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💤 Sleep Hygiene Guide

Science-backed strategies for better sleep, recovery, and performance

Why Sleep Hygiene Matters

Sleep hygiene encompasses evidence-based practices and environmental factors that promote consistent, restorative sleep. Research demonstrates that proper sleep hygiene significantly improves sleep quality, cognitive function, and physical recovery.

Good sleep hygiene means shaping your habits and environment so sleep comes naturally, instead of forcing it with willpower. A consistent evening routine helps regulate your body clock, supports hormone balance (like melatonin), and reduces arousal that keeps you wired at night.

Core Principles

🕐 Consistency is Foundation

Going to bed and waking up at the same time daily—including weekends—reinforces your circadian rhythm and makes sleep initiation more predictable. Most adults require 7-8 hours of sleep.

Keep your bedtime within a 30-minute window each night. A regular sleep schedule helps your body anticipate sleep and wake times, improving overall sleep quality.

🌡️ Environmental Optimization

The ideal sleep environment maintains a cool temperature around 18°C (65°F), complete darkness using blackout curtains or eye masks, and minimal noise disruption through earplugs or white noise machines. Even small amounts of light can suppress melatonin production.

🛏️ Bed = Sleep Only

Reserve the bedroom exclusively for sleep and intimacy to strengthen mental associations. Avoid doing work, scrolling, or watching TV in bed, so your brain strongly associates it with rest, not stimulation.

Your Evening Routine Timeline

3-4h

Set the Stage

  • ✓ Avoid large, heavy meals - Finish big meals 3–4 hours before bed to prevent indigestion
  • ✓ Cut off caffeine - Last coffee/tea at least 6–8 hours before bedtime (10-hour rule for optimal results)
  • ✓ Limit alcohol - Alcohol fragments sleep and reduces REM. Finish at least 3 hours before bed
  • ✓ Adjust late training - Avoid intense workouts within 2-3 hours of bedtime as elevated core temperature delays sleep onset
2h

Start Cooling Down

  • ✓ Finish work and high-stress tasks - Stop deep work to give your nervous system time to calm down
  • ✓ Dim the lights - Switch to lamps and warm bulbs to signal melatonin production. Bright lighting suppresses melatonin
  • ✓ Wind down from workouts - Gentle stretching, breathing work, or a short walk to bring down heart rate
60m

Wind-Down Routine

  • ✓ Set a fixed wind-down start time - Use an alarm to mark the start of your routine consistently
  • ✓ Reduce or remove screens - Blue light suppresses melatonin. Ideal: no screens in last 60 minutes. Use blue-light filters if needed
  • ✓ Choose 1–2 relaxing activities:
    • • Light reading (fiction, not work-related)
    • • Gentle stretching or yoga
    • • Breathing exercises (see apps below)
    • • Body scan or guided relaxation
  • ✓ Optional: Warm bath or shower - 1–2 hours before bed helps core temperature drop, supporting natural sleep onset
30m

Prepare Your Sleep Space

  • ✓ Make bedroom cool, dark, and quiet - Temperature ~18°C (65°F), blackout curtains, white noise if needed
  • ✓ Do a "brain dump" - Spend 3–5 minutes writing down:
    • • Top 3 tasks for tomorrow
    • • Any worries or things on your mind
  • ✓ Final practical prep - Lay out morning clothes (especially for early training), set alarm, place phone away from bed

Getting Into Bed

  • ✓ Use a simple pre-sleep ritual - Brush teeth → Bathroom → 5–10 slow breaths → Lights out. Repeat nightly to create a conditioned cue
  • ✓ If you can't sleep, don't force it - After ~20 minutes, get out of bed, go to a dimly lit room, do a quiet activity. Return only when genuinely sleepy. This prevents linking bed with frustration

💪 For Fitness Professionals & Early Trainers

Training Timing:

Morning or early afternoon sessions align better with circadian rhythms and may improve sleep quality. If training at 7 AM, ensure adequate evening nutrition supports recovery without disrupting sleep.

Morning Activation:

Exposure to natural sunlight within 30 minutes of waking helps synchronize your internal clock. For early morning sessions, this consistency becomes even more critical.

Recovery Monitoring:

Poor sleep increases injury risk and impairs musculoskeletal recovery. Sleep hygiene is a performance variable, not just a wellness factor.

Hydration Timing:

Front-load hydration earlier in the day to minimize nighttime bathroom trips while ensuring adequate fluid for early training.

🌬️ Breathing Exercises for Sleep

Breathing exercises activate the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting relaxation and making it easier to fall asleep. We've created interactive breathing apps to guide you through Box Breathing and Wim Hof techniques.

Try Interactive Breathing Apps

🎯 Implementation Strategies

Gradual Schedule Adjustments

Shift bedtime and wake time in 15-30 minute increments every few days until reaching your target schedule. This minimizes circadian disruption while building sustainable habits.

Environmental Controls

Automate where possible: programmable thermostats to lower bedroom temperature 1-2 hours before bed, smart lighting systems to gradually dim. These passive systems reduce reliance on willpower.

Tracking and Optimization

Track for 2-3 weeks before evaluating effectiveness. Use a simple log to record:

  • Bedtime and wake time
  • When you started your wind-down
  • Caffeine/alcohol timing
  • Sleep quality rating (1-10)
  • Morning energy level (1-10)

Change One Variable at a Time

Adjust just one thing for 5–7 nights before judging its effectiveness (e.g., moving last caffeine earlier, making bedroom cooler, bringing screen cut-off earlier). This makes it easier to identify what improves your sleep.

🏥 When to Seek Professional Help

If you maintain good sleep hygiene for several weeks but still experience:

Consider speaking with a healthcare professional or sleep specialist to rule out insomnia, sleep apnoea, or other disorders.

💡 Key Takeaways

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