Pillars of Health: Sleep Hygiene

Sleep is often the first to be sacrificed to manage a busy schedule. However, regular good night’s sleep will positively affect your mood, memory, grades, and physical health. Sleep restores your body, mind and mood and thus is considered a critical component of overall health. Most adults require 7-9 hours of sleep per night. Be aware, 5 hours or less of sleep per night is considered sleep deprivation, which increases your risk of mental health concerns, chronic disease, and memory loss. Consider the tips below for better sleep and use this worksheet to make goals based on them. Consult your healthcare provider and/or counsellor if you continue to have sleep trouble.

General Tips for Better Sleep

• Develop a relaxing bedtime routine away from screens.
• Reduce your alcohol intake for a more restful sleep.
• Sleep is affected by stimulants like tobacco and coffee. Reduce your consumption where you can.
• Avoid napping at least seven hours before bed.
• Limit naps to between 15-20 minutes to avoid disrupting nighttime routine.

Be Aware of Daytime Habits

• Work to get on and maintain a regular sleep schedule, even on the weekends. You can work to shift your schedule earlier by 15 minutes – 1 hour over a week.
• Get some sun in the morning to ensure your mind and body wakes up. This also keeps your circadian rhythm balanced.
• Only use your bedroom for intimacy and sleep.
• Move your body throughout the day, eat well, and taking care of your general health.
• Avoid caffeine 10 hours before bed it may negatively impact sleep .

Be Aware of Nighttime Habits

• Create a healthy sleep environment, conducive to optimal sleep conditions. This includes dim lights, a cool room (15-19°C), and reduced noise.
• Create a relaxing bedtime routine based on what works for you and what you enjoy.
• Avoid bright lights as you approach bed. Try removing screen time at least 1 hour before sleep.
• Use different relaxation techniques either before bed or when having difficulties sleeping including, breathing exercises, massage, meditation, visualization, progressive muscle relaxation, or autogenic relaxation.
• Manage worries by writing down persistent thoughts, or to-do lists for the next day. Consult these workbooks and Counselling Services if worry becomes a persistent problem.
• If you have woken up and are struggling to fall back asleep, get out of bed and do a quiet activity until you are drowsy enough to go back to bed.
• Self-compassion is associated with better sleep! Remind yourself that you have been able to get through the day in the past, even when you have not had a good sleep.

Tips for Shift Workers

• Seek to gradually adjust your sleep schedule using by 15 minute – 1 hour adjustments.
• Eat meals and snacks at the same time to promote regular body cycles and use light alarm clocks that mimic the sun.
• Avoid caffeine at least 7 hours before bedtime.
• Keep naps to 15-20 minutes to avoid waking during deep sleep stages.
• Maintain a bedtime routine and prioritize making your bedroom the ideal space for sleep by lowering the temperature of the room, using blackout curtains, earplugs, eye masks, white noise etc.

Sleep & Screen Time

Screen time is defined as time spent using screens or devices such as phones, TVs, tablets, and other screens. Use of screen media by youth during the day, before bedtime, and access to screen devices in the bedroom at night is associated with later bedtime, shorter sleep duration, and poorer sleep quality. This is due to:

1. Replacement of sleep time by screen time.
2. Alertness due to screen lights.
3. Stimulation due to media content.

To improve sleep and screen time behavior, try these tips:

• Maintain regular and consistent bedtime routine.
• Limit the exposure to digital media content and screens in the hour preceding bedtime.
• Try to keep screen devices out of your bedroom.
• If you have a screen device in your bedroom, turn it off for better sleep quality.
• Modify media content such as limiting scary or violent content.

Sleep Resources

Bedtime: A function in the iOS clock application already installed on your iPhone or iPad to help you develop a sleep schedule.

CBT-i Coach

Sleepio

Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock

Algonquin College’s Sleep Unit and Stress Management Unit

National Heart Lung and Blood Institute – Sleep Diary and Guide to Healthy Sleep

Canada Post – Shift Worker’s Handbook For Sleep

Anxiety Canada – Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Centre for Mindfulness Self-Compassion – Guided Meditations and Exercises

Steep & Sleep

Steep and Sleep videos are brought to you by Health Services and the Spiritual Centre to connect you with visualization exercises, calming teas, and sleep tips to keep you getting up on the right side of the bed.