How To Improve Your Sleep Hygiene for Restful Sleep

Thrive • Nov 05, 2021

By Thrive Reno Occupational Therapist Dr. Meadow Deason, OTD, OTR/L

PROTECT YOUR SLEEP

Sleep is as important as eating and movement to our ability to function. Just as we nourish our well-being through intuitive eating and mindful movement, we should also engage in healthy sleep practices, or “sleep hygiene.”

WHAT IS SLEEP HYGIENE?

Dr. Chris Winter, author of The Sleep Solution: Why Your Sleep is Broken and How to Fix It defines sleep hygiene as “the act of controlling your sleep behaviors and environment to optimize your sleep.” In other words, sleep hygiene means ensuring your surroundings, routines, and mindset are aligned with the requirements for optimal sleep.

While we are instinctually driven to prioritize sleep, a multitude of factors can negatively impact the quality of our sleep. By practicing healthy sleep hygiene, we can mitigate these negative factors.

POOR SLEEP QUALITY FROM A TO ZZZ

The Impact of Poor Sleep Quality on Emotional and Mental Health

Sleep has a direct effect on our emotions. When we don’t get enough sleep, our prefrontal cortex (which helps regulate emotion) and our amygdala (which helps trigger emotional responses) don’t function in balance causing our emotions to fluctuate unnaturally. In children, insufficient sleep has been linked to aggression, bullying, and behavior problems.

As with emotions, poor sleep quality and mental health concerns are also intertwined, and typically exacerbate one another. Dr. Mathew Walker, author of Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams stated, “There are no major psychological conditions in which sleep is normal.” As such, there is a high correlation between poor sleep quality, depression, anxiety, and substance abuse.

Factors that negatively impact sleep include:

Stress
Irregular sleep schedule
Sleep environment disruptions
Physical conditions, such as asthma, heart disease, epilepsy, respiratory disorders, restless leg syndrome, and bruxism
Pain or chronic illness
Medications
Mental health disorders, such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and trauma
Concussion or brain injury
Specific sleep disorders, such as obstructive sleep apnea, delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS), and narcolepsy
Stimulants, such as caffeine, nicotine, and amphetamines
Significant life changes

You may be suffering from poor sleep quality if you are experiencing:

Delayed sleep onset (trouble falling asleep)
Intermittent walking at night
Periods of wakefulness at night
Feeling tired when you wake up
Difficulty napping, even when fatigued
Feeling fatigued throughout the day
Irritability or difficulty with emotional regulation
Difficulty concentrating or remembering information

You may have poor sleep hygiene if:

Your bedtime varies widely
You don’t have a bedtime routine
You engage in screen time before falling asleep
You leave the T.V. on while sleeping
Sensory stimulus wakes you at night

FOURTEEN WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR SLEEP HYGIENE

If you’re suffering from poor sleep quality, you can take the first step to solving your sleep struggles by beginning to pay attention to your current sleep patterns, how you feel throughout the day, and any practices that help you feel more rested than usual. At the same time, try incorporating some of the tips below to optimize your sleep.

1. Maintain a sleep schedule. You can do this by going to bed and waking up at the same times each day.
2. Carry out a bedtime routine. This may include changing into pajamas or sleep clothing, taking a warm bath or shower, reading a print book, and engaging in relaxation strategies such as mindfulness, progressive muscle relaxation, and diaphragmatic breathing.
3. Create a comfortable sleep environment. You may want to ensure the room is cool, dark, and quiet. You may also consider diffusing essential oils, such as lavender, ylang-ylang, or a special sleep-oriented blend. Additionally, you can play brown or pink noise, which are sonic hues that can promote better sleep.
4. Curate a cozy bed. From your mattress and pillows to your sheets and blankets, make sure the materials that make up your bed match your comfort preferences.
5. Optimize your sleep position. Experts recommend sleeping on your side with your spine in a straight line and a pillow between your knees.
6. Stay away from screens. Avoid the blue light emitted from screens for at least two hours before bedtime.
7. Refrain from high-intensity movement before bed. Instead, opt for gentle mindful movement practices, such as yoga, tai chi, or qi gong.
8. Monitor the side effects of any medications. All medications have side effects, which could include sleep interference. A simple change of your prescription or the time you take the medication may be just what you need to achieve a night of restful sleep.
9. Refrain from substances that can make you restless. If ingested close to bedtime, caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol can make it difficult to fall asleep as well as decrease the quality of your sleep.
10. Say no to nap time. If you take a nap late in the day, you may find it hard to fall asleep when it’s time for bed, and subsequently, wake up on time the next day.
11. Refrain from eating and drinking two hours before bedtime. When the body is busy processing food and drink, you may find it difficult to relax into a truly deep sleep.
12. Remove distracting bedfellows when possible. Fidgeting pets, snoring partners, and even cuddly children can cause you to remain wakeful throughout the night.
13. Maintain your bed as a relaxation space. Reserve your bed for sleep, sex, and resting when you’re sick. In other words, no sending emails from under the covers.
14. Score your sleep. You can use sleep rings, smartwatches, and smart beds to help you understand your nightly sleep quality.

CLINICAL SUPPORT FOR SLEEP

If your sleep has been disrupted for longer than four weeks and is impacting your ability to function normally, you may benefit from clinical support which can include occupational therapy and psychotherapy. Additionally, if you are dealing with chronic pain or a mental health condition, you may consider obtaining a sleep hygiene assessment.

From clinical support for sleep, you can gain:

An environmental assessment of your sleep and individualized recommendations for modifications and adaptations.
A sleep positioning assessment and recommendations for optimal positioning.
An improved bedtime routine.
Relaxation strategies to promote restful sleep.
Psychotherapy to help improve your mindset regarding sleep.

Thrive offers outpatient psychotherapy and occupational therapy to help you embrace a holistic sense of wellbeing, including a reliably restful sleep routine. Reach out to us to learn more about our therapeutic services and sleep hygiene guidance.

About the Author

Thrive Reno Occupational Therapist Dr. Meadow Deason, OTD, OTR/L

Dr. Meadow Deason earned her doctorate of occupational therapy at Huntington University and is a licensed doctor of occupational therapy (OTD). As an occupational therapist, she has extensive clinical experience in neurological and physical rehabilitation, fall prevention education, community-based services, home health, and mental health. Dr. Deason is also trained in oral motor function assessment, feeding therapy, therapeutic pain education, home modification, aging in place, brain injury rehabilitation, sensory integration, integration of primitive reflexes, neuromuscular rehabilitation, upper extremity rehabilitation, behavioral management, ergonomics, and mindfulness. She partners with individuals and their loved ones to overcome emotional, physical, and social barriers to holistic health through meaningful activities designed to develop, recover, modify, or maintain skills for thriving in everyday life.

Prior to becoming an occupational therapist, Dr. Deason gained years of experience in early childhood intervention, social services, treatment foster care, special education, and business.

The post How To Improve Your Sleep Hygiene for Restful Sleep first appeared on Thrive Wellness.

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Clean House, Healthy Mind: Spring Cleaning Benefits for Mental Health

By Sage Tippie • 23 Apr, 2024

Spring Cleaning Benefits for Mental Health Spring is a time of new beginnings, change, and transitions, including in our homes. With the warmer weather kicking motivation into high gear, Spring can be a prime time to do a deep clean. Not only is a clean space aesthetically pleasing to the eyes, but it can also help to improve your mental health. Learn about how tidying up your space can also tidy up your thoughts below along with tips for cleaning when you’re struggling with your mental health. 4 Reasons Why Cleaning is Beneficial to Mental health 1.Decreased Stress Not only does an uncluttered space provide a sense of calm, but the physical act of cleaning can release feel-good endorphins, reducing feelings of stress and anxiety. As you cross tasks off your checklist, your body also releases Dopamine. Also known as the “happy hormone”, Dopamine provides a sense of accomplishment and pride that can promote motivation in other areas of our lives. 2. Improved Focus Studies have shown that an uncluttered space can also lead to an uncluttered mind. Your focus can be drawn away from important tasks by a chaotic, messy space. Research has also shown a connection between procrastination and clutter, as an unwillingness to tackle larger chores like cleaning can translate over into various areas of our lives. By keeping your space tidy, it can inspire you to stay on top of other major tasks like work and school assignments. 3. Regulated Emotions According to this 2015 study , cleaning can function as a practice in mindfulness, providing an increased sense of calm and inspiration. Slowing down while cleaning gives you room to relax and free your mind of burdens, stressors, and irritants that can affect your mental health. Cleaning can even be considered a practice of self-care as the action helps you to connect with yourself and the outcome allows you to better enjoy your own space. 4. Sense of Order and Control When experiencing mental health struggles, people may feel a lack of control over their lives and emotions. Cleaning even small areas of the home can provide an increased sense of order and control as you cross tasks off your to-do list. Through realizing your own power by simply completing minor tasks like cleaning, it can reaffirm your ability to do more. 10 Tips for Cleaning When Struggling with Mental Health Mental health struggles and disorders commonly create barriers to one’s ability to clean and properly practice personal hygiene. Although these behaviors are normal side effects of mental health disorders, we want to work to aid our clients in cleaning to the best of their ability even in difficult times. Below, Thrive Wellness occupational therapist Meadow Deason shares some helpful tips she gives to clients when they struggle with cleaning due to mental health conditions: 1.Ask For Help Having support to clean can make a huge difference. Do the cleaning with the person helping you and have them hold you accountable. 2. Don't Wait for Motivation Motivation might not come before action, but it can build as you begin to see the results of your efforts. 3. Start Small Start with one area or one task and go from there. For example, concentrate on your bedroom first and then move on to the living room and bathroom. 4. Do Something Daily Even if you do only one small cleaning task a day, doing that one task creates momentum and prevents small tasks from building up and becoming overwhelming. 5. Use Sensory Modulation Change your environment by playing music, adjusting the lighting, or using aromatherapy. This can help to put you in a new headspace for cleaning. 6. Start with "High Impact" Tasks Start with more intensive or all-over cleaning tasks such as picking up clutter or doing the dishes. The visual "noise" of some tasks makes a large impact on the entire space, building motivation to continue cleaning. 7. Make a To-Do List Write a detailed to-do list of tasks and cross them off as you go. Physically marking down what you’ve accomplished can promote increased motivation. 8. Reward Yourself Set up a reward system where you reward yourself with a favorite activity or item when you complete a task as an incentive to clean. 9. Use the Rocket Method Don't think about it, just choose a task, countdown from five or ten and then start. This can help you to avoid potential anxiety and dread that can prevent you from cleaning. 10. Gamify Tasks Make up a game for your tasks or time yourself to promote increased engagement in cleaning. Your ability to complete tasks can be affected by a multitude of different factors and conditions including OCD , anxiety, depression , ADHD , and more. If you are struggling with motivation due to your mental health, help is here at Thrive Wellness.

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