The first post in our weekly wellness collaboration with The Collective Wellness, an evidence-based holistic wellbeing resource. Sleep is so important for our mental health; this post talks you through why and shows you some simple ways to improve your sleep hygiene!
The importance of sleep hygiene...
Sleep is the time our bodies need to relax and repair, giving us the energy we need for the coming day. A good night’s sleep will look different to everyone, but is recommended to be between 6-9 hours a night for an adult.
When people mention sleep hygiene they are referring to the quality of sleep we get. This is very important as there is a close connection between sleep and our mental health, which can both negatively impact each other. Sleep can also play a big role in our physical health; with ongoing problems associated with multiple health risks.
There are many factors that can impact our quality of sleep including: our sleep environment, our emotions e.g. stress or worry, our age, taking certain medications and our diets. It is undetermined whether sleep affects our diet, or if diets affect our sleep, however consuming a balanced diet is associated with better sleep hygiene and improved mood and energy throughout the day. As well as consuming a balanced diet, other things that can help are drinking enough water, avoiding caffeine later in the day, participating in regular exercise and taking time to relax before bed.
TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR SLEEP HYGIENE
Eating a balanced diet
Drinking enough water
Avoiding caffeine later in the day
Participating in regular exercise
Taking time to relax before bed
