Sleep Hygiene

Posted by HIM on Wednesday July 15th, 2009

I’ve always known the importance of regular hygiene, such as bathing regularly, brushing your teeth and - perhaps most importantly - wearing clean underwear, whether they be boxer shorts or something more saucy, like a thong. But I never would have guessed that my insomnia could be related to poor hygiene - sleep hygiene that is.

A good night’s sleep means a healthy mind and body. As anyone who is sleep-deprived knows, lack of a good night’s sleep can result in depression, anxiety and a poor quality of life.

I suffered for so long from insomnia that I thought it was “normal” to stay up all night, toss and turn in bed, and then feel almost terminally fatigued the next day. Imagine my chagrin when, after a little research and a chat with my doctor, I discovered that many people actually wake up refreshed every morning.

In the course of my research, I learned some of the important ingredients for a good night’s sleep and would like to share:

Sleep, in both quantity and quality is hugely important, ranging from seven to nine hours per night for most people.

Reserve your bed for sex and sleep only. Lounging around in bed reading ‘zines or a nifty publication like Gaze can confuse your body about the purposes of a bed.

Keep your room a comfortable temperature, preferable a little on the chilly side so that you can really snuggle into your blankets. This is especially important if you are sleeping with someone; his body heat added to yours can result in overheating.

Keep regular sleeping hours – go to bed when you are sleepy and most importantly wake up at the same time in the morning. This can be tricky on weekends when we generally like to stay up late and sleep late. For weekends, you may want to consider starting to party earlier so that you can still get to bed at the same time.

Implement regular bed-time and morning routines. If “boxing the Jesuit” is part of your normal bed-time routine, stick to it. Likewise, the morning shower may be an important part of your morning routine. It’s not only good hygiene but it will also help you feel refreshed and awake, ready for the tasks of the day.

Wind down in the evening by turning the lights low; the low lights will signal your internal clock to start preparing for nonnyland.

Turn on all the lights in the morning and open the blinds; all that light tells your internal clock to rise and shine, mister, you have a world to conquer.

Avoid the caffeine in coffee, tea, and in many colas after dinner.

Avoid exercise at least two to three hours before bed. Exercise produces endorphins which make you feel good but can also result in unwanted friskiness at bedtime.

Don’t go to bed hungry since your stomach grumbling may keep you awake. But don’t over-indulge, either. A light snack should do.

Don’t stress yourself out if you think you’re not going to get a good night’s sleep. Anxiety over sleep just makes the problem worse.

If you can’t sleep after half an hour, get up and do something really boring until you are ready for sleep. Reading a dull and over-written book by Marshall McLuhan or John Ralston Saul makes my eyelids droop every time.

If noise is your problem, wear earplugs or add white noise to the environment, such as a fan.

A beer or glass of wine may help you to fall asleep, but all alcoholic beverages may stop you from getting into a refreshing deep sleep.

If you wake in the night, don’t look at the clock - it will only cause you anxiety.

- Charles Rani
Originally written for Gaze published by Gayway

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