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SLEEP HYGIENE SELFCARE

What is Sleep Hygiene?

Definition:

sleep hy·giene
noun
Habits and practices that are conducive to sleeping well on a regular basis.

"Sleep hygiene is the key to sweet dreams"

[Building healthy habits during the day can all contribute to ideal sleep hygiene.]

Every sleeper can tailor their sleep hygiene practices to suit their needs. In the process, you can harness "positive habits'' to make it easier to sleep soundly throughout the night and wake up well-rested.

Why Is Sleep Hygiene Important?

Obtaining healthy sleep is important for both physical and mental health, improving productivity and overall quality of life. Everyone, from children to older adults, can benefit from better sleep, and sleep hygiene can play a key part in achieving that goal.

Research has demonstrated that forming good habits is a central part of health. Crafting sustainable and beneficial routines makes healthy behaviors feel almost automatic, creating an ongoing process of positive reinforcement. On the flip side, bad habits can become engrained even as they cause negative consequences.

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SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

OVERVIEW

Sleep disorders are conditions that result in changes in the way that you sleep.

A sleep disorder can affect your overall health, safety and quality of life. Sleep deprivation can affect your ability to drive safely and increase your risk of other health problems.

Some of the signs and symptoms of sleep disorders include excessive daytime sleepiness, irregular breathing or increased movement during sleep. Other signs and symptoms include an irregular sleep and wake cycle and difficulty falling asleep.

There are many different types of sleep disorders. They're often grouped into categories that explain why they happen or how they affect you. Sleep disorders can also be grouped according to behaviors, problems with your natural sleep-wake cycles, breathing problems, difficulty sleeping or how sleepy you feel during the day.

Some common types of sleep disorders include:

Insomnia, in which you have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep throughout the night.

Sleep apnea, in which you experience abnormal patterns in breathing while you are asleep. There are several types of sleep apnea.

Restless legs syndrome (RLS), a type of sleep movement disorder. Restless legs syndrome, also called Willis-Ekbom disease, etc….