Sleep hygieneencompasses the good sleep behaviors that we use to achieve high quality sleep.
Try these tools to build a healthy sleep routine:
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Research suggests that getting consistent sleep early in the week can help reduce stress and tiredness later in the week.
Try to start getting a consistent amount of sleep as well as consistent, restful sleep.
So: protect your bedtime as much as possible!
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Some research suggests sleeping with your phone in a different room, but we know that's not always possible.
If you need to use your phone before bed, make sure you're using it to aid your sleep routine, not destroy it.
Good: meditation apps, relaxation podcasts. Bad: TV, scrolling social media.
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Research suggests that daytime naps can improve cognitive functioning during your day.
Limit naps to between 20-30 minutes, 90 minutes max.
Take a nap if you need one, but first try to first get restful sleep at night.
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Sleep hygiene isn't something that you either have or don't have, but rather a skill that you can build.
We get better at developing our sleep hygiene when we practice our habits even when it's not convenient.
Moral of the story: stick to your routine — it will eventually become second-nature.
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