Good sleep hygiene goes beyond avoiding scrolling through your phone or laptop in bed & avoiding caffeine, it involves implementing healthy habits during both the day and your nighttime routine, along with optimising your environment We all have different body clocks and all need different hours of sleep during the night, however we can all benefit from good sleep hygiene for both our mental and physical health. No matter what age you are or how many hours you need, quality sleep will improve your overall quality of life.

We explored how to improve your sleep hygiene, start with as little or as many of these factors that suit your lifestyle best - as time progresses revisit this list and work on adding further healthy habits.

First things first, set up your bedroom for optimal sleep

• Invest in quality, comfortable bedding.
• Make sure the temperature is optimal for your sleep. 
• Add plants to your space. Tip: greenery not only brings life to a space but certain plants help to purify the air.
• Balance out noise. 
• Dim the lights. Tip: Use a soft bedside lamp during your night time routine, block out curtains or an eye mask will allow you a better sleep if light is coming in either during the night or at sunrise.
• Add a scent: Tip: Using scents in your room will evoke calmness and a positive association to your room being a space for rest. Soft scents like lavender are perfect for the bedroom. 

Improve your daily habits 

• Move your body 
• Cut down on caffeine in the afternoons 
• Don’t eat too late 
• Use your bedroom for sleep and downtime not work
• Get up at the same time each day 
• Get some sun

Night time routine 

• Implement a wind down routine
• Focus on relaxation 
• Remove electronics
• Dim the lights

TIP: If you’re tossing and turning, get up and do something to relax you. Drink a tea, read a book, do a guided sleep meditation - you’ll often find that taking 20 minutes to do this will result in you being able to fall asleep rather than an hour or more of tossing & turning. 

Sleep hygiene is also prioritising rest, sleep is when our body regenerates and also releases stress, it’s such an important need. Ready to improve your sleep hygiene, start with a good sleep routine, We spoke to The Goodnight Co’s founders on how to create a good sleep routine HERE.