The Importance of Sleep Hygiene

Sleep is a very important part of your day, although most of us don’t pay much attention to it. Sleep Hygiene is all about creating a relaxing and comfortable environment for you to sleep in, and keeping your sleep cycle regular, helping to preserve your sleeping pattern. 

A lot of these things can seem difficult when you’re living in student accommodation or enjoy going out at night, so I’m going to give you a few tips to make sleep hygiene work for you.

Go to bed at the same time each night, and get up at the same time each morning.

This is one of the first sleep hygiene suggestions to ensure healthy sleep, however, most students will understand that this is nearly impossible. On days when you’re not planning to have nights out, try and stick to a regular sleep schedule.

When assignments are due many students find themselves pulling all-nighters, it’s worth trying to organise your time during the day so you don’t have to spend your nights awake.

Have a nightly routine

Having a routine that you do before you go to bed can help your body understand that it needs to sleep soon. For example, I make sure to do a small skincare routine before bed every night to prepare myself for sleep. You could try some of the following: 

• Having a warm shower, 
• Spending 30 minutes off your phone by reading a book, 
• Drinking some herbal tea, 
• Preparing your clothes and bag for the next day,
• Doing 10-30 minutes of meditation.

Make your bedroom a relaxing place

If you’re sleeping in a messy and bright environment, your body will find it more difficult to relax. Make sure the area around your bed is tidy and you’re sleeping on clean bedding, you could even have a nightly routine of tidying up your bed if you accumulate mess easily. 

If you have a tumble dryer, try putting your duvet in the dryer just before you go to bed. This is really helpful during the winter as it’ll make your bed feel comfortably warm and cosy.

Your day can affect your night

Eating and drinking certain things can make it more difficult for you to sleep at night. Too much caffeine regularly throughout the day can stop you from being able to sleep at night, as well as eating food within a couple of hours before you go to sleep.

Exercise during the day can help you sleep better at night. I always find that on days I go to the gym I sleep better at night, especially if I go in the evening. You don’t have to go to the gym, but spending 30 minutes to an hour walking during the day will be enough to supplement your sleep schedule.