How to improve sleep hygiene

• Techniques to improve sleep hygiene

  • About Sleep hygiene
  • ‘Sleep hygiene’ refers to healthy habits, behaviours and environmental factors that can be adjusted to help you have a good night’s sleep. Some sleeping problems are often caused by bad sleep habits reinforced over years or even decades. In many cases, you can improve your sleep quality by making a few adjustments to lifestyle and attitude.
• Good sleep is more likely if your bedroom feels restful and comfortable
• Suggestions for improving sleep environment

  • Make sure the room is at the right temperature
  • Buy a pair of earplugs
  • Use noise-blocking curtains
  • Invest in a comfortable mattress and pillow
  • Sleep in as much darkness as possible
• The right temperature for most people is between 17 to 19°C
• If you can’t control noise, buy a pair of earplugs
• The whir of a fan or a soothing white noise machine can effectively mask other sounds and help you fall asleep
• Some people enjoy listening to music when they go to bed
• Soothing music may also alleviate anxiety
• Use your bedroom only for sleeping and intimacy
• Treating your bed like a second lounge room can cause your mind to associate your bedroom with activity
• It is best to sleep in as much darkness as possible
• Pitch darkness reduces potential distractions and disruptions to sleep
• Sleeping with a light on interferes with sleep cycles and causes more fragmented sleep
• Closing your eyes isn’t enough to block sufficient light
• The effects on circadian rhythm can occur even with low levels of indoor light and closed eyes
• Darkness increases

  Pineal gland releases the highest levels of melatonin
• Exposure to light decreases

  Melatonin production
• You have low levels of melatonin in your blood during the daylight hours and peak levels of melatonin during the nighttime
• Consistent sleep patterns

  Healthy sleep patterns allow you to cycle through the very important stages of sleep multiple times every night
• If your body has cycled through all sleep stages as many times as it needs to, you should:
• Outcomes of proper sleep

  • Wake up refreshed
  • Feel clear-headed and capable of paying attention
  • Look well-rested
  • Feel in a good mood
  • Have enough energy to get you through the day
• Due to lifestyle choices, leisure activities, and other obligations we sometimes do not prioritise our sleep
• Bed and wake times

  • Go to bed and wake up at the same times each day, even on weekends
  • Ensuring you get enough sleep
  • Helps maintain a good circadian rhythm
• Time allocated to sleep

  • Make sure you allow enough time to obtain the full amount of sleep you need for each night
• Bedtime routine

  • Maintain a quiet, steady bedtime routine
  • Puts you in the right frame of mind to sleep
• Sunlight


  • Getting frequent sunlight exposure during the day supports a healthy circadian rhythm
  • Helps you be alert during the day and sleepy at night
• Physical activity

  • Engage in regular physical activity
  • Can improve your sleep quality at night
  • Contributes to a normal sleep schedule
• If you doze off with the TV on, it continues generating artificial light in your bedroom during the night
• Do not sleep with a TV in your bedroom
• Sleep timer


  A feature to automatically turn off the TV after a period of time
• Staring at a mobile screen before bed has become a way of life
• Minimize electronic use before bedtime

  1. Make it a routine

  2. Two to three hours before bedtime
• Electronic devices like your phone emit blue light which can reduce melatonin levels in your body
• Seeing sunlight

  Can make you feel more awake
• Many phones and tablets have a “night mode” to reduce blue light
• The stimulation from screen time may still affect sleep
• If you need to use devices before bed, try out applications that can help reduce blue light emission
• Keeping your phone near your bed can disrupt your sleep, even if you’re not aware of it
• Message notifications, buzzing, and light can interrupt your sleep