Sleep Hygiene
At Cricket Green Medical Practice, we encourage good sleep hygiene because healthy sleep plays a vital role in preventing illness, supporting mental wellbeing, and improving overall quality of life.
Sleep Hygiene it’s one of the most effective non-medical strategies for improving sleep quality.
Good sleep is essential for your physical health, emotional wellbeing, and daily performance. Sleep hygiene refers to the positive habits and routines that help you enjoy consistent, refreshing sleep.
Small changes to your lifestyle and environment can make a big difference.
How to Improve your Sleep:
Keep a regular routine: Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day.
Create a calming wind-down: Try reading, gentle stretching, or relaxation techniques before bed.
Make your bedroom sleep-friendly: Keep it cool, dark, quiet, and comfortable.
Limit screens before bed: Reduce exposure to phones, tablets, and TVs in the hour before sleep.
Be mindful with food and drink: Avoid caffeine late in the day and try not to eat large meals close to bedtime.
Stay active: Regular daytime exercise supports better sleep at night.
Use the bed only for sleep: This helps your brain associate bed with rest.
Avoid lying awake too long: If you can’t sleep, get up and do something relaxing until you feel tired again.
Improving sleep hygiene can often resolve common sleep difficulties and is a helpful first step before considering medical treatment. If sleep problems continue, speak to a GP for further support.
For more tips and advice on Sleep Hygiene, click on the links below:
How to sleep better | Mental Health Foundation
Fall asleep faster and sleep better - Every Mind Matters - NHS
Explore these free sleep apps to help you relax, fall asleep faster, and improve your sleep quality:
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Offers hundreds of high-quality ambient sounds like rain, thunder, and forest ambience to help you fall asleep faster. It is simple to use and available on Android.
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Primarily a meditation app, it includes a vast library of sleep music and guided bedtime sessions. It’s free and suitable for relaxation and sleep preparation
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Provides narrated sleep stories and ASMR content. While it has a paid plan, many features are free, including a variety of relaxing audio content.
(App Store / Google Play – search Slumber sleep stories directly)
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Combines sounds, music, breathing exercises, and bedtime stories. The free version allows you to create custom sound mixes and access guided meditations.
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Uses science based audio for sleep and nap sessions. It’s designed to help users fall asleep quickly and wake up refreshed, with free features available.
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A sleep tracking app that monitors sleep patterns, provides insights, and includes a library of sleep sounds, bedtime stories, and guided meditations. Free users can access over 50 white noise and sleep music options and create custom sound mixes.
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Offers guided meditations for sleep, focus, and anxiety management. The free version includes a limited selection of meditations and sleep sound, with a sleep timer function.
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Provides a variety of sound mixes for sleep, relaxation, and focus. The lifetime free version includes 30 sound options and works across multiple devices.
Available on Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?hl=en_GB&id=com.kitefaster.whitenoise