How to Improve your Sleep Hygiene Routine

Sleep is vital; from the moment you doze off, a range of reparative and restorative processes begin taking place to keep us happy, healthy, and functional. When we sleep deeply, our muscles and body repair themselves, the immune system gets a tune-up, waste-products are cleared out from the brain and our cognition, memory and focus is maintained.

8 hours, give or take an hour, is the recommended duration of sleep for healthy adults, however, many people find themselves falling short of this due to poor, interrupted sleep. In this current day and age, there are so many demands on our time and energy – we are constantly being told to optimise, to be more productive – that it is easy to neglect our sleep. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to improve your sleep hygiene and achieve a better night’s rest:

• Set regular sleep times to imprint a strong sleep-wake cycle on your brain.
• Avoid napping during the day.
• Avoid caffeine, alcohol and nicotine, especially before bedtime.
• Avoid large meals within 4 hours of bedtime.
• Regular daily exercise.
• Sleep friendly environment (think comfy bed, black-out blinds and silence).

You could also try listening to calming music, practice breathing exercises or meditate. And yes, we know, these things are a lot easier said than done and can be hard to fit into your day. So, if you’re someone who struggles to switch off their brain at night, improving your bed's comfort may help you find a more ‘zen’ state of mind. An easy way to do this is by adding a mattress topper to your bed. 

All you need to do is have a lie down, relax and let the mat handle the rest. Whilst other aspects of good sleep hygiene, although important, are more difficult to implement, it is very easy to incorporate Muscle Mat mattress topper into your night-time routine. If you need further encouragement, customer testimonials attest to the sleep-promoting effects of their new mattress topper. 

 Written by Carla M. 

Carla is a medical student in Melbourne, Australia. When she is not studying, she enjoys reading, yoga and op shopping!