Ensure you get sufficient sleep in the week leading up to any vaccination (e.g., flu shot), as insufficient sleep can significantly reduce the antibody response, making the vaccine less effective. This principle may apply to future COVID-19 vaccinations as well.
Minimize or avoid alcohol consumption, especially in the evenings, as it acts as a sedative that fragments sleep, stimulates the fight-or-flight system, and significantly decreases beneficial REM sleep. REM sleep is crucial for emotional processing and reducing anxiety.
Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, including weekends, to maintain a consistent circadian rhythm. This reduces ‘social jet lag’ and helps your body anticipate sleep, improving overall sleep quality and duration.
Dedicate 15-30 minutes before bed to a relaxing routine, such as light stretches or meditation, and put away all electronic devices. Sleep is a gradual process, like landing a plane, and requires time to transition from wakefulness to stable sleep.
Ensure your bedroom is dark and cool, as a lower body temperature is necessary for initiating sleep; it’s easier to sleep in a room that’s too cold than too hot. Remove all clock faces to prevent anxiety from checking the time if you’re awake.
If you struggle with falling or staying asleep at night, avoid daytime naps to build up sufficient ‘sleep pressure’ (adenosine). However, if you sleep well at night, short naps can offer cognitive and cardiovascular benefits.
Expose yourself to daylight during the first half of the day. This is just as important as darkness at night for regulating your circadian rhythm and signaling to your brain that it’s time to be awake and alert.
If you find yourself awake in bed for more than 20 minutes, get up and do something else until you feel sleepy again, then return to bed. This prevents your brain from forming a learned association between your bed and wakefulness/anxiety.
Keep all electronic devices outside the bedroom to avoid ‘sleep procrastination’ and the flood of anxiety that comes from checking them. This also prevents anticipatory anxiety about waking up to information overload.
Avoid checking your phone immediately upon waking; instead, wait at least an hour. This prevents a ‘jag of anticipatory anxiety’ that can lighten your sleep throughout the night and sets a more positive tone for your day.
Determine if you are a morning, evening, or intermediate type using the MEQ test (Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire). Knowing your innate chronotype can help you align your schedule with your biology, reduce self-blame, and explain struggles with conventional work/school times.
If you suspect you have a sleep disorder like insomnia or sleep apnea, consult a doctor for diagnosis and intervention. Sleep hygiene tips alone will not be effective if an underlying medical condition is impairing your sleep.
For parents of children experiencing night terrors, ensure the child is well-rested and avoid situations that lead to exhaustion. Increased deep non-REM sleep due to extended wakefulness or missed naps can increase the likelihood of night terrors.
For specific questions or issues regarding infant or child sleep, consult experts like Dr. Craig Canapari (Yale Medical School) or Dr. Jodi Mindell, who are leading authorities in pediatric sleep research and clinical practice.
When adopting new sleep habits, start with small, manageable goals and gradually increase the duration or intensity. This approach, inspired by behavioral change research, sets you up for success rather than failure.