Sleep hygiene - everything worth knowing clearly summarized

The topic of insomnia unfortunately often remains hidden in the dark, while millions of people torment themselves night after night. In a world that never seems to rest, the manifold effects of this insomnia are often overlooked or simply underestimated. But for those who suffer from insomnia, every night is a strain on body and mind. Restful sleep? There's no such thing - and so the next day becomes a tour de force. But it doesn't have to be! Let's take a closer look at the topic of sleep disorders together. We would like to show you which measures you can take in case of sleep problems. Good sleep hygiene plays a major role here. But what is sleep hygiene? And how can you improve your sleep hygiene? We will now provide you with answers to these and many other questions.

Content

Sleep hygiene and its definition - what is it anyway?
Sleep hygiene: tips, measures and general rules
Sleep hygiene and its rules in psychology
How important is sleep hygiene for depression?
Sleep hygiene in children & babies - what is there to consider?

Sleep hygiene and its definition - what is it anyway?

Let's start with a short form and then work our way to a more detailed definition. Sleep hygiene, more than anything else, is very important for your well-being, but unfortunately it is often underestimated and thus neglected. So sleep hygiene is not just a simple term, but something that affects your quality of life in many ways. We would like to get to the bottom of this!

Good sleep hygiene is more than just sticking to a set sleep schedule. It's about how you respect yourself and your body. When you live in a world that never seems to settle down, the importance of sleep can be easily overlooked. But sleep hygiene is the key to a healthy, happy life. It's simply about giving your body and mind the time to regenerate and heal. It means consciously taking time for yourself to rest - not just physically, but mentally as well. Because your mind needs rest after a busy day just as much as your body does.

The good news is that there are several things you can do to make it happen. For example, imagine slipping into a freshly made bed in the evening, feeling the cool bed linen on your skin, and slowly sinking into your pillow. You breathe in and out deeply, letting go of all the stress and worries of the day. This is sleep hygiene - the art of making your sleeping space a true place of rest. But a healthy sleep strategy also means paying attention to your daily habits and activities. For example, it's about reducing screen time before bed to quiet your mind. It means avoiding heavy food and alcohol just before sleep. And it's important to develop a suitable sleep environment as well as an individualized evening routine. The following sleep hygiene rules can help you well.

Sleep hygiene: tips, measures and general rules

There are a variety of tips for an optimal sleep strategy. They can all help you promote restful sleep. The more you implement, the better. First, these measures are aimed at creating an optimal sleeping environment. The main thing here is to provide your body with ideal conditions so that it can easily and quickly drift off to a restful sleep. On the other hand, you should also take care of your mind. It, too, needs support so that perfect sleep is possible. For both aspects - body and mind - there are clear sleep hygiene measures that we would like to recommend to you. If you follow the following seven most important rules, your body will certainly be able to switch off better:

Sleep hygiene: 7 rules that really help you

Especially in the back, however, the cause of pain is often simply muscle tension. As already described, it may feel to you as if a nerve is pinched, but it is actually a matter of hardened muscle structures pressing on the nerves in their vicinity. A "pinched nerve" in the back or a pinched nerve in the neck caused by muscle tension can therefore occur in virtually any back or neck muscle. The good news is that you can counteract this by relaxing the muscles, for example through stretching exercises, but also through massage or acupressure. We'll come to the topic of "releasing a pinched nerve in the back" or "releasing a pinched nerve in the neck" in more detail in a moment.

Regular sleep-wake rhythm: Try to always go to bed at the same time and get up at about the same time - even on weekends. We know it's wonderful to sleep in late on Saturday or even Sunday, but this irregularity unfortunately messes up your body. Fixed sleeping and waking times, on the other hand, help you develop a stable rhythm. And that in turn makes it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep.
Pleasant sleeping environment: Some people can fall asleep next to a loudspeaker. If you (like most) need a little more "sleeping ambience", there are a few simple measures for your bedroom. In any case, it should be absolutely dark (blackout blind or thick curtains) rather cool (17 - 20 degrees Celsius) and of course quiet. Sometimes a quietly ticking wall clock is enough to prevent you from falling asleep. So if in doubt, get it out! In any case, a comfortable, supportive mattress and a pillow that meets your needs should be included. Be sure to use natural and breathable materials.
Screen break before bedtime: Do you know about the hormones serotonin and melatonin? They help regulate your sleep-wake cycle. Here's how it works: Melatonin production is strongly influenced by light. When it gets dark outside, your body starts producing melatonin. When it's daylight, on the other hand, melatonin production is suppressed. This is why we usually feel awake in daylight and tired in the dark. The blue light from cell phones, tablets, and computers can inhibit melatonin production, which is why you should avoid using them for at least an hour before bedtime.
"Sleep-friendly" daily routine: You can make sure you're nice and tired in the evening during the day. You don't have to exercise for hours or work yourself to the bone. Of course, exercise is part of a full day, and we'll get to that in detail in a moment. But it's also important to avoid long periods of daytime sleep. If you do take a nap, it's better to keep it short (20-30 minutes max.) so you can enjoy proper deep sleep at night.
Regular exercise: Regular physical activity can improve your sleep because it works your body. When you get enough exercise, you usually feel more tired and relaxed in the evening, which makes it easier to fall asleep. However, please be careful not to exercise intensively just before going to bed.
Timely "shutdown": Give your body and also your mind enough time to switch from active to rest mode. To do this, reduce physical activity, heavy food, alcohol and caffeine about two to three hours before bedtime. This is because they stimulate your circulation and organism in different ways, which makes it unnecessarily difficult for you to fall asleep.
Get up with the "sun": We've already explained the effects of serotonin and melatonin. You can use them not only to fall asleep, but also to wake up. Natural daylight in the morning can help you wake up more gently, so you're not pulled out of an important deep sleep phase.

Sleep hygiene and its rules in psychology

Of course, you can prepare not only your body for a healthy sleep, but also your mind. Both should be well utilized as part of a holistic sleep strategy so that falling asleep in the evening is easy. Therefore, a number of behavioral practices have been developed in this regard as well, with the help of which you can promote healthy and restful sleep and minimize sleep problems. Here are some of the most important rules of sleep hygiene from a psychological point of view:

Develop a relaxing evening routine: The more attuned you are to falling asleep peacefully, the faster and more reliably it will work. So before going to bed, perform mainly relaxing activities, such as reading, meditation or a warm bath. With these, you signal to your body and especially to your head that it's time to go to sleep soon and that it can "shut down". Our tip: Just ten minutes on the ShaktiMat acupressure mat can relax both your muscles and your mind in the long term - try it out! By the way, such an effective evening routine is also our tip for improved sleep hygiene during shift work.
Reduce stress routinely: Few things keep us awake as effectively as a spinning carousel of thoughts, usually triggered by stress. You can avoid it. Learn stress management techniques like breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation or mindfulness meditation to calm your mind. Journaling can also help manage stress, because this way you don't take stressful thoughts to bed with you, but put them down on paper beforehand. Also helpful: exercise. As already mentioned, you should not exercise directly before going to bed, but rather ensure that you get enough exercise throughout the day. In the evening, a little relaxation session on the acupressure mat... and you'll sink gently into the land of dreams.
Use the bedroom only for sleeping: All things that have nothing to do with sleep will distract you while you sleep - so get them out! From the TV to the desk to the fitness equipment or the sewing machine. They stimulate your thoughts and so, of course, rest can't come. So it's better to avoid using the bedroom for work or entertainment, so that you have a clear separation between activities and sleep.

Remember that optimizing your sleep strategy is a very individual matter. What bears fruit immediately for one person may take a bit of time for another. And of course, it may take a little time overall to figure out which habits work best for you. Stay patient and always remember: better sleep will have a positive impact on your overall well-being. So it's worth it!

How important is sleep hygiene for depression?

Stable sleep hygiene can play an extremely important role in coping with depression. This is because people who suffer from depression often struggle with sleep problems. These sleep problems, in turn, can worsen depression symptoms and hinder the healing process. Poor sleep hygiene should therefore be avoided at all costs in the case of depression. In detail, the main point is that both good and bad sleep significantly affect mood. Poor sleep hygiene or disturbed sleep can lead to increased depression symptoms, such as decreased energy, irritability, and difficulty coping with stress. Adequate and quality sleep is therefore critical for depression recovery. During sleep, the body repairs itself and the brain processes information and emotions. This is important for "digesting" stressful thoughts and feelings. Reliable sleep hygiene can also improve cognitive function, which is often impaired in depression. For example, a good night's sleep enables people to concentrate better, think more clearly, and make decisions more quickly. Furthermore, a good sleep strategy can help reduce the risk of relapse after depression has been successfully treated. In summary, then, the issue of sleep hygiene in depression is significant because it can stabilize mood, promote recovery, and greatly improve quality of life.

Sleep hygiene in children & babies - what is there to consider?

Healthy sleep promotes the physical and mental development of babies and children - that is undisputed. This makes it all the more important, of course, to support this restful sleep with a suitable sleep strategy. Here are some important points to consider, especially when it comes to sleep hygiene for children and babies:

Sleep hygiene for babies:

A safe sleeping environment is of utmost importance for babies. To this end, the bed must be free of loose bedding, pillows, stuffed animals and other objects that could pose a suffocation risk. Babies should also always sleep on their backs on a firm, flat mattress to minimize the risk of sudden infant death syndrome. A room temperature between 18 and 21 degrees Celsius is optimal. So much for the sleep environment, now let's move on to sleep arrangements. You're welcome to encourage your baby to develop a regular sleep-wake rhythm early on. To do this, it's helpful to have a consistent schedule for sleeping and feeding - not to the minute, of course, but within the context of your baby's needs. A soothing sleep ritual, such as a relaxing bath, gentle massage or reading a book aloud, can signal to baby that it is now bedtime. Night feedings should be as quiet and dark as possible so that your baby doesn't actually wake up, but can drift right back to sleep.

Sleep hygiene for (young) children:

A regular sleep-wake rhythm is also very important for older children. In principle, all the rules we have already presented for a healthy sleep strategy for adults apply here: Screens off, no heavy meals or sporting activities just before bedtime, calming evening ritual, enough exercise during the day, dark, cool and quiet room - you probably remember. In addition, it's important that your child gets enough sleep for his or her age to support physical and mental development. Our extra tip: Often, a dim nightlight helps children overcome their fears of the dark. However, it should not be too bright or serotonin production will be stimulated (see above). Of course, sleep needs can vary from child to child. Therefore, it is important to pay close attention to your child's behavior. Only then can you make adjustments if necessary.

Also keep in mind that healthy sleep habits in childhood not only directly promote your child's overall health and well-being. It can also help prevent sleep problems later in life, so that sleep hygiene is easier in old age.