Sleep hygiene tips for a good night’s sleep

Clean up your act with these sleep hygiene tips and start enjoying a better, more restful sleep.

Despite the name, sleep hygiene has nothing to do with how often you wash your bed sheets. According to the Better Health Channel, sleep hygiene refers to “healthy habits, behaviours and environmental factors that can be adjusted to help you have a good night’s sleep”. 

This means there are things you can do to increase your chances of getting a good night’s rest. If you’re someone who struggles to wake up in the morning without a series of increasingly shrill alarms, or you regularly find yourself yawning your way through work, a few simple lifestyle adjustments could make all the difference. 

Why is sleep hygiene so important?

It’s no secret: sleep is vital for your wellbeing. Among other things, getting enough sleep helps support healthy immune, hormonal, cardiovascular and metabolic functions.

Unfortunately, sleep issues are widespread. An estimated four in 10 Australians regularly experience inadequate sleep. In a recent survey, nearly 60 per cent of respondents reported at least one chronic sleep symptom – such as trouble falling asleep or staying asleep – occurring at least three times per week. 

Often, these problems are caused (or exacerbated) by poor sleep hygiene. Things like going to sleep on a full stomach, consuming too much caffeine, staying up late watching TV, cranking up the heater before bed, or choosing the wrong mattress can all impact the quality and duration of your sleep.  

Signs of poor sleep hygiene 

If you have poor sleep hygiene, chances are, you’re not getting enough sleep. Whether you’re lying awake for hours counting sheep or simply hitting the sack too late, you’ll likely experience moodiness, lethargy, forgetfulness or difficulty concentrating the next day. Over an extended period of time, insufficient sleep can start to impact your physical health, too.

Poor sleep hygiene can also affect the overall quality of your rest. For adults aged 18-64, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) recommends 7-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night. ‘Uninterrupted’ is the key word here; waking up regularly throughout the night can result in light, low-quality sleep and contribute to a general feeling of tiredness.

What does good sleep hygiene look like?

When it comes to improving your sleep hygiene, it’s all about ensuring your behaviours, habits and environment are conducive to a good night’s rest.

Behaviours

Sleep hygiene isn’t just about what you do right before jumping into bed. Many of the things that happen throughout the day will impact how well you sleep at night. 

Waking up and going to bed at the same time every day helps to regulate your internal body clock (also known as circadian rhythm). Something as simple as having a long lie-in on a Sunday morning or an evening nap in the middle of the week can disrupt your normal sleep patterns. Establishing a consistent sleep routine will help your body recognise when it’s time to sleep and allow you to drift off quicker.

Exercise is also important for good sleep hygiene. Experts believe that regular physical activity improves sleep by tiring your body out and reducing stress. It may even lower your risk of developing a sleep disorder later down the line.

Try to exercise outside and get a bit of sunshine each day if you can. Sunlight is essential for maintaining a consistent sleep routine; during the day, it keeps your melatonin levels low, helping you stay awake and alert. When the sun sets, your melatonin levels start to rise, triggering the onset of sleep. 

Habits

You’ll probably need to kick a few bad habits if you want to improve your sleep hygiene. For example, if you’re a coffee-lover, try to limit yourself to just one in the morning so that you don’t feel wired at bedtime. And when those cravings kick in, substitute your usual caffeine hit for a decaf tea.

Find yourself reaching for a nightcap at the end of a long day? Alcohol might make you feel drowsy, but it can actually cause you to wake up during the night and may prevent you from entering deep sleep. Generally, you should avoid drinking alcohol at least four hours before going to sleep.

For anyone who enjoys a late-night scroll on social media (you know who you are) it’s time to ditch the phone before bed. The blue light emitted by your device can interfere with your melatonin levels, which is why Australia’s Sleep Health Foundation recommends turning off all screens 1-2 hours before bed – and, if possible, keeping them out of the bedroom altogether. 

Other habits to avoid include eating a meal less than two hours before bed and drinking too many fluids. There’s nothing more annoying than having to get up to use the bathroom during the night, after all.

Environment

Your bedroom should be set up for a good night’s sleep. Try keeping it exclusively for sleep if you can; activities such as working, watching television or talking to friends on the phone should be done elsewhere if possible. If you start to associate your bedroom with rest and relaxation, it can help you unwind at night.

Your sleep environment should be dark, quiet and restful. Make sure your blinds or curtains do a good job blocking out any light from outside, and if you live in a noisy neighbourhood, it might be time to get a pair of earplugs. 

You’ll also want to ensure your bedroom is the ideal temperature for sleeping – approximately 17 to 19°C. Anything warmer, and it can start to disrupt your slumber. If you’re prone to overheating in the night, the Forty Winks Moonshadow ThermoCOOL Side Sleeper Pillow controls heat and energy flow – helping to keep you cool and comfortable while you sleep – while the Forty Winks Moonshadow Pure Balance sheets contain graphene for its excellent thermoregulating properties.

What would a good night’s sleep be without a comfortable and supportive mattress? At Forty Winks, there’s a range of quality mattresses, in all sizes, comfort levels and prices to choose from, but bedMATCH® takes the guesswork out of finding the right one. Our patented diagnostic system uses a built-in computer system and sensors to run over 1000 scientific calculations across 18 statistical body measurements, including your height, the width of your shoulders, hips and waist. It uses this data to determine your postural support needs and match you with the perfect mattress.

Ready to get a better night’s sleep? Explore our product range here.