. SLEEP HYGIENE.
You can easily overcome sleep disturbances by following some good sleep habits also known as _*“SLEEP HYGIENE”*_.
The following ways of maintaining a good sleep hygiene helps in sleeping-
a. Be consistent – Go to bed at the same time each night and get up at the same time each morning.
b. Sleep only when “sleepy”- Only try to sleep when you actually feel tired or sleepy, rather than spending too much time awake in bed.
c. Avoid caffeine and nicotine - It is best to avoid consuming any caffeine (in coffee, tea, cola drinks, chocolate, and some medications) or nicotine for at least 4-6 hours before going to bed.
d. Bed is for sleeping-Try not to use your bed for anything other than sleeping, so that your body comes to associate bed with sleep.
e. Say ‘no’ to naps during day- If you can’t make it through the day without a nap, make sure it is for less than an hour and before 3pm.
f. Sleep rituals- Develop your own rituals of things to remind your body that it is time to sleep – for eg. Do relaxing stretches or breathing exercises for 15 minutes before going to bed each night.
g. Hot bath makes you sleepy- Having a hot bath 1-2 hours before bedtime can be useful.
h. Say no to clock-watching- Frequently checking the clock during the night can wake you up (especially if you turn on the light to read the time) and reinforces negative thoughts.
i. Use a sleep diary- Make up a chart with spaces for the time you went to bed and woke up, how long and well you slept, when you were awake during the night ,how much caffeine or alcohol you consumed and when, what/when you ate and drank, what emotion or stress you had ,what drugs or medications you
- Dr Anshul Mahajan
Consultant psychiatrist