Health Hygiene & Sanitation

Lesson 13 : Personal Hygiene

Sleep Hygiene

• 'Sleep hygiene' means habits that help you have a good night's sleep. Common sleeping problems (such as insomnia) are often caused by bad habits reinforced over years. You can learn to retrain your body and mind so that you sleep well and wake feeling rested.


• Sleep hygiene can be defined as the controlling of "all behavioural and environmental factors that precede and interfere with sleep."


• Sleep only when sleepy


• If you can't fall asleep within 20 minutes, get up and do something boring until you feel sleepy


• Don't take naps


• Get up and go to bed the same time every day


• Refrain from exercise at least 4 hours before bedtime


• Make sure your bed and bedroom are quiet and comfortable


• Develop sleep rituals


• Use your bed only for sleeping


• Stay away from caffeine, nicotine and alcohol at least 4-6 hours before bed


• Have a light snack before bed like warm milk. Milk contains tryptophan, which acts as a natural sleep inducer.


• Take a hot bath 90 minutes before bedtime