Ensuring the adequacy and quality of sleep is extremely important for the entire population and especially for athletes of all levels, as it benefits not only overall health but also athletic performance, as you can read in the article on the value of sleep for athletes. For adults, 7 hours of uninterrupted quality sleep is the main goal, while for teenagers 8 hours of sleep is essential.
However, a large part of the population suffers as far as sleep is concerned while many are unable to escape the vicious cycle of insufficient rest. Before anyone chooses the pharmaceutical route, there are also other option to explore. There are options that through a simple, safe and effective route offer the chance to establish a healthy routine of quality sleep, which can benefit many areas of health, functionality and performance.
10 tips to improve sleep hygiene
(source: UCSD Center for Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine patient information leaflet)
- Don’t go to bed until you feel sleepy. If you are not sleepy, get out of bed and do something else until you feel the need to fall sleep.
- Adopt a routine (e.g., reading, taking a warm bath, etc.) before bed that helps you to relax.
- Try to wake up at the same time every morning (including weekends and holidays).
- It’s important to get a full night’s sleep every night. If it is necessary to sleep during the day, limit this short sleep to 1 hour.
- Avoid being in bed when using computer or phone etc.
- Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and smoking or other sources of nicotine near bedtime.
- Consider quitting smoking.
- Try to maintain a sleep schedule so that you can plan your habits around it.
- Consider avoiding vigorous exercise right before bed, as it can increase cortisol levels.
- The bedroom should ideally be quiet, with limited lighting and a cool temperature.
Other tips & tricks for better sleep
- Avoid blue light emitted by screens at least 2 hours before bedtime (smartphones, laptops, TVs). Blue light suppresses the production of melatonin needed to induce sleep. If you must use your computer at night, consider installing color adjustment and blue light reduction software or wear blue light blocking glasses.
- It is favorable to be exposed to bright, natural sunlight when you wake up
- Don’t hit the snooze button, as it does not improve sleep quality.
- Higher carbohydrates (i.e., foods with a high glycemic index) at night may improve sleep, as well as high protein content including tryptophan. High fat intake at night can disrupt sleep. Inadequate overall caloric intake during the day can adversely affect sleep at night.
- Taking magnesium can help if you are deficient.
- Melatonin found naturally in foods (e.g., tart cherries, raspberries, goji berries, walnuts, almonds, tomatoes) can potentially improve sleep and is preferred over artificial melatonin supplements.
- Supplements may come with potential serious side effects and may be on USADA’s banned lists or result in athletes testing positive for a banned substance.
- Consider reducing fluid intake before bed so that sleep is not interrupted by the need to urinate. Stay well hydrated throughout the day.
Reducing mental fatigue and stress is very important for healthy sleep as it is a two-way relationship.
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