Did you know that studies how found that a lack of sleep can shorten our lifespan? Sleep is one of the most important ways we can recover & reset – mentally and physically. Having healthy sleep habits can improve your quality of life in many ways. At Tonic, we have a number of resources to support sleep quality and duration ensuring you wake feeling refreshed and ready to go!
But what exactly are healthy sleep habits? Have you ever heard of sleep hygiene? It basically refers to a series of healthy sleep habits that improve our ability to fall asleep and stay asleep! Sound good?
Here are some of our top tips for healthy sleep habits.
Create a sleep schedule
Are you someone who varies their bedtime regularly and has issues with sleep? Creating a sleep schedule is a great way to start a bedtime routine and implement healthy sleep habits. Setting a consistent bedtime and sticking to it reinforces our sleep cycle and can naturally make us more sleepy each evening at bedtime. This means you’ll not only get to sleep easier but have a better quality of sleep overall.
Stick to those 8 hours
It’s not just an old wives’ tale – studies have shown that we need seven to eight hours of sleep for proper rest, with women needing on average slightly more sleep than men. By getting the right amount of sleep, our brain can go through all the necessary stages of the sleep cycle and give it the rest it needs. You can use sleep calculator apps to help determine the best bedtime for you.
Cut out caffeine
For many people, caffeine is an essential part of the day but it is most likely the reason you can’t sleep at night. Caffeine can stay in your system for up to ten hours so having that afternoon pick-me-up coffee could be sabotaging your rest. Try to cut out caffeine in the afternoon or switch to decaf for the best night of sleep. Cutting out caffeine completely can be difficult but will have the most impact on your sleep overall.
Create a comfortable sleeping environment
It is so important to make sure your bedroom is in the right atmosphere to get the best night of sleep. Whether you run hot or cold, the temperature of your bedroom can make the world of difference. Adjust the temperature to find the best for you and consider using extra equipment such as fans and eye masks to maximise your comfort,
Limit working in your room
We’re all guilty of using our room for other purposes whether that’s work, watching TV or reading. It’s best to only use our bedrooms when actually going to sleep to help our brains associate the room with relaxation. Creating a strong mental connection between your bedroom and relaxation will give you the best chance of falling asleep quickly. In a nutshell use your bed for only sex and sleep!
Reduce blue light before sleeping
Phone screens, TVs and computers all emit blue light which makes it difficult for our brains to wind down and rest. To reduce the impact of blue light on your night of sleep, try spending an hour before going to sleep away from screens. You can use this time to read, journal or start any of those other offline hobbies you’ve been putting off.
Get out of bed
If after all these tips you’re still struggling to drop off, getting up can be a great way to reset the brain and get you ready to sleep. Try getting up if you’ve been unable to sleep for half an hour and do something calming to shake off insomnia, and get a better night of rest.
Conclusion
Getting good quality sleep, and getting enough sleep is essential for both physical and mental wellbeing. These healthy sleep tips should help create habits for the long term. At Tonic Wellbeing, we can help to support your team with a range of health and wellbeing services, including sleep issues. If you’re looking to support your employees with a blended solution of online and onsite wellbeing help then request a demo of our “Tonic and Me” app today.
Want to make sure you remember and try these top tips, download our Sleep Well Checklist here.
