Sleep Hygiene
General Sleep Recommendations
1. Sleep in complete darkness, or as close to it as possible. Even small amounts of light from alarm clocks or other devices can disrupt your internal clock, as well as your production of melatonin.
Cover screens. Close the door and use blackout curtains to block out light from the window. In addition, use a well- fitting sleep mask.
Refrain from turning on any light during the night, even if you must get up to go to the bathroom. If you must have a nightlight, use one with a red bulb.
2. Keep the bedroom temperature at 70% or lower. 60% to 68% is the ideal temperature for sleeping. Sleeping in a room that is cooler or too hot can lead to restless sleep. Sleeping in the buff can also help as this can prevent overheating.
3. Eliminate as many electromagnetic fields as possible. If possible, shut off the circuit breaker to your bedroom. However, this can be impossible or impractical, in which case you can purchase Stezer filters for the outlets. These are easily purchased on Amazon.
If possible, shut off your wi-fi and leave your cell phone in another room. If you must have it in your bedroom, shut it off. Even airplane mode does not block EMFs adequately.
4. Move alarm clocks and electrical devices at least 3 feet from your bed. To avoid being jolted out of sleep in the morning, consider an alarm clock that has a sun alarm. This will wake you up gently by gradually increasing the intensity of light much like a sunrise. If you are using an alarm, choose mellow music or soft tone, rather than harsh sounds.
5. Reserve your bedroom for sleeping. Do not watch TV or work in bed. Reading relaxing material before bed is acceptable and can help you fall asleep. Avoid reading any material that is stimulating or suspenseful.
6. Separate Bedrooms. You may need to sleep in separate rooms as sleeping with a partner can impair sleep, especially if your partner is restless or snores. Pets can also interfere with sleep and may need to be banished from the bed if they interfere with your sleep.
7. Ideally go to bed between 9 to 10 PM. Your body, especially the adrenals, does a lot of healing and recharging between 11 PM and 1 AM. The gallbladder also dumps a lot of toxins during this time. If you are awake during these hours, the liver can get backed up with toxins, which can be hazardous to your health. Children should go to bed at 8 or 9 as they need more sleep to support their growing bodies.
8. Maintain a consistent bedtime. Going to bed and waking up at the same time, even on weekends, will establish a healthy sleep rhythm.
9. Establish a bedtime routine. A good routine may include a relaxing bath or shower, meditation, deep breathing, and aromatherapy. Find something that helps you relax and release tension and repeating it each night will help signal your body to relax and prepare for sleep.
10. Avoid drinking fluids two hours before going to bed. This will reduce, or minimize, the frequency of trips to the bathroom.
11. Go to the bathroom right before bed. This can help reduce extra trips to the bathroom during the night.
12. Avoid eating at least three hours before bedtime, especially grains and sugars. This can raise your blood sugar which often delays sleep. Later, the blood sugar drops, and this can cause you to wake up and have a hard time falling back to sleep.
13. Minimize the use of electronics during the day and especially in the evening. Using these devices robs you of sleep. The more time you spend on these devices, especially at night, the harder it is to fall asleep or achieve deeper states of sleep as needed for healing. Wear Blue Blocker glasses several hours before bedtime. You can get inexpensive Blue Blocker glasses, including bifocals by clicking on this site.
14. Sleep on a Grounding Mat: Grounding mats are life changers. If you want the full handout on the benefits of grounding, please email me. You can purchase a Grounding Mat at this site.
15. Deep breathing exercises. Slow rhythmic breathing can create physical changes in your body activating your parasympathetic response which will allow you to relax. You can find many deep breathing techniques. Use one that works for you.
16. Hot bath or Shower and/or Near Infrared Light Sauna before bed. These practices are very relaxing. Many clients feel tired after their saunas so this can be a good time to incorporate your near infrared light sauna into your routine. They may also help with deeper and sounder sleep.
17. Wear socks to bed. If your feet tend to get cold, wearing socks to bed is a great option. Cold feet can cause you to wake up during the night. Wearing socks can easily fix this issue.
18. Wear an eye mask to block out light. As already suggestion, wearing a mask can be an easy way to block out light. This is especially helpful if you live in a place where blocking all the light is impossible. Wearing a mask can take a little getting used to, but it is a lifesaver when it comes to sleep.
19. Do not work before bedtime. Put away all work at least two hours before bedtime. You need time to decompress and unwind. This will allow your mind to settle into sleep more quickly than you do when you try moving from “work” to sleep without transitioning into a relaxed state before going to bed.
20. Do not watch TV right before bed. As mentioned before, TVs should not be IN the bedroom, but they also should be shut off an hour or more before going to bed. TV creates too much stimulation, and the light interferes with your production of melatonin. Also, watching the news and other distressing shows interferes with your brain’s ability to relax.
21. Listen to relaxing music on sound machines. You may want to listen to soothing music before bed. I have a white noise device in my room that allows me to listen to nature sounds while I sleep. (I put a piece of electrical tape over the light).
22. Journal before bedtime. You may want to write down your thoughts before bedtime. This can help you release your thoughts and relax. Keeping a gratitude journal is also a great way to end your night. Reflect on your day and jot down everything that you are grateful for before going to bed.
23. Avoid drugs as much as possible. Many drugs interfere with sleep. Ask your doctor to help you come off prescription drugs as soon as possible.
24. Avoid caffeine. Do not consume caffeine after noon. Even if caffeine does not keep you from falling asleep, studies show that it affects your ability to get deep sleep. This is shown when brain waves are measured in people consuming caffeine before sleeping.
25. Avoid alcohol. Often alcohol will make you feel drowsy. However, it will interfere with our ability to get sound sleep and often cause you to wake up often during the night. Alcohol can make it hard to fall back to sleep when you wake up as well.
26. Exercise in the morning when possible but not within 3 hours of bedtime. Thirty minutes of exercise can improve your sleep. This even includes light exercise such as walking, or light rebounding. However, if you exercise too close to bedtime, it may keep you awake.
27. Lose excess weight. Being overweight increases your risk of sleep apnea and can seriously impair your sleep. Your program will help you find and regulate your perfect weight.
28. Take Glycine to help improve sleep. Glycine can not only improve sleep but also helps heal the gut and when taken as recommended (see info in link), glycine can protect and detox you from glyphosate.
29. Use sleep aids as recommended and as a temporary remedy for sleep issues. If all else fails, sleep aids can be used to reset your circadian rhythm and assist you in getting better sleep. Ask your practitioner for assistance in choosing the right sleep aids for you.
30. Get Morning Sun! Getting daylight exposure in the mornings is one of the best ways to regulate our circadian rhythms, according to sleep experts. Circadian rhythms are regulated when daylight hits the back of your eyes and this true even on cloudy days.
31. Use incandescent lights in your home. Avoid artificial lighting, such as fluorescent and LED lights, especially at night.
The entire contents of this website/article are based upon the opinions of Doreen McCafferty NLC, unless otherwise noted. Individual articles are based upon the opinions of the respective author, who retains copyright as marked. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Doreen McCafferty, NLC and her community. Doreen McCafferty encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition, consult your health care professional before using products based on this content. All information in this article is for educational purposes only and not designed to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice.