Sleep Hygiene Tips

Ensuring that you are creating an optimal environment for sleep, alongside practicing good sleep hygiene is essential for good quality sleep.⁣

Our body has an inbuilt body clock that tells us when it is night and day, called the circadian rhythm. This clock is largely dictated by the natural day/night cycle however it is influenced by food intake, energy use and screen exposure.

Factors that disrupt our body clock and melatonin production include: blue light from devices, caffeine intake, light and noise exposure in the bedroom, alcohol intake and irregular sleep/wake times.

Tips for optimising sleep include:
〰️ Avoid stimulants such as caffeine and alcohol
〰️ Limit exposure to screens (phones, tv, laptop) at least 1 hour before bed due to the stimulating impact of blue light and its impact on melatonin, our sleep hormone
〰️ Incorporate a wind down routine before bed. This may include a shower, reading, mindfulness, breath work or journalling
〰️ Try and wake up at the same time each morning and expose your eyes to natural light on waking to regulate circadian rhythm