This post has been updated since it was originally published on March 25, 2022.
According to The Sleep Foundation, 35% of adults report getting less than seven hours of sleep per night. Many of us don’t get enough sleep, and it can be attributed to everything from stress, caffeine, and even your diet. However, one thing that also plays a big role in your sleep quality is your sleep hygiene.
Sleep hygiene is a phrase used to refer to the collection of habits that you follow before bed and can include: what you eat before bed, the temperature of your room, the amount of light in your room, and even the activities you do before sleep. Habits are everything, so making sure your nighttime routine promotes relaxation is key. We asked Dr. Olivia Audrey, a board-certified naturopathic doctor, what habit you may include in your nighttime routine that could be negatively affecting your sleep.
First of all, it’s important to understand what’s causing your poor sleep in the first place. Difficulty sleeping can be caused by a wide range of things, so it’s important to speak with your doctor to know your unique cause for sure. However, Dr. Audrey shared some insight on causes she has seen most commonly. “One of the biggest factors is overstimulation, including social media, cell phone and tv usage (blue light) and caffeinated beverages or energy drink consumption,” she says.
“Another factor which has created a buzz in the wellness field is identifying YOUR specific sleep type, or requirement. For example, some people function most optimally on 7-8 hours of sleep and rising at earlier hours, while others show higher brain function and alertness rising later in the day and only sleeping 4-6 hours.”
What is one habit you could be doing that will make your sleep quality worse?
As stated previously, your habits make a huge difference. “By leaps and bounds, the worst habit that inhibits sleep is cell phone usage after 8 pm and exposure to blue light. Too much screen time, and using devices during these time frames disrupt our circadian rhythms, the internal clock responsible for generating our bodies natural sleep and wake cycles.” While it is easy to mindlessly scroll through your phone at the end of the day, it may be worth it to put the phone down before bed.
“A secondary habit would be not establishing a sleep routine. This is something I create with all my clients, as sleeping and rising during the same hours each day help to reinforce a healthy hormonal balance as well as help our bodies perform necessary repair functions.” Making sure you follow a routine before bed every night is an important way to prepare your brain to unwind and your body to relax.
What are some things you can do instead that will set you up for sleep success?
Dr. Audrey says, “I always tell my clients, the bigger the lifestyle change, the bigger the result! That's true for diet, exercise, and especially sleep—which doesn’t get the necessary attention it deserves as part of maintaining healthy immune and brain function. One of the easiest, most immediate changes you can make is creating a bedtime routine, (mine includes Highline Wellness’ CBD Night Gummies) and a 30 minute meditation.”
She adds, “The Highline Wellness CBD gummies are my go-to, especially when I’ve had a stressful week or my sleep is disrupted from touring and traveling. In fact, the most recent sleep study using Highline’s gummies showed it helped 100% of the participants sleep better in three days or less! So, I always make sure to have some on hand.”
You can’t pour from an empty cup, which means that it is important to prioritize getting good rest. Your habits are everything when it comes to your sleep quality. Avoiding overstimulation when it comes to screen time and setting specific sleep and wake times are two ways that you can take control of your sleep hygiene and get better rest.
