Sleep hygiene refers to a set of rituals done before bedtime. It’s thought that practicing good sleep hygiene is crucial to get sufficient rest at night, while developing poor sleep hygiene may lead to a variety of health problems. A proper routine before bedtime is important in maintaining one’s physical and mental well-being.

If the inability to achieve quality sleep already affects your way of life, it’s not something you should ignore. Identify the cause so you can find ways on how to deal with it as soon as possible. To help you out with this, here are some tips on how to improve your sleep hygiene:

Set Your Sleep Schedule

One of the ways to improve your sleep hygiene is to have a consistent sleep schedule. Sleeping and waking up at the same time every day set the body’s internal clock. Regardless if it’s a weekend or a weekday, make it a habit to get out of bed at the same hour to avoid getting into the rhythm of inconsistent sleep. If you’re a busy person, it can be tempting to adjust your sleeping hours just to accomplish a certain task or to socialize. 

If you need to adjust your sleeping time, do it gradually. Changing your sleep pattern all of a sudden may just throw your sleep schedule out of order. It should be done step by step. If you find the time amenable for your sleep schedule, be consistent in following it.  If you lose sleep at night, power naps within the day can help replenish your energy, but don’t overdo it because it may negatively affect your sleep at night.

Follow A Nightly Routine

Stick to a routine that you have to do 30 minutes before bedtime, such as brushing your teeth, putting on your pajamas, reading a book, or whatever activity that will put your mind and body in a state of calm. If you have a nightly routine, it’s a signal for the body that you’re about to rest. Forcing yourself to sleep only leads to frustration; it’s better and more effective to induce rest by learning to associate certain activities with sleep.

If you’ve gone to bed but find that you’re still wide awake after 20 minutes, get up and stretch or do something else in low light conditions in order to trigger sleepiness. The way you prepare for bedtime affects how easily you’ll be able to fall asleep. The more comfortable you are, the more you can have a night of quality sleep.

Cultivate Healthy Daily Habits

A regular sleep schedule is not the only thing that helps support your circadian rhythm. Healthy daily habits are another factor in encouraging quality sleep. During the day, be as physically active as possible. Moderate exercise and doing some productive activities like chores can help you have a relaxing sleep. It’s also important to be careful with your diet. Stay away from fatty or spicy food during dinner because it may cause digestion irritability that may lead to sleep disturbance.

There’s a notion that alcohol intake at bedtime is a great sleep inducer. While this may be true, as soon as its effects on the body wear off, it might disrupt your sleep later on. It’s also important to cut down on smoking because the consumption of nicotine is related to numerous sleeping problems.

Optimize Your Bedroom

Another way of improving your sleep hygiene is to create a sleep-inducing environment. Install lighting fixtures that can be dimmed. It’s ideal to sleep in a dark room because the absence of light boosts the production of melatonin, a hormone that plays an important role in the sleep-wake cycle. You may also use blackout curtains or an eye mask if your waking up time is past sunrise.

If you get easily disturbed by noise, stay in an area where there’s no outside noise. If that’s impossible, you may soundproof your room by using various insulation materials. Your bedroom is a space for resting, so remove things that may impact your sleepiness such as books, gadgets, and food. If you have the budget, check out Nolah Mattress for a comfortable mattress and pillows to improve the quality of your sleep.

Reduce Stress

When you’re stressed, your cortisol level increases, and your body pumps adrenaline. Since those hormones put your brain and body into high gear, it will become harder for you to relax, and that may lead to insomnia in the long run. It’s important to find ways on how to manage stress because if your sleep is affected, it may greatly affect your mood and might cause irritability on the next day.

A way to manage stress before bedtime is through meditating, journaling, doing light exercises, or practicing breathing exercises. If you’re having difficulty dealing with stress or worries, asking help from medical professionals is the best thing to do. They can give you medication, or they can advise you on the therapeutic activities you can do to divert your negative emotions so you can get a good night’s sleep. It’s important to 

Consider Trying Supplements

There’s a possibility that you lack nutrients if you have trouble sleeping. One way to prevent nutrient deficiency is by taking supplements. Before taking in supplements, it’s best to consult your doctor first to determine the deficiency that you have so they can recommend the best supplement suitable for you.

One of the most common supplements taken to improve sleep is Melatonin supplement. Melatonin is a sleep hormone produced in response to darkness in order to regulate your circadian rhythm. There are also natural herbs commonly taken to improve sleep quality, such as ginkgo biloba and valerian root.

Final Thoughts 


If you have trouble sleeping, developing healthy habits can be a long-term solution. The different strategies you can do to improve your sleep hygiene include setting a fixed sleep schedule, following a nightly routine, cultivating a healthy lifestyle, creating a sleep-inducing environment, managing stress, and trying out supplements. These best practices for better sleep can be effective when done consistently.