for sleep –wake cycle – melatonine, Adenosine and Cortisol are sensitive to light. Hence getting 15 -2o minutes of morning sunlight between 7-9 everyday sets balances the hormones and sets the circadian rhythm.
10- Day time activity – this seems counterintuitive , but activity done during the day greatly influences the quality of sleep at night. The more activity you do the more adenosine (sleep inducing chemical ) concentration increases and ultimately leads to drowsiness (need to sleep)
11- Daytime exercise improves quality of sleep. A regular 30 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise (jogging, running, cycling, swimming etc ) everyday mixed with 2 days of moderate level weight training has been highly effective in reducing sleep deprivation. Exercise releases endorphins which give you an energy kick keeping you awake therefore it best be avoided 2-3 hours before bed.
Foods that help you to sleep-
- It is seen that diets of people with sleep issues often lack Tryptophan and Melatonin. Tryptophan is at the centre of the ‘activity – rest ’ and ‘sleep- wake up’cycles which are mainly responsible for optimal sleep.
- Potassium. Magnesium and Vitamin B6 (riboflavin) in combination with tryptophan and melatonin work as potent sleep inducers. Bananas, groundnuts and walnuts (have high levels of tryptophan and magnesium, vit B6). Fish, egg, cheese, yoghurt, turkey, meat (are all rich in tryptophan and melatonin) .
- Milk – Milk contains melatonin and tryptophan. Those who drink a glass of warm cow milk before bed have reported to fall asleep faster.
RELAXING PRACTICES TO LIGHTEN EXTRA STRESS–
The following procedures have shown to calm the nervous system and make us get a comfortable sleep. Incorporating them in a daily routine is obviously advantageous , but if you cannot do it on a daily basis, they are definitely helpful on those certain extra strenuous difficult sleep days.
- Dipping your feet in a tub of warm salt water – is a good way to kick back a let that tiredness drain away. Alternately a hot water bath at the end of a tiring day is also very relaxing.
- Self massage– If your experiencing intense strain a good head ,neck massage, feet , lower back and ear massage is recommended .If your mind is restless and overactive then slow, soft strokes are helpful. If frustrated and tense then vigorous rubbing strokes help dilate the blood vessels and increase blood flow to feel relaxed.
- Fragrance – aroma is the quickest and most effective method to calm the body. A number of easy ways to bring that calming aroma into your bedroom – like diffusers , inhaling natural oils, lighting dhoop or incense sticks . lavender, sandalwood, rosemary and eucalyptus are among the most calming scents.
- Music – 432 Hz frequency is known to be harmonic it helps to slow down the heart , reduce stress and promote deep sleep. Classical music, slow melodies without lyrics, and songs with rhythms between 60-80 beats per minute have shown to reduce stress , anxiety and facilitate deep sleep. You could also play Sounds of nature like rainfall, waterfall or ocean wave sounds which are often deeply relaxing and sleep promoting.
CONCLUSION
Sleep hygiene are a set of habits and changes in the environment. Replacing old habits with new ones has never been easy. But at times it is necessary especially if you are facing sleep disturbances that are badly impacting your health. If you wish to make the necessary changes it is better to incorporate them one step at a time rather than all at once. Even one or two small changes can significantly improve the quality of your sleep and hence your life.
There are a number of conditions like sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, insomnia etc in which sleep hygiene alone is not enough and may require more advanced treatments with devices or medication under specialized doctors guidance.
Nevertheless,Sleep Hygiene techniques have proved to be valuable in treating sleep disturbance, anxiety and stress situations, they have also enhanced performance, mental ability and decision-making capacities of individuals . Thus, it is definitely worthy of your consideration and incorporation in your lifestyle to significantly improve your overall all wellbeing.
FAQ
What is the Military sleep method?
Lie down comfortably in bed with eyes closed. begin to breathe deeply. Relax your facial muscles and release tension in the jaw and eyebrows. Move you attention to your shoulders , arms back , feel these muscles relax with each breath. Gradually continue this further downwards to the rest of the body. With this method you will fall asleep within 2 minutes, instantly anywhere anytime . It is commonly used among the US military soldiers even in the middle of a war zone hence the name military sleep method.
How much sleep do human need?
7- 9 hours of sleep is recommended for human adults. On an average Women need more sleep than men. In the growing ages sleep requirement is very high and it reduces as we grow older.
How much sleep do babies need?
Newborns 0- 4 months 15 -18 hours of sleep each day
Infants & toddlers upto 2 year age 12- 14 hrs
Children 3-5 years old 10- 12 hrs
What are the signs of poor or disturbed sleep?
Laying awake in bed for long before falling asleep.
Frequently waking up from sleep at the night.
You wake up feeling fatigued, irritable lacking in energy .
Feeling excessively sleepy during the waking – working hours.
Feeling irritable, anxious, delay in decision making.
What are the Signs of poor sleep hygiene ?
You generally do not sleep and wake up at a consistent time everyday. You may not prioritize sleep .
you could carry your work to bed , or have screen time in bed.
If you engage in late night dinners, parties, midnight snacking.
Along with the signs of disturbed sleep mentioned above.