7.5 Improving sleep hygiene

Question 1

Define sleep hygiene

Answer 1

Practices that tend to improve and maintain good sleep and full daytime alertness

Question 2

List some sleep hygiene tips for better sleep? (tonnes of answers lmfao the list is long)

Answer 2

• Establish a regular, relaxing bedtime routine. Also maintaining a regular wake-up time.
• Associated your bed and bedroom with sleep. Avoid activities such as gaming, watching TV and talking to friends as your brain will associate these with your bedroom.
• Avoid activities that are stimulating in the hour before bed. Including exercise, device usage and important discussions.
• Avoid stimulants such as coffee, nicotine and alcohol before bed.
• Exercise can promote good sleep when done correctly. Regularly for at least 20min a day, preferably 4-5 hours before bedtime. Meditation and yoga promoted muscle relaxation and sleep.
• Stay away from large meals before bedtime, especially those that take longer to digest: Spicy foods, fast food and raw meat and vegetables. Good food before bed include: Fish, poultry, cooked vegetables, soup and yogurt.
• Improve sleep environment. More comfortable = more sleep. Temperature, bedding, clothes.
• Ensure adequate exposure to natural light during the day.

Question 3

Define Zeitgebers

Answer 3

An environmental time cue that influences sleep-wake cycles. Examples: Clocks, Alarms, School bells, Timetables, Workplace routines, eating and drinking patterns, social routines.

Question 4

Explain how light affects sleep

Answer 4

Light can be used to help adjust or re-set the SCN and gradually shift someone’s circadian sleep–wake cycle to a desired schedule.

Question 5

Explain how daylight affects sleep

Answer 5

• Brain recognises sunrise and sunset.
• Natural light exposure in the morning promotes an earlier sleep-wake cycle, natural light exposure in the afternoon promotes a later sleep-wake cycle.
• Ideal to sleep in total darkness, as sleeping in even a small amount of light affects REM and NREM sleep.
• The eyelids cannot block enough light to be effective.

Question 6

Explain how blue light affects sleep

Answer 6

• Considered to have the biggest impact on circadian rhythm.
• Helps prepare for a night’s sleep after the sun goes down.
• Keeps us alert by slowing secretion of melatonin
• Blue light is also emitted by the sun, LED screens and other devices. The light emits directly to the eyes rather than a reflection.
• Prolongs sleep onset.
• Ensure blue light exposure before bed is restricted.
• However in the morning and early afternoon it can have positive effects, making to easier to wake up and begin the day.

Question 7

Explain how temperature affects sleep

Answer 7

• Temperature around 18 degrees is optimal for sleep, however it changes per person.
• Body temp follows a similar rhythm to sleep-wake, rises during the day and lowers at night.
• Sleep is more likely when body temp decreases.
• Taking a warm bath or shower prior to, but not immediately before bedtime lowers the core temperature because it will decrease after you leave the bath or shower as your body adapts to the cooler environment.

Question 8

Explain how eating/drinking habits affect sleep

Answer 8

• In order to alter the sleep-wake cycle, all meals should be shifted alongside sleep and wake times.
• Habits should remain consistent and avoid erratic eating and drinking habits.
• Harder to fall asleep if we have a full stomach and our body is still digesting a large dinner.
• Avoiding caffeine and alcohol drinks before bed and in late afternoon (4-6 hours to break down caffeine)
• Sleep after drinking alcohol is associated with more frequent awakenings, night sweats, nightmares, headaches and is much less restful.