1. < Sleep Health

How is your Sleep Hygiene?

Posted by Jen, Alumna Mentor @sandytoes14, Mar 7, 2017

Are you one of the 50-70 million Americans that have a sleep disorder? Do you always feel tired?<

The National Sleep Foundation has tips to help you get a good nights sleep.
1)Stick to a sleep schedule of the same bedtime and wake up time, even on the weekends. This helps to regulate your body's clock and could help you fall asleep and stay asleep for the night.
2)Practice a relaxing bedtime ritual. A relaxing, routine activity right before bedtime conducted away from bright lights helps separate your sleep time from activities that can cause excitement, stress or anxiety which can make it more difficult to fall asleep, get sound and deep sleep or remain asleep.
3)If you have trouble sleeping, avoid naps, especially in the afternoon. Power napping may help you get through the day, but if you find that you can't fall asleep at bedtime, eliminating even short catnaps may help.
4)Exercise daily. Vigorous exercise is best, but even light exercise is better than no activity. Exercise at any time of day, but not at the expense of your sleep.
5)Evaluate your room. Design your sleep environment to establish the conditions you need for sleep. Your bedroom should be cool – between 60 and 67 degrees. Your bedroom should also be free from any noise that can disturb your sleep. Finally, your bedroom should be free from any light. Check your room for noises or other distractions. This includes a bed partner's sleep disruptions such as snoring. Consider using blackout curtains, eye shades, ear plugs, "white noise" machines, humidifiers, fans and other devices.
6) Sleep on a comfortable mattress and pillows. Make sure your mattress is comfortable and supportive. The one you have been using for years may have exceeded its life expectancy – about 9 or 10 years for most good quality mattresses. Have comfortable pillows and make the room attractive and inviting for sleep but also free of allergens that might affect you and objects that might cause you to slip or fall if you have to get up.
Find more at info at National Sleep Foundation http://bit.ly/1Sy48EA

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Sleep Health Support Group.

Jen, Alumna Mentor | @sandytoes14 | Sep 30, 2017
In reply to @mari "A free hypnotic session from the internet. A deeper sleep and i need less sleep with..." + (show)
@mari

A free hypnotic session from the internet. A deeper sleep and i need less sleep with it. And strong and alert the next day.

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@mari Hi, You have peaked my interest with your post. It sounds like some hypnosis has helped you with sleep? Can you share more about your experiences with using this technique? Are you finding it helps you get to sleep, improves your sleep quality, or both?

REPLY
JK | @contentandwell | Oct 1, 2017
In reply to @maureercria "My fitbit doesn't always record sleep. A week or two ago I slept 2 to 3..." + (show)
@maureercria

My fitbit doesn't always record sleep. A week or two ago I slept 2 to 3 hours later that the fitbit recorded. Two days ago I took nap, and it was not shown at all. It did show me I was only getting 4 to 5 hours of good sleep most nights. but it shows me awake during the night a lot more than I think I am. I know they say it could be restless sleep. I get up every hour or two to go to the bathroom and usually fall right back to sleep when I lay down. I know I am not getting enough sleep. Even days of more than 10,000 steps, I do not sleep well although I get an occasional night of 9 hours or so every couple weeks.

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@maureercria I have a misfit and it too is erratic in tracking sleep, usually saying I have slept longer than I have. I guess that may be because I lay quietly when trying to get back to sleep. I wish I got as much sleep as it says I do!
JK

REPLY
1 reply
maureencria | @maureercria | Oct 1, 2017
In reply to @maureercria "My fitbit doesn't always record sleep. A week or two ago I slept 2 to 3..." + (show)
@maureercria

My fitbit doesn't always record sleep. A week or two ago I slept 2 to 3 hours later that the fitbit recorded. Two days ago I took nap, and it was not shown at all. It did show me I was only getting 4 to 5 hours of good sleep most nights. but it shows me awake during the night a lot more than I think I am. I know they say it could be restless sleep. I get up every hour or two to go to the bathroom and usually fall right back to sleep when I lay down. I know I am not getting enough sleep. Even days of more than 10,000 steps, I do not sleep well although I get an occasional night of 9 hours or so every couple weeks.

Jump to this post

Once in a while I sleep longer when I'm completely worn out from not sleeping much. I sleep better when my irritable bowel syndrome, IBS, is not bothering me. I don't have that all figured out yet but I'm trying various things.

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maureencria | @maureercria | Oct 1, 2017
In reply to @sandytoes14 "@lisalucier and @colleenyoung Our phones, tablets and computers emit a blue light which interferes with our..." + (show)
@sandytoes14

@lisalucier and @colleenyoung Our phones, tablets and computers emit a blue light which interferes with our sleep cycles. The light reduces the amount of melatonin we naturally produce. I have gone back to a classic alarm in my bedroom and keep my phone in my nightstand for emergency calls.

Colleen, I think we continue with these so called bad behaviors because we try to fit so much in to our days! I have seen some studies suggest we block the blue light by wearing amber glasses.What do you think of that suggestion? Would it be something you might try?

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My glasses do have the blue light filter.

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maureencria | @maureercria | Oct 1, 2017
In reply to @maureercria "My fitbit doesn't always record sleep. A week or two ago I slept 2 to 3..." + (show)
@maureercria

My fitbit doesn't always record sleep. A week or two ago I slept 2 to 3 hours later that the fitbit recorded. Two days ago I took nap, and it was not shown at all. It did show me I was only getting 4 to 5 hours of good sleep most nights. but it shows me awake during the night a lot more than I think I am. I know they say it could be restless sleep. I get up every hour or two to go to the bathroom and usually fall right back to sleep when I lay down. I know I am not getting enough sleep. Even days of more than 10,000 steps, I do not sleep well although I get an occasional night of 9 hours or so every couple weeks.

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I have a number of things causing me to not sleep well. I am working with doctors on them. I have the "Urgency" trips to the bathroom, the IBS, Sleep Apnea, Hiatal Hernia, and acid reflux, and allergies. I had thought that once I retired, I would get a handle on these things. Instead of that, most of these have increased. When sleeping on raised pillows to help the acid reflux, it Makes the IBS worse. I am keeping on trying things hoping to find some answers.

REPLY
1 reply
Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Oct 1, 2017
In reply to @maureercria "My fitbit doesn't always record sleep. A week or two ago I slept 2 to 3..." + (show)
@maureercria

My fitbit doesn't always record sleep. A week or two ago I slept 2 to 3 hours later that the fitbit recorded. Two days ago I took nap, and it was not shown at all. It did show me I was only getting 4 to 5 hours of good sleep most nights. but it shows me awake during the night a lot more than I think I am. I know they say it could be restless sleep. I get up every hour or two to go to the bathroom and usually fall right back to sleep when I lay down. I know I am not getting enough sleep. Even days of more than 10,000 steps, I do not sleep well although I get an occasional night of 9 hours or so every couple weeks.

Jump to this post

Lisa, My experience with the Fitbit sleep tracking is similar to @maureercria and @contentandwell. It tracks that I'm sleeping when I know that I am reading in a reclined position or lying quietly to fall asleep. Unfortunately, I haven't really found the data to be useful.

REPLY
Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Oct 1, 2017
In reply to @sandytoes14 "@lisalucier and @colleenyoung Our phones, tablets and computers emit a blue light which interferes with our..." + (show)
@sandytoes14

@lisalucier and @colleenyoung Our phones, tablets and computers emit a blue light which interferes with our sleep cycles. The light reduces the amount of melatonin we naturally produce. I have gone back to a classic alarm in my bedroom and keep my phone in my nightstand for emergency calls.

Colleen, I think we continue with these so called bad behaviors because we try to fit so much in to our days! I have seen some studies suggest we block the blue light by wearing amber glasses.What do you think of that suggestion? Would it be something you might try?

Jump to this post

Maureen and Jen, I did not know about glasses that block the blue light. I would like to report that I am leaving my phone in the kitchen and read my book at night instead of the phone. Most nights (not tonight obviously), I shut my computer an hour before going to bed. It is helping. I don't do it 7 nights out of 7, but more than I was before. Small steps to change count.

REPLY
JK | @contentandwell | Oct 5, 2017
In reply to @maureercria "My fitbit doesn't always record sleep. A week or two ago I slept 2 to 3..." + (show)
@maureercria

My fitbit doesn't always record sleep. A week or two ago I slept 2 to 3 hours later that the fitbit recorded. Two days ago I took nap, and it was not shown at all. It did show me I was only getting 4 to 5 hours of good sleep most nights. but it shows me awake during the night a lot more than I think I am. I know they say it could be restless sleep. I get up every hour or two to go to the bathroom and usually fall right back to sleep when I lay down. I know I am not getting enough sleep. Even days of more than 10,000 steps, I do not sleep well although I get an occasional night of 9 hours or so every couple weeks.

Jump to this post

@maureercria I have the frequent trips to the bathroom also, it really does effect your sleep. I am also supposed to sleep with my head raised due to Barrett’s Esophagus. The doctor suggested we raise the head end of the bed and we did. That helps and it might not be as bothersome for you as multiple pillows. If you do want to go the pillow route try using a wedge, it doesn’t give me a stiff neck like multiple pillows do,
JK

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Lisa Lucier | @lisalucier | Nov 8, 2017

I was thinking through my recent sleep hygiene, and this is where I'm at:
1) I moved to a different exercise group that starts at 7:15 a.m., instead of 5:45 a.m., which allows me to get more sleep, and that's been helpful.
2) I still tend to read news, Facebook posts and emails at night right before bed. 🙁
3) I am not having the best consistent sleep schedule, especially workdays versus weekends.

I was just wondering how the sleep hygiene is going for you?

@shoregal45, @bren1985, @parus, @oldkarl, @robbinr, @jimhd, @128128terry11t -- would you have any thoughts to share on what practices and habits help you get a good night's sleep?

REPLY
2 replies
oldkarl | @oldkarl | Nov 8, 2017

Lisa, since I started taking the limit (4000) Tylenol PM because of all the pain, including a broken toe I got from putting on my sox, I am doing pretty well for sleep at night. I was in Nashville over the weekend, and slept great at the Hilton. First time in years.

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