How to create good sleep habits and improve your wellbeing

It’s World Sleep Day and Dr Tara Quinn-Cirillo, our Nido psychologist, has put together this sleep hygiene plan so you can make the most of your student experience.

Good sleep is important for your general health and wellbeing, including your mental health, so read on for key factors that can help you maintain good sleep habits and get feeling well-rested.

Your sleep history

• Are you usually an early riser or do you tend to sleep in later?
• Do you usually go to bed early or late?
• Do you fall asleep fairly easily or is it a little more difficult (taking more than 15-20 mins from when you get into bed and turn off/put down all devices to go to sleep)?
• Do you wake up during the night (experiencing more than quick wake up i.e. waking for over 15-10 minutes) or do you tend to sleep through? It is worth noting that most of us will wake up at various times in the night but are not usually aware that this has even happened.
• Are there any additional factors that usually impact your sleep, such as medication you take, health conditions, ongoing life stressors, worries etc? Have you ever experienced episodes of insomnia (a sleep disorder where you regularly have difficulties sleeping and it can impact on your health and overall functioning)? It is important to talk to your GP or usual doctor if you think that you may be experiencing insomnia. See the NHS definition of insomnia here.

What can you do to promote good sleep habits

1. Conduct a bedroom environment analysis

• Temperature: Is the room the right temperature for you? Not too hot or cold? A cooler room promotes better sleep.
• Darkness: Do your the curtains or blinds block out light/ street lights?
• Atmosphere: Do you feel relaxed when you are in your bedroom e.g. décor/colour/pictures on the walls etc?
• Lights: Keep a small soft light on and avoid any bright lights.

2. Set sleep and awake times

• Try where possible aim to go to bed at the same time each night. E.g. going to bed at 11pm and waking around 7:30am each morning. Ideally you want to go to sleep and also wake up at the same time every night of the week (give or take 20 minutes).
• Put on clothes that are just for bedtime such as pyjamas. Take these off when you get up in the morning.
• Try reading a book for a while in low light if you struggle to fall asleep straight away.
• If you wake during the night and struggle to get back to sleep, then try getting out of bed and sitting in your room in the dark/low light until you begin to feel sleepy again and then get back into bed again.
• If you are awake in bed for more than 15 minutes, it is advisable to get out of bed and do the above. This is to avoid a negative association with your bed and poor sleep.
• Keep an eye on the times you tend to wake and see if there is a pattern.
• When you wake up in the morning, try and get out of bed within 10 minutes of waking.

3. Address any previous sleep habits

• Try not to take naps during the day.
• Keep your bedtime to night-time, rather than going to bed in the afternoon and then waking in the early hours of the morning.
• Avoid getting up and making food or showering in the middle of the night.
• Avoid using an iPad/watching TV in bed.
• Look at your caffeine intake. Avoid caffeine (cola, tea, coffee) or having sugary foods near to bedtime.