What is Sleep Hygiene? How to Get More Deep Sleep
Ever find yourself staring at the ceiling, wondering why good sleep seems so elusive? Do you wake up in the morning not feeling rested enough? You're not alone.
If you're tired of being tired, here's how to get more deep sleep - starting tonight!
What is Sleep Hygiene?
Sleep hygiene sounds fancy, but it's just about the habits that affect how well you sleep on a regular basis.
And believe it or not, preparing for bed starts the minute we wake up. So if you're wondering "how do I get more deep sleep?" try incorporating some of these habits and watch yourself level up.
Start Your Day Right With Full Spectrum Light
One of the best ways to improve sleep hygiene is by getting full light spectrum light early in the morning. Full light spectrum light = direct sunlight. Not through a window, but totally direct. This light triggers your body's circadian rhythm. Your body starts a countdown to when it should start preparing you for sleep. Based on this, your hormones (cortisol and melatonin) go up and down to help you get more deep sleep.
Blue Light Blocking Glasses
Now let's talk about one of the things that works against us: screens! And a solution: blue light blocking glasses.
The blue light emitted from our devices can seriously mess with our sleep patterns. Blue light disrupts our natural melatonin production. Instead, it signals the body to produce cortisol, the stress hormone that helps us wake up in the morning. This is the opposite of what we want as we get ready for bed. The best solution is to remove or reduce screen time as much as possible after sundown. For the screen time after sunset, pop on blue light blocking glasses an hour or two before bed. Screen time includes looking at our phone, TV and even a Kindle.
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Mouth Tape
Mouth taping is when you use a special tape to gently keep your mouth closed while you sleep. This encourages nasal breathing, which is more efficient and better for your health. Nasal breathing can help you get more oxygen intake and deeper sleep. This, along with many more health benefits, is why I mouth tape every night with this mouth tape. It's such an effortless practice.
The Right Sleep Environment
Keep it cool, quiet and dark. And wear comfy socks.
Cool Temperature. The exact temp varies for everyone, but most people get the best sleep in 65°-68° F. For people like me, that's freezing cold. Which brings me to my next point.
Wear Socks. A low core body temperature is how to get more deep sleep. When your body senses cold feet, it compensates by increasing your core temperature. Socks keep your feet warm. Warm feet improves blood flow in your feet and lowers your core body temperature.
Quiet. You want as close to complete silence as possible. If that's not possible, or if you have a partner that snores, ear plugs can be your new best friend.
Complete Darkness. If you can't install blackout curtains in your bedroom, wear a sleep eye mask.
Red Light Therapy
Red light therapy is another fantastic tool to improve your sleep hygiene. Unlike blue light, red light has a calming effect. One of the many health benefits of red light therapy is that it boosts melatonin production. It can also ease stress and anxiety.
Incorporating red light therapy into my bedtime routine has been so helpful for me! I love wearing my Red Light Therapy Face Mask for 10-20 minutes before bed.
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Limit Caffeine and Alcohol
Caffeine is a stimulant that can keep you awake. Even if drinking coffee doesn't stop you from falling asleep, it can disrupt your quality of sleep.
Alcohol is a depressant. It might make you sleepy at first but can disrupt your sleep later in the night and lower the quality of sleep you get. Try avoiding these in the hours leading up to bedtime and try to limit them overall.
Exercise Regularly
Exercising helps keep our hormones regulated, which is how to get more deep sleep. I always say: something is better than nothing. Even if you can only squeeze in 15 minutes on a busy day, you can be efficient and still get movement or stretching in. Just try not to exercise too close to bedtime. That can leave you too energized to fall asleep.
And for the ladies, cycle syncing your workouts and meals can be such a game changer for sleep hygiene too. You'll not only get better sleep, but your overall health and energy levels will improve big time.
Early and Consistent Sleep Schedule
Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day helps regulate your body's internal clock. Try to stick to your schedule even on weekends - your body will thank you!
The earlier you go to bed, the better. Not only are you more likely to get more hours in, you will allow for major organs to recover and reset for the next day. The concept of an "Organ Clock" from Chinese medicine is a useful tool in understanding why.
In Chinese medicine, vital energy (qi) moves through the body's meridians and organs in a 24 hour cycle. Every 2 hours, energy is strongest within a particular organ. The window from 11pm-3am is the most important time to be asleep. This window correlates to the liver and gallbladder. Being asleep allows our body to balance out hormones, detox and process emotions.
How To Get More Deep Sleep with Improved Sleep Hygiene
Remember, a well-rested you is a happier, healthier you. So go ahead, give these tips a try. Start with the habits that are easy to implement and take it from there. Sweet dreams!
*This content is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice.