Sleep Hygiene 101

Trouble sleeping at night? You're not alone. 1 in 3 people experiences some form of poor sleep hygiene. Read on to learn more about causes and treatments for common sleep problems like insomnia and remedies.

SOME SYMPTOMS OF INSOMNIA:

  • Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
  • Variable sleep, such as several nights of poor sleep, followed by a night of better sleep
  • Daytime fatigue or sleepiness
  • Forgetfulness
  • Poor concentration
  • Irritability
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Reduced motivation or energy
  • Increased errors or accidents


WHEN TO GET HELP?

  • If your symptoms last over 3 weeks.
  • If your symptoms are not improving
  • If your insomnia is interfering with your ability to function during the daytime.


RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A BETTER NIGHT’S SLEEP:


TOP 3 RECOMMENDATIONS ARE:

1. Participate in some outdoor activity that involves at least a little bit of exercise at least 3 hours before bedtime.

2. Avoid caffeine after noon and alcohol all together

3. Use your time after dinner to plan for the next day. Consider making a list and then choosing to “release” these worries, since you have already organized your next day! (I.e. Set aside your worry time for daytime hours, so that you don’t do your worrying in bed).

ADDITIONAL TIPS FOR A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP:


1. Bedtime: Go to bed and get up at the same time every day, even weekends!

2. Time in Bed: Don’t go to bed until you are sleepy. Try to do something relaxing, such as reading for 30 minutes before bed.

3. Sleep duration: Try to sleep the same amount of time each night. Even if you are tired, don’t sleep in longer after a poor night’s sleep.

4. Lying in Bed Awake: If you are awake greater than 20 minutes, get out of the bed and do something boring and sedentary in a dim light. Stay OFF of the computer.

5. Bedroom activities: Try to limit activities in bed to sleep and sex. No video games, TV, bill-paying or worrying!


6. Napping: Try to avoid, but if you must, limit to no more than 20 minutes around mid-day.

7. Clock: Set an alarm so that you won’t have to worry about oversleeping, however, turn the clock away so that you cannot see it during the night.

For more information, please visit:

www.sleepfoundation.org (National Sleep Foundation)
www.sleepeducation.com (American Academy of Sleep Medicine)

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The Direct Primary Care Coalition is a growing organization of health care providers, patients, employers, and active citizens united in support of direct primary care. Through awareness campaigns and community outreach, the group works to ensure the availability of quality, affordable, and immediate primary health care for all Americans. 



Visit dpcare.org to learn how direct primary care makes healthier patients, happier providers, and a stronger America.