How good sleep hygiene can help with your insomnia

Sleep Hygiene For Insomnia in Stamford CT Area

Chronic insomnia, which occurs at least three nights a week for three months or longer, is the most common sleep disorder worldwide. The Connecticut Center for Integrative Medicine takes an uncommon approach to treating this condition that can have far-reaching impacts on your overall health and quality of life.

As holistic providers serving the Stamford, Fairfield, Greenwich, Norwalk, Darien, and New Canaan, Connecticut area, we consider the whole person – physical, mental, emotional, lifestyle, and environmental factors – when uncovering the root cause of your persistent sleep disturbances. Depending on what we find, sleep hygiene can be a life-changing way to get the restful sleep that you deserve and need to be your healthy best. It may be the foundation of re-establishing healthy sleep patterns, or a complement to other therapies or approaches.

What is sleep hygiene?

“Hygiene” is defined as those practices and habits that keep you and your environment clean and healthy. In the context of sleep, hygiene-oriented recommendations focus on supporting behaviors and environmental conditions that encourage healthy, consistent, high-quality rest.

What is poor sleep hygiene – and how does it contribute to insomnia?

Sleeping and waking at different times can mess with your body’s internal clock. Your body doesn’t know when to switch off. Surroundings that are too bright, loud, or warm can be overstimulating, and having caffeine or large meals too close to bedtime may also keep you in a heightened state of alert. Using electronics in bed or doing other activities besides sleep in the bedroom can also erode the mental associations between the bedroom and rest. The blue light from screens suppresses the natural melatonin hormone that tells your body it’s time to relax and prepare for sleep, too.

How does sleep hygiene work for insomnia

Think of sleep hygiene as a way to “retrain your brain.” By practicing good sleep hygiene, you can foster:

Healthy mental links between the bedroom and sleep – Your mind and body can more quickly relax and stay that way when the bedroom is exclusively for rest and not for work, gaming, watching TV, and other stimulating activities.
An environment free of external disruptions – Your bedroom’s surroundings can either help or hinder sleep. An environment conducive for rest and relaxation signals to your brain and body that it’s time to settle down.
Healthy sleep cycles – Consistency in your schedule can reset your internal clock and encourage your body to release melatonin more predictably.
Less overarousal at bedtime – Avoiding stimulants before bed (and other substances and habits that can keep you awake) also supports a healthy sleep drive. This practice helps reduce the stress and alertness that can lead to difficulty falling asleep and fragmented rest, too.

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What are some examples of good sleep hygiene practices?

Our providers can tailor recommendations specifically to your lifestyle, characteristics, and needs. In general, we encourage patients to avoid or block anything that would be stimulating. That means limiting light exposure, especially from screens, close to bedtime. Dampen excessive noise. Drink alcohol, caffeine, and other stimulants earlier in the day. Do not go to bed immediately after exercising or working, as these activities can keep you in a state of heightened alert, anxiety, and stress. Maintaining a schedule of waking, eating, exercising, and sleeping at the same times each day also stabilizes your body’s circadian rhythm or 24-hour clock.

Are sleep hygiene modifications effective for everyone with insomnia?

They certainly cannot hurt! However, healthy sleep hygiene alone may not be sufficient to reduce the severity and frequency of chronic or more severe cases of insomnia. As holistic providers, we often take a multifaceted approach to a range of conditions and health challenges. For instance, we do prescribe conventional medications on an as-needed basis and as we work to treat the underlying causes of your insomnia. We also offer natural alternatives to prescription sleep aids, such as botanicals and herbal remedies. Other complementary therapies focus on mind-body medicine and include acupuncture, clinical hypnotherapy, and biofeedback.

If you are interested in learning more about sleep hygiene for insomnia, request an appointment! Call the Connecticut Center for Integrative Medicine at (866) 320-6402 to speak with a member of our team today. From our Stamford, CT, office, we are pleased to provide a range of solutions for sleeplessness to our neighbors in and around Fairfield, Greenwich, Norwalk, Darien, and New Canaan.

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Connecticut Center for Integrative Medicine is a multi-disciplinary team of providers that work collaboratively to assist you on your healthcare journey. Taking a truly holistic approach that honors your unique needs, the team will work with you to get you sustainably well.

Dr. Robert Kachko, Founder and Director of the Connecticut Center for Integrative Medicine, is a pioneer in Naturopathic and Integrative Medicine and has developed an extensive bio-psychosocial methodology for people living with chronic diseases. As Past President of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians, Dr. Kachko advocates for healthcare reform to allow everyone access to the kind of care our clinic provides.