Before the Doctor’s Visit: Your Essential Sleep Hygiene Checklist

Do you ever feel like sleep is playing hard to get with you, leaving you tossing and turning in a sleepless dance of despair? The fist step — your Sleep Hygiene education.

The Electronic Quicksand (No devices 30 Minutes Before Bed)

Your phone is Gollum’s precious ring, and you’re Frodo on a quest to chuck it into the fiery abyss of Mordor (or just leave it on the charger).

Avoid the bright screens before bedtime.

Bed: Sleep, Sex, and Sickness (Not Your Home Office or Personal Diner)

The bed isn’t your personal swiss army knife of activities. Leave it for three things and three things only: sleep, romance, and suffering from that nasty cold you caught because you couldn’t resist going outside in the rain without an umbrella.

No Eating, working, or watching TV in bed.

Nap… or Not to Nap (The Shakespearean dilemma of the modern era)

Well, I personally love naps. It’s like eating the extra dessert at the buffet — seems like a good idea at the time, but only until you gain weight…or sleep struggles.

If you must nap, do it before 3 PM, and don’t let it turn into a Siesta-fiesta that haunts your nighttime slumber.

Lifehack: try to cool your limbs when felt sleepy. My personal office tip: take off your shoes and step on the tile floor with your bare feet.

Skip naps.

(If you insist, I suggest to limit you nap time to 15–20 minutes. Longer sleep causes “sleep inertia”.

Lifehack #2: drink a quick cup of coffee immediately before taking a nap. Caffeine needs just about 20 minutes to work. In 20 minutes your heart rate rises — and voila! you’re awake)

The Sleep Routine (More doesn’t mean better)

Your body loves consistency.

Don’t roll your eyes, this one is a real game-changer. No need to stay in bed longer go to bed earlier, it actually has the opposite effect.

Just stick to a fixed bedtime and wake-up time. Yes, even the weekends.

30 minutes of natural light in the morning

Exposure to light in the morning, particularly natural light helps suppress the production of melatonin, a hormone that makes you feel sleepy, and regulate your body’s internal clock. This can improve your overall sleep quality and make it easier to fall asleep at night.

At least 30 minutes of daylight in the mornings.

Ideas: open the curtains, let in all of the natural light. Move the table you eat your breakfast at closer to the window. Try walk to the bus stop instead of riding a bicycle. Or even use the further station.

Caffeine and Alcohol — The Two-Headed Sleep Monster

Caffeine can have your brain doing a tap dance routine just when it’s time to tango with dreams. And alcohol is that obnoxious friend who starts a fight at the party.

Cut them off at least 4–6 hours before bedtime.

Pre-Sleep Chillin’ (Zen Time)

Get your chill on before bed.

Ideas: stretches, calming music, warm shower.

Anything that gets you in the “I’m ready to sleep” mood.

Avoid work or anything that involves your brain making important decisions. No news either — the world will definitely survive without you. Save that for daytime when you’re fully (caffeinated) awake.

Make a Worry List (The Most Unproductive To-Do List Ever)

Worries and thoughts have this annoying habit of showing up uninvited when you’re trying to fall asleep. Take a few minutes before bed to jot down everything that’s bugging you.

Take

“I’ll think about that tomorrow” © Scarlett O’Hara

as your personal motto.

Let the paper remember instead.

The Boring Brigade

Engage in dull activities. Listen to a podcast in a foreign language you don’t understand or read random textbooks. Or go over this list again. It’s like counting sheep but without the farm smell.

Embrace boredom like a long-lost friend.

Exercise

Exercise. You need to keep your body tired by the end of the day.

If All Else Fails, Get Up and Try Again

If you’re tossing and turning for more than 20 minutes, get up and do something boring or relaxing. Your bed is not a wrestling ring, so don’t fight with it. Remember to avoid devices and bright light.

Ideas: reading a (not too exiting) book, knitting, washing the dishes, applying a face mask or do a scalp massage. Or maybe its just the right time for #7. a worry list?

Can’t sleep for more than 20 minutes? — try again later.

Become the Sleep Expert

Sometimes, understanding what’s going on with you is half the battle. How about checking out my other articles?

Understand the science of sleep.

Call in the Professionals

Don’t stay alone in your insomnia Groundhog Day.

If all else fails, it’s time to bring in the big guns — call a sleep specialist.

So there you have it, the Sleep Struggles checklist. Follow these tips, and may your nights be restful.

Sweet dreams!