You’d be forgiven for thinking sleep hygiene = clean sheets or a mess-free bedroom, but it’s actually all about tidying up something else: your night-time routine. Your sleeping environment does play a role, but so do your bedtime habits. Quite simply, good sleep hygiene means following a consistent sleep time ritual that sets you up for a restful night.
And the benefits of these healthy sleep habits are endless. Getting enough rest (7-8 hours of sleep per night for a healthy adult) is key to staying both mentally and physically healthy. Not only does it nix any daytime sleepiness, but the National Sleep Foundation says improved sleep also helps to enhance mental function, mood, productivity, athletic performance, immunity and cardiac health.
So, here we're revealing the sleep hygiene habits you need to know. It's time to spring clean your night routine with these eight fixes...
Try these 8 sleep hygiene practices
1. Establish a regular sleep schedule
We're creatures of habit, so a consistent sleep schedule is important for keeping your body clock in check. Our daily routines ground us, and act as cues for our internal clock to wake us up or let us rest. So, be strict about what time you go to bed and get up in the morning, making sure the timings are the same every day (or at least close). At first, it might mean dragging yourself away from some tempting lie-ins, but once you start getting up earlier and tucking in at a set time, your sleep cycle will improve.
2. Banish bright lights and blue lights
If natural light tends to peek through your curtains, consider wearing an eye mask while you snooze. The silky-soft Panda London Bamboo Eye Mask in our Bedtime Bundle blocks out any glimmers of light, so you can get a restful sleep. Also packed in the kit is our Night-Time CBD Oil Drops, infused with soothing peppermint, hemp seed oil, coconut oil and our highest-strength dose of premium CBD. Use the mask and CBD oil as a combo before your head hits the pillow, and the mask will prevent any bright lights from causing sleep disturbances.
Keep blue light at bay too. This is the light that's emitted from most smartphones or tablets, which has a negative effect on your circadian rhythm (AKA your body clock). A lot of devices now come with a night light setting that's better for your eyes pre-bedtime, but the best way to prevent blue light from ruining your sleep is to take a screen break at least two hours before bedtime. If you can, leave your phone or tablet outside of the bedroom so there's no temptation to scroll. We also recommend swapping late-night TV for a podcast or audiobook to give your eyes a proper break.
3. Embrace a relaxing bedtime routine
Stress and poor sleep go hand in hand, so if you often go to bed feeling on edge, consider working a few relaxing steps into your nightly routine. They don't have to take long; start with small, simple changes that divert your attention elsewhere. Some of our favourite sleep hygiene strategies include:
- Taking a leaf from Claudia Winkleman's book and swallowing two Bright Days CBD Capsules before bed, which we've packed with mind-kind zinc to contribute to normal cognitive function.
- Relaxing in the bath after a CBD massage to ease tense muscles, so you can go to bed feeling clean, comforted and soothed.
- Spritzing a pillow mist over bed linen before sliding underneath the sheets and switching on a calming podcast or reading a book.
4. Block out late night noise
In a perfect world, we'd all be able to enjoy a sound sleep with zero noise. However, traffic outside and loud neighbours next door don't always make that possible. Some of us can snooze through anything, but the impact of noise on sleep can be huge for the more restless amongst us. That's why, if you're sensitive to sound, it's important to take action fast.
Do what you can to minimise noise, whether that means switching your phone on silent each night, keeping windows shut, installing heavy curtains or putting sound absorbing ornaments on the walls. If all else fails, get some earplugs or noise cancelling headphones, so you can snooze through the night without anything disturbing you.
5. Make sure your room is a comfortable temperature
Did you know? The best temperature for sleep is around 16-18 degrees Celsius, not just for falling asleep but also for staying asleep throughout the night. If you need to cool down, open a window or switch on a fan while you rest, and if you need to warm up, put on light, breathable cotton pyjamas and make sure you're sleeping with a thick enough duvet. We recommend swapping out your bedding from season to season to work with changing temperatures, so you're never too hot or too cold to get enough rest.
6. Adjust your caffeine intake
A cup of coffee may feel like the ultimate remedy for daytime sleepiness, but if you're drinking it too late in the day, it could be the thing that's keeping you awake. So, try quitting coffee post-12pm and sipping plenty of water instead. Herbal teas are also a good alternative to coffee if you need a hot drink to warm up in the afternoon.
If you think you have a caffeine sensitivity – meaning even one morning coffee ruins your sleep – it might be time to go caffeine-free all day and look at other ways of kicking fatigue. Upgrade your morning routine with two of our Bright Days CBD Capsules, which are enriched with 225% of your daily vitamin C dose to contribute to a reduction in tiredness. They're a morning must-try.
7. Only take short power naps
Beware of the 90-minute afternoon nap. If you're indulging in too much daytime shut-eye, you're more likely to struggle with getting enough sleep at night. Sometimes a nap is just needed, but try to stick to a 20-minute power nap. Bonus: Shorter naps actually make you feel more rested and refreshed than longer naps, so it's always worth setting your alarm clock.
8. Keep your bedroom tidy
You've heard the saying 'tidy space, tidy mind', right? If you want to feel more rested when it comes to your nightly sleep, a clear, mess-free bedroom is a must. So, when you wake up each morning, kick start your day with a quick tidy up. Make your bed, pick up any items off the floor, and then maintain a neat bedroom all day long. Wash your bed sheets at least once per week, too, so you always have a fresh, clean bed for sleep. A calm sleeping environment is key to winding down and drifting off each night.
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