Sleep Hygiene

Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic and social isolation, it has been possible
to observe several reports related to sleep disorders, mainly insomnia.
It is known that a good quality of sleep acts favorably throughout the body , because
it is an active, cyclical, complex state with profound repercussions on the functioning of the body and mind. Sleep hygiene is a psychoeducational intervention that consists of adopting a set of good behaviors,
routines and environmental conditions, which enable better quality and duration
of sleep.
 Sleep at regular times: set a fixed time for bed and for
waking up, even on weekends.
 Sleep only as long as necessary to feel rested. If you feel good at 8 hours, avoid sleeping more than 8-9 hours, even if you don't have
commitment in the day.
 Avoid doing very stimulating activities before bedtime (eg see
action movies, online games).
 Avoid naps during the day.
 Reduce your fluid intake at night. Avoid eating caffeinated foods and drinks before bed, such as coffee, teas, chocolate or soft drinks. Avoid
also the use of alcoholic beverages and cigarettes, at least 4 hours before
bedtime.
 Use the bed only to sleep: avoid working, watching television or eating in
bed.
 Go to bed only when you are sleepy;
 Start to slow down one hour before the stipulated time to sleep: don't
tamper with electronics, turn off the TV, dim the lights ... Preferably already
be in bed. The use of cell phones in bed is a bad pre-sleep habit. In addition to
having lots of stimulating activities, it keeps a white light very close to your
face and can make you feel agitated.
 Practice regular exercise, but avoid doing it around the time /> sleep.
 Promote a quiet environment with low light.
 Avoid overeating before going to bed.
 Taking a warm bath before bed relaxes and facilitates the start of sleep.
 Get out of bed if you are not sleeping: if you have been in bed without
being able to sleep for more than 20 minutes, get up and go to another room. If necessary, do a quiet activity until you are drowsy again. Staying in bed rolling from side to side creates stress and worsens insomnia.
Psychologist Gabriela Capitão de Melo CRP 07/24230