Lifestyle Sleep Health
Sleep is an extremely important part of human health. Negative effects of sleep delays or interruptions include sluggishness, low attention span, decreased sociability, depressed mood, decreased deep sleep, decreasedcaloric burn during the day, increased hunger and decreased feeling of fullness, insulin resistance and decreased performance. If you are struggling to sleep, ask your healthcare team whether a sleep study or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for insomnia (CBTi) might be needed.
Sleep Disrupters
- Too much food or drink close to sleep time
- Blue light from phone/computer/television screen
- Caffeine and alcohol use
- Stress/anxiety/worry
- Certain noises/sounds
- Temperature (too hot or too cold)
- Lack of daytime sunlight exposure
- Medications and medical conditions
- Bed partner and/or pets
Tips for Better Sleep
- Use bed for sleep only
- Establish regular sleep schedule (same sleep and wake times)
- Minimize/eliminate bedroom noise and lights
- Increase daytime exposure to sunlight
- Move at least every hour during the day
- Eliminate nighttime caffeine and limit daytime caffeine
- Avoid alcohol within 3 hours of bedtime
- Avoid high-sodium foods close to bedtime
- Eliminate/limit after-dinner and late-night snacking
- Maintain a healthy BMI
- Stay hydrated during the day
- Use Cognitive behavioral therapy for treatment of insomnia
- Increase exercise to 150 minutes of moderate intensity per week
- Include more whole food plant-based dietary choices
- Increase medication techniques
Sleep Management Goals
Setting goals around sleep health is a great way to increase your sleep quality. It’s often easier to achieve positive goals. An example of a positive sleep goal is, “I will begin a new bedtime routine of shutting off the television and instead, reading a book for at least 30 minutes before bed, four nights this week.”
Specific – What are you going to do to improve your sleep quality/quantity?
Measurable – How much time, how many sessions?
Achievable – Do you have what it takes to follow through?
Realistic – What can you actually do? (improvement over perfection)
Time-bound – How frequent? How long will you commit?
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