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Why Do We Need Sleep? Sleep is an opportunity for our bodies to repair themselves, both physically (e.g., torn muscles, organ cleaning) and psychologically (e.g., working through anxiety). Each sleep cycle (which lasts about 100 minutes) is divided up into physically repairing sleep and psychologically repairing sleep. When we first fall asleep, more time is spent in physically repairing sleep; later in the sleep cycle more time is spent in psychologically repairing sleep. Age influences the balance between these two types of sleep. Babies spend more time in psychologically repairing sleep (dream state) because their bodies don’t need as much physical repair. Older adult spend more time in physically repairing sleep because their bodies are more vulnerable to damage. Anxiety, depression and poor sleep habits can interfere with sleep patterns and disrupt the natural ability of the body to repair itself. Effects of lack of sleep include:
Ways to improve sleep There are many ways you can improve sleep. While there are a number of sleep medications available many of them have significant side effects and none are meant to be used as a long-term solution to sleep problems. However you can often improve your sleep simply by changing aspects of your night time routines. These strategies fall under several categories; try using as many of these strategies as you can in order to see what works for you. Use the Sleep Hygiene Worksheet provided below to record your good sleeping habits for the week. |
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Developing a Suitable Environment
Intake of Food and Drink
Aspects of Mental Control
Developing a Positive Sleep Behaviour
Timing Issues
Sleep Hygiene Worksheet
Record your use of sleep hygiene strategies over a week. Your goal is to use at least one good sleeping habit from any three categories each night. Check the cell of each habit you used.
- Sleeping is associated with a decline in core body temperature from a state of relative warmth. You can prepare your body for that process by raising your body temperature by taking a warm bath 20 minutes before bed.
- Fluctuations in room temperature disrupt the dream state. Maintain a steady temperature in the room throughout the night. A cool room is more conducive to sleep than a warm room.
- Eliminate illuminated wall clocks or other sources of light (except perhaps a night light if needed).
Intake of Food and Drink
- Avoid caffeine (a stimulant) four to six hours before bedtime.
- Avoid nicotine (a stimulant) near bedtime and when waking at night.
- Beware of alcohol use. Though alcohol (a depressant) may initially promote sleep onset, it causes awakenings later in the night. Perhaps have a drink with dinner.
- If hungry before bed have a light snack, which may be, sleep inducing. A heavy meal too close to bedtime however, might interfere with sleep.
Aspects of Mental Control
- Avoid activities that mentally stimulate your brain just before going to bed (e.g., action movies, stimulating conversation, loud music).
- Try relaxation techniques such as deep breathing and visual imagery. Relaxation can help you get to sleep.
- Do mentally quiet tasks such as listening to relaxing music, thinking calming thoughts, and so forth. These can help you get to sleep.
- If you are kept awake by worry, write down your worries that are on your mind, and if you have a method of sorting the problem, write that down also. Then if you wake in the night remind yourself that you have that matter in hand, and try your relaxation techniques.
Developing a Positive Sleep Behaviour
- Develop a pre-sleep ritual to give your body cues that it is time to slow down (e.g., taking a bath or reading for a few minutes before bed).
- Use the bed only for sleep or for sex (do not use your bed as a desk; do not read, eat or watch TV in bed).
- If you are unable to sleep for more than 15 minutes, don’t clock-watch, get out of bed. Lying in bed and feeling frustrated will not help. Engage in a quiet, non-stimulating activity, perhaps make yourself a drink of hot milk and return to bed when you are sleepy.
Timing Issues
- Develop a pattern of sleep by going to bed at the same time each evening and getting out of bed at the same time every day, even on weekends, regardless of how much you have slept.
- Avoid taking naps, but if you do nap make it no more than about 25 minutes. If you have problems falling asleep at night, then you should not take naps.
- Restrict the amount of time you spend in bed to your usual amount of sleep (e.g., 7 hours) even if you have not slept as well as you would have liked.
Sleep Hygiene Worksheet
Record your use of sleep hygiene strategies over a week. Your goal is to use at least one good sleeping habit from any three categories each night. Check the cell of each habit you used.
| sleep_hygiene_worksheet.pdf |
