From the Guidelines
To improve sleep quality, it is essential to follow evidence-based sleep hygiene recommendations, including maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, avoiding bright light exposure before bedtime, and creating a sleep-conducive environment, as suggested by the most recent study 1. When it comes to pre-sleep light exposure, it is recommended to seek bright light during the day, especially in the morning, and avoid bright light at night, as it can delay sleep onset 1. Some key sleep hygiene guidelines include:
- Maintaining a regular sleep schedule, even on weekends, to regulate the body's internal clock 1
- Keeping the bedroom cool, dark, and comfortable, with a temperature range of 60-67°F or 15-20°C 1
- Avoiding caffeine at least 6 hours before bedtime and limiting alcohol consumption before bedtime, as both can disrupt sleep quality 1
- Avoiding excessive food and liquids at night, as they can disrupt sleep through reflux and increased trips to the bathroom 1
- Using beds for sleep and sex only, and avoiding other activities in bed, such as watching TV or using phones, to strengthen the mental association between the bed and sleep 1
- Avoiding obsessive clock watching, as it can increase mental activity and make resuming sleep more difficult 1 By following these guidelines, individuals can improve their sleep quality and overall well-being, as supported by the highest quality study 1.
From the Research
Sleep Hygiene Recommendations
Evidence-based sleep hygiene recommendations from expert sleep societies and Lifestyle Medicine Society include:
- Pre-sleep light exposure: Individualized sleep hygiene application is essential, considering factors such as age, genetic predisposition, health status, and substance dependence 2
- Bedroom activities: Sleep hygiene refers to a list of behaviors, environmental conditions, and other sleep-related factors that can be adjusted as a stand-alone treatment or component of multimodal treatment for patients with insomnia 3
- Temperature regulation: Although there is no absolute consensus about which steps must be included to constitute sleep hygiene treatment, empirical data demonstrating the role of poor sleep hygiene as a contributor to insomnia is not available 3
Expert Recommendations
Expert sleep societies, such as the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, emphasize the importance of sleep health in education, clinical practice, inpatient and long-term care, public health promotion, and the workplace 4
- Healthy sleep requires good quality, appropriate timing, regularity, and the absence of sleep disorders 4
- Sleep hygiene strategies, including exercise, stress management, noise, sleep timing, and avoidance of caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, and daytime napping, have public health utility 5
Individualized Approach
An individualized approach to sleep hygiene is essential, considering factors such as age, genetic predisposition, health status, and substance dependence 2
- Providers can work with patients to enact measures, such as implementation of enhanced sleep hygiene, engagement in cognitive behavioral therapy, and treatment of any underlying causes, to improve patient sleep quality 6