Sleep Hygiene: Healthy Sleep Practises for Older Adults

Your behaviours during the day, and especially before bedtime, can have a major impact on your sleep. They can promote healthy sleep or contribute to sleeplessness depending on how you choose to conduct your day.

What is Sleep Hygiene?

‘Sleep hygiene’ is the term used to describe good sleep habits that can help improve your sleep health. Your daily routines can significantly impact your quality of sleep. Even a few slight adjustments to your sleep habits can mean the difference between sound sleep and a restless night.

10 Tips to Improve Your Sleep Hygiene

1.    Don’t live out of your bed

If you treat your bed like a second lounge room, your mind will associate your bedroom with activity. For this reason, it is best to do activities such as watching television or talking to friends on the phone outside of your sleep space.

2.    Have a consistent sleep schedule

Being consistent reinforces your body's sleep-wake cycle - enabling you to set and maintain the timing of your body clock. This regularity means that you’ll find yourself getting sleepy at about the same time every night.

3.    Avoid looking at the clock

If you can’t sleep, checking the time can heighten your anxiety about not sleeping. A sleep study of nearly 5,000 people conducted by researchers from Indiana University revealed that checking the time while trying to fall asleep made participants more likely to have trouble falling asleep and more likely to turn to sleep aids. So, it’s best not to constantly check your phone, smart watch or alarm and take them out of your room if necessary.

4.    Exercise during the day

Aim to exercise every day! Morning exercise is best as the exposure to light during early waking hours helps to set your body clock. Evening exercise is also beneficial as long as it’s not too vigorous close to bedtime as your body needs time to wind down.

5.    Avoid alcohol

For many, alcohol is thought to help us relax and fall asleep. However, it actually disrupts the quality of sleep you have later on in the night. It can reduce REM sleep and cause sleep disruptions including headaches, frequent awakenings and night sweats. Because of this, it’s best to avoid alcohol at least four hours before bed.

6.    Avoid caffeine and nicotine

These are stimulants that interfere with your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep. It’s best to avoid them four to six hours before bed. With caffeine specifically, it’s important to remember that it’s not just coffee you should be mindful of, but also tea, chocolate, and soft drinks.

7.    Limit electronic device use

Blue light affects melatonin levels which makes it harder to fall asleep. Exposure to blue light, which is emitted from devices like our TVs and phones, can trick our brain into thinking it is still daytime, disrupting circadian rhythms and leaving us feeling alert instead of tired. For this reason, you should stop using electronic devices at least 30 minutes before bedtime.

8.    Limit naps

Limiting naps during the day sets you up to be tired at bedtime. If you can’t make it through the day without a nap, ensure they are no longer than 20 minutes a day and make sure you’re awake for at least four hours before going back to bed. Longer naps can interfere with normal sleep cycles as you may enter a deeper sleep.

9.    Have a sleep routine

Develop a routine to remind your body that it is time to sleep - some people find it useful to meditate or do breathing exercises to wind down each night, or simply enjoy a cup of caffeine-free tea before bed to signal to your body that it is time to wind down.

10.  Don’t force it

If you can’t fall asleep within a reasonable amount of time, get out of bed and do something else for half an hour or so, such as reading a book, and then try to go back to bed again. Staying in bed can reinforce poor habits such as lying awake.

Adopting new habits can take time, and results may not be immediate. However, taking a proactive approach by incorporating good sleep hygiene practises into your daily routine can allow you to make the most of each day!

Sources:

• https://www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au/good-sleep-habits.html
• https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-hygiene
• https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/sleep-hygiene
• https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/sleep
• https://sleepeducation.org/healthy-sleep/healthy-sleep-habits/
• https://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/~/media/CCI/Mental-Health-Professionals/Sleep/Sleep---Information-Sheets/Sleep-Information-Sheet---04---Sleep-Hygiene.pdf
• https://med.unr.edu/aging/ngec/health-info-for-you/sleep-hygiene-for-older-adults