Sleep Hygiene: 9 Tips for Better Sleep

Jun 06, 2024

Fact Checked

Discover simple daily habits to improve your sleep health and overall well-being.

Written by: Danielle Winston

Medically Reviewed by: Suzanne Gorovoy, PhD

Reviewed by: Susan Stiles, PhD, Healthy Aging Expert

Key Takeaways

Sleep hygiene tips include limiting stimulants and food close to bed, avoiding smartphones in bed, and using tactics, like meditation, to help you relax.
Adults need seven-plus hours of sleep each night, with research showing that older adults who sleep six to nine hours a night have sharper cognition and better health than those who sleep fewer hours.
Inadequate sleep raises your risk for a variety of health-related conditions, including hypertension, heart attack, heart disease, stroke, anxiety, depression, and obesity.
Getting enough sleep is critical to prevent daytime sleepiness and fatigue, which can lead to accidents and injuries. Sleep is also important for disease prevention, memory, and mental health.
During sleep, your body works to repair muscles and tissues, supports the immune system, and regulates hormones, metabolism, and appetite.

While the word “hygiene” often refers to cleanliness, at its core, it means a set of practices and conditions that help maintain health. The same goes for “sleep hygiene,” which describes habits, behaviors, and rituals contributing to your overall well-being. Practicing good sleep hygiene involves aligning your lifestyle to promote consistent deep sleep. It might sound deceptively simple, but it can be the key to helping you get a good night’s rest.

“The most common mistake people make is not practicing adequate sleep hygiene,” said Funke Afolabi-Brown, MD, FAASM, a sleep medicine physician and CEO of Restful Sleep MD in Spring House, Pennsylvania.

What is sleep hygiene?

Our habits or behaviors during the day can impact how we sleep at night. Sleep hygiene involves considering these and following best practices to produce the ideal bedtime environment. For instance, research has shown that using smartphones and other smart devices can impact your sleep ^[1] . That’s because smartphones give off blue light, which suppresses melatonin hormones. Melatonin is the hormone that helps regulate the sleep-wake cycle ^[2] . While this is only one example, sleep hygiene involves avoiding specific behaviors and taking action to help you sleep better. And it’s worth noting that current research only focuses on young and “fit” adults. More research is needed to understand the specific effects on older adults.

“This [sleep hygiene] is a broad term, but habits, like drinking caffeine before bed, an inconsistent sleep-wake schedule, lack of bedtime routines, and using devices too close to bedtime will interfere with good quality sleep,” said Afolabi-Brown.

Why is quality of sleep important?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the average adult needs seven-plus hours of sleep each night. ^[3] Research shows that older adults who sleep six to nine hours a night have sharper cognition and better mind-body health than those who sleep fewer hours ^[4] . But getting enough sleep can be even harder as we get older, with contributing factors like taking multiple medications, chronic diseases, joint pain, acid reflux, and more disrupting sleep.

“Sleep provides physical, emotional, and mental benefits. In terms of physical benefits, it helps repair and restore tissues and muscles, enhances our immune systems, and helps with regulating certain hormones needed for growth, metabolism, and appetite. Sleep is also critical to heart health with a lot of cardiovascular disease associated with poor sleep,” – Afolabi-Brown.

Getting adequate sleep also helps reduce the risks of accidents and injuries caused by sleepiness, including in the workplace and in the car ^[5] .

Long-term effects of poor quality sleep

According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, sleep is essential to health. While most people may understand this on a surface level, getting at least seven hours of sleep as an adult is important for disease prevention, mental health, and normal activities of daily living ^[6] .

At a quick glance, here are just some of the effects poor sleep can have long-term on your health:

Greater risk of hypertension (high blood pressure) ^[7]
Increased chances of a heart attack, heart disease, and stroke
More susceptible to weight gain and obesity
Increased risk of depression and mental health disorders
Worsening of inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and acid reflux
Impaired immune system
Mental distress and anxiety ^[8]

Short-term impacts of low-quality sleep

The short-term impact of poor sleep is more immediately seen, like fatigue and daytime sleepiness, and some short-term effects overlap with long-term effects. Research shows the short-term impact of inadequate sleep includes ^[9] :

More responsive to stress
Weakened ability to fight off infections
Physical aches, pains, and weakness (heightened pain sensitivity)
Impaired performance levels
Difficulty with cognition, mood, and memory
Feelings of depression

“Your mattress and pillow play a significant role in determining your sleep quality, as they help support your spine alignment and ensure your body stays in a neutral position to decrease pain or discomfort during sleep.” — Funke Afolabi-Brown, MD, FAASM, a sleep medicine physician and CEO of Restful Sleep MD in Spring House, Pennsylvania

9 sleep hygiene tips for better sleep

Since good sleep hygiene means curbing bad habits or following practices that promote better sleep, here are 9 tips for better sleep hygiene:

Maintain a consistent sleep schedule: Long-term sleep improvement begins with keeping your sleep schedule consistent ^[10] . Training yourself to sleep and wake at certain times naturally regulates your body’s internal clock, also known as your circadian rhythm. According to Afolabi-Brown, this can improve alertness and energy and help support your metabolism. Also, avoid oversleeping, even on weekends.
Avoid using your smart device before bed: No matter how tempting, resist the urge to use your phone. According to Roseann Capanna-Hodge, EdD, LPC, BCN, founder of the Global Institute of Children’s Mental Health, using your phone for texting or calls just before bed not only exposes you to sleep-disruptive blue light from the screen but also keeps your brain engaged and active, counteracting your natural winding down process.
Remove distracting sounds: Researchers found significant benefits to wearing earplugs and eye masks, including increased melatonin and cortisol production and overall REM sleep ^[11] . Plus, subjects were less likely to wake up throughout the night. Keep in mind that if you sleep with a partner or pets, earplugs are another great option. Blocking out sound prevents you from being awakened by snoring, coughing, or any sounds of movement throughout the night.
Choose the right mattress and pillow to optimize sleep: Your mattress can impact your sleep ^[12] . If your mattress is old or not suited for your preferred sleeping position and body type, it may be time to consider investing in a new one. Lower back pain is one of the main causes of poor sleep quality ^[13] . Some of the best mattresses for back pain may help reduce your back pain. Factors like motion transfer, body type, sleep position, comfort level, and body temperature are all important considerations when choosing the best mattress for you.
Take strategic naps, or avoid them: According to Afolabi-Brown, “Napping can help promote alertness, curb daytime sleepiness, and enhance our mood.” But it can also impact your sleep. If you do decide to take a nap, limit it to about 20 to 30 minutes at most.
Release stress with breathing exercises and meditation: When the stressors of daily living carry over into your night, they can prevent you from falling asleep and even contribute to insomnia. Research shows that stress itself can trigger sleep-disrupting hormones ^[14] . Slow deep diaphragmatic breathing through your nose has been shown to foster mind-body calm ^[15] . Before falling asleep, practice slow breathing for five to 10 minutes. In conjunction with this, meditation can also help you relax. A controlled trial examined the effects of an eight-week mindfulness meditation course on sleep and discovered meditation improved overall sleep quality ^[16] . Download a meditation app or listen to a video for guidance.
Eat a healthy diet: Choose your foods mindfully. Your diet can affect hormones and contribute to inflammation, which is linked to insomnia ^[17] . Certain foods, like bananas, tuna, and turkey, contain the amino acid tryptophan, which can help you fall asleep ^[18] . Magnesium-rich choices, such as almonds, spinach, soy, grains, black beans, and seafood, can also help foster restful sleep. “Your diet and timing of meals are key factors in how well you sleep,” said Capanna-Hodge. “Eating rich or fatty foods and high carbohydrates late in the evening can cause discomfort and disrupt your sleep cycle.” Instead, select foods that will give your body plenty of time for proper digestion before going to bed.

“I recommend not eating for at least two to three hours before bed,” said Heidi Plowe, a certified sleep science coach. “If you do need a snack, it is best to stick to a handful of nuts or a little unsweetened yogurt or cottage cheese.”
Steer clear of stimulants: Avoid sweets and energizing drinks close to bedtime. According to the FDA, it can take up to six hours for your body to metabolize just half of the caffeine in a cup of coffee ^[19] . So that afternoon latte might be lingering well into the evening and interfere with your sleep schedule. Similarly, it’s good to avoid alcohol, which has sedative effects that interfere with neurotransmitters in the brain in charge of regulating sleep ^[20] . High blood alcohol levels are linked to low-grade sleep, and even small amounts can have a negative influence on quality.

“When it comes to having stimulants like sugar and caffeine at night, these substances can drastically reduce sleep quality by delaying the onset of sleep and disrupting the natural sleep cycle,” said Capanna-Hodge.
Write in a journal: Writing can clear your mind and bring clarity. In fact, research shows that journaling or making lists of your worries before bed encourages sleep ^[21] . Make sure you use a pen and paper to avoid the impact of blue light. “Doing a brain dump of all of your thoughts and worries before bed” can help relieve stress, noted Plowe.

Bottom line

When it comes to wellness and longevity, sleep is often an overlooked contributor to healthy living and disease prevention. By understanding how your habits and behaviors influence sleep, you’ll be better equipped to prepare your body and mind for a good night’s rest.

Have questions about this review? Email us at reviewsteam@ncoa.org.

Sources

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Danielle Winston is a Manhattan-based health and wellness writer, who often writes about the intersection of science and mind-body well-being.

Suzanne Gorovoy is a clinical psychologist, behavioral sleep medicine specialist, and member of the Sleep and Health Research Program at the University of Arizona College of Medicine. She received her graduate degree in School Psychology from Teachers College at Columbia University, her PhD in Clinical Psychology from Case Western Reserve University, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Behavioral Sleep Medicine at the University of Arizona College of Medicine.

Susan Stiles, PhD, provides leadership in the design and development of consumer products that inspire, educate, and activate older adults. She’s been instrumental in bringing the Aging Mastery Program® to market and scaling it nationwide via strategic alliances and business partnerships. Stiles has 20+ years of experience in design thinking, multimedia, strategic communications, and management consulting.

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