Faced with insomnia routine is needed. Although the word routine is loaded with negative connotations, when we talk about fighting sleep disorders it will be our best ally. Sleep hygiene consists of a series of rituals or routines that bring us closer to sleep and rest. Each person can create their own sleeping ritual, but the steps must be constant and routine.
What is sleep hygiene
Proper sleep hygiene is what every person needs to sleep well. It is about a series of behaviors throughout the day, but especially at the last minute they will help us fight insomnia and get into bed with the sole purpose of sleeping.
- Gradually reduce activity throughout the day.
- Avoid drinking stimulating drinks after 6 pm.
- Regularly practice physical exercise but never before going to bed.
- Avoid naps.
- Maintain a routine or regular times to go to bed and get up, both during the week and on weekends.
- Eat a light dinner but don’t go to bed hungry.
- Use the bed only to sleep, not to watch television, work or chat on social networks.
- Provide a relaxed atmosphere in the bedroom to call sleep.
- Closing the bedroom door leaving out problems and worries.
- Follow our own ritual to sleep well daily.
The ritual to sleep well
The ritual to sleep well is one of the most important measures of sleep hygiene. Each person can create their own ritual according to their needs, but we have elaborated some of the most common steps before going to bed and preparing to sleep.
- The day comes to an end when we leave all obligations resolved, the children in bed and we review the agenda for the next day.
- After dinner we can watch television, read or do any activity that distracts us, without involving a lot of physical activity, but which takes discussions, problems and worries away from our minds.
- Comfort is essential to be relaxed, so we can prepare our rest with a scented bath and put on our pajamas ready to sleep.
- Brushing your teeth, brushing your hair and applying the cream are some essential steps to avoid leaving us with the feeling that we lack something to do.
- If insomnia is caused by anxiety, nothing better than doing some breathing exercises to reduce nervousness.
- It is time to take a relaxing infusion and get into bed with the intention of sleeping well.
- Some people fall asleep faster if they read a few pages of a book or listen to music.
- Convinced that we deserve to rest, we sleep better with the light off, without noise.
- It is not necessary to look at the alarm clock because it will ring in the morning anyway, so it is best to turn it around so as not to see what time it is if we wake up at midnight.