Sleep Hygiene

Do you have insomnia? Here are some simple steps to helping improve your sleep. If none of these tips help please consider getting medical attention:

• Lose weight if you are overweight.
• Eliminate nasal congestion.
• Make sure your sleeping environment is quiet, dark, and maintains a steady, comfortable temperature.
• Avoid large meals right before bedtime.
• Avoid strenuous exercise within two to three hours of bedtime.
• Avoid alcohol or sleeping pills within four hours of bedtime.
• Avoid caffeine, nicotine or any other stimulants within four hours of bedtime.
• Avoid struggling to fall asleep in bed. Instead, get up and spend quiet time out of bed until sleep comes.
• Use the bed for sleep only (no television watching or reading in bed).
• Maintain a regular schedule for bedtime and wakening; avoid naps. Early to rise and early to be is the most effective schedule. A “night owl” schedule is poor sleep hygiene.
• Hot bath to a cold bed increases melatonin production and improves sleep architecture.
• A recent study showed that having a cell phone in the bedroom can disrupt sleep and reduce one’s ability to recuperate from a stressful and difficult day. E. Self Assessments
• Self-Assessments for Sleep Apnea
• Could I or my bed partner have sleep apnea? Take the following tests to see! Other predictors include:
• Snoring
• Overweight
• High Blood Pressure
• Acid Reflux
• Physical abnormality in nose (deviated septum), throat or upper airway including small airway or large tonsil, uvula, or tongue size
• Neck size (usually 17” or larger in men or 16” in women)
• Genetics