COMMONLY ASKED SLEEP HYGIENE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

WHEN SHOULD I GO TO BED?

Work backwards and get you 8 hours in

  • Up at 5 to get in a workout?
    • Asleep by 9pm
  • Up at 7 to be at work by 9?
    • Asleep by 11pm

Children

  • Infants 4 months to 12 months should sleep 12-16 hours per 24 hours (including naps)
  • Children 3-5 years of age should sleep 10-13 hours per 24 hours (including naps)
  • Teenagers 13-18 years of age should sleep 8-10 hours per 24 hours

*AAP Sleep Guidelines

SHUT IT ALL DOWN

  • Tablet (iPad/Kindle etc.)
  • Smart Phone
  • Laptop
  • TV

Experts recommend that you shut anything with a blue light down 60-90 minutes before you need to be asleep.

ENVIRONMENT

  • Temperature between 60-68 degrees
  • Soft lighting while awake
  • Black out curtains
  • Sleep mask
  • Mattress & pillows

Don’t fight it!  Our bodies naturally wake during daylight and sleep during the darkness thanks to our circadian rhythm.

EXERCISE / PHYSICAL

  • 30-60 Minutes a day
  • Find the time that is right for you
  • Avoid strenuous exercise too close to bedtime
  • Light exercises can be a great addition to your bedtime routine
  • Warm shower or bath

Sleepfoundation.org reports that as little as 10 minutes of aerobic exercise, such as walking or cycling, can drastically improve nighttime sleep quality.

NUTRITION

  • Caffeine
    • No caffeine past 2pm
  • Alcohol
    • 1 ounce = 1 hour to metabolize
  • Food
    • Avoid heavy foods and those with a lot of sugar

Eat breakfast like a King, lunch like a Prince & dinner like a Pauper. – Anonymous

Click here for more information on Clean Eating.

SOUNDS

  • White noise machine
  • Download an app
  • Close the window
  • Address snoring, gasping, grinding & suffocation- take our Sleep Quiz!

Do you have a roaming child?  Replicate these tips for them and always encourage them to get back in their bed.

WAKING UP

  • Easy alarm ringtones
  • Soft gradual light
  • Yoga / light stretching
  • Don’t check your phone!

Search Morning Yoga on YouTube for Free Workouts!