Sleep Hygiene

Sleep Hygiene 101: Less Theory, More Practice

September 8, 2026

5 min read

Sleep is crucial not only for optimal individual health but for our society at large. Imagine how much nicer we’d be if we’d all had a good night's sleep. Now more than ever, we are realising the importance of sleep for our physical, emotional and mental wellbeing. We all know that when we’ve had a good night’s sleep it’s easier to tackle life in general. Sleep hygiene has become quite the buzzword, but its value is worth the hype. It’s important to recognise from the outset that there is no one-size-fits-all solution to improving our sleep. Rather, we need to advocate for our own sleep, treat ourselves as an experiment and through individual exploration of sleep hygiene practices unlock one or two keys to better sleep.

The Importance of Sleep for Our Overall Health

In the building blocks of life, sleep is an absolute, non-negotiable, foundational element to health and wellness. In the same way as we need oxygen, food and water, we need to sleep, and sleep well at that. Getting a good night's sleep supports our physical wellbeing. It bolsters our immune system, protects us from inflammatory diseases, allows our tissue to repair and renew, balances the metabolism and grants us the opportunity for physical growth and development.

Good sleep is essential to keeping our brains healthy, allowing us to be alert and productive, learn new skills and information, and commit our new learnings to memory. Emotionally and psychologically, without sleep we are far more vulnerable to life’s everyday stressors. Good sleep mitigates the risk of depression and anxiety and helps us to effectively regulate our emotions, especially the big ones like fear and anger. Overall, our mood and emotional resilience is directly influenced by our ability to sleep. It doesn’t take a genius to work out that we should take sleep seriously.

Defining Sleep Hygiene

Sleep hygiene has become a catchy, well-known phrase but what does it actually mean? Sleep hygiene can be defined as: modifiable behaviours and environmental adjustments that promote good-quality sleep and support healthy sleep duration. More simply put, it is a set of rules and practices that, when adopted, can positively influence sleep. Although sleep hygiene practices are often presented as a rigid set of recommendations to be ticked off, there are significant differences between individuals. Hence, some practices will be more beneficial for some than for others. The goal is to identify what helps you achieve your best sleep.

Our Mentality Towards Sleep & Sleep Hygiene Practices

Now that we understand the importance of good-quality sleep, it should be clear that, as individuals, we need to make a conscious commitment to prioritising sleep. Good sleep hygiene is not always easy to implement and can require discipline and sacrifice. It is up to the individual to recognise how important sleep is and to put the necessary measures in place–sometimes that means no binge watching or scrolling, and being the first to leave the social gathering. So, what practical steps can we take to improve our sleep hygiene?

Sleep/Wake Schedule

Keeping a consistent sleep/wake schedule is perhaps the only universal rule.
Experiment with how many hours of sleep you need to feel your most energised. Eight hours is not a magic number, we are all unique but we tend to see adverse health effects if you’re getting less than seven hours.
Ascertain whether you’re a night owl, early bird or somewhere in the middle and adjust your sleep schedule in line with your body’s preferences.
Consider your lifestyle and responsibilities and set a fixed bedtime and wake-up time.
As our circadian rhythm (body clock) becomes more established, we begin to trust our sleep and our body's ability to know when it is time to rest. CONSISTENCY IS KEY.

Supporting Your Circadian Rhythms & Sleep Environment

Light: we need daily exposure to natural light - get outdoors where possible, begin dimming lights in your home as the sun sets, make your bedroom as dark as possible at night (blackout curtains can help), and expose yourself to light—preferably natural light—as soon as possible after waking.
Noise: limit noise interruptions. This could mean utilising earplugs, playing white noise or having a stern conversation with your bed partner.
Temperature: generally our bodies like to sleep in cooler conditions.
Comforts: a comfortable mattress, pillow and linen can make all the difference in sleep quality.

Wind-Down Routine & Managing Technology Use

Your wind-down routine is yours to master, what helps you transition towards sleep? Skincare and candles are not for everyone. A hot shower, a moment for mindfulness, meditation, music, stretching, writing to-do lists for the next day, time with loved ones, a cup of tea, or reading could all be incorporated into your wind-down routine.
Arguably the most challenging habitual change to make is reducing our digital exposure before bedtime. As a rule of thumb, set an alarm one hour before bedtime to put your phone and tablet down.
Blue light from our screens, flooding the brain with information and content, as well as the dopamine release associated with digital engagement, are significant barriers to sleep.

Make Healthy Lifestyle Choices

Exercise: regular exercise, particularly in the morning or afternoon rather than the evening, supports both healthy circadian rhythms and sleep quality.
Reduction of harmful substances: avoid alcohol and nicotine before bed and caffeine ten to twelve hours before bedtime–we are not perfect people but this is a goal to aim for.
Food: heavy meals before bed or going to bed hungry could disrupt your sleep.

Limitations

Being knowledgeable about sleep hygiene can be extremely helpful but we all know that we go through periods of time where life is more stressful than usual or our sleep is under increased threat. Try telling new parents about sleep hygiene and they’ll laugh in your face! We recognise that life is not always predictable, but consistently investing in healthy sleep hygiene helps our bodies establish resilient sleep patterns. As a result, during times of stress or challenge, restful sleep may be a little more accessible and during calmer seasons of life sleep can become a given. While sleep hygiene can be an effective way to improve sleep, it is not always sufficient on its own. If you have been experiencing persistent sleep difficulties and are not seeing improvements despite consistently implementing sleep hygiene strategies, it is important to seek further medical assessment and support. Finally, it’s relevant to recognise that much of our research around sleep hygiene is largely based on Western, educated, middle- and upper-class populations. Therefore, further research into the South African context is required. Ultimately, good sleep is not about perfection–we are human after all. It’s about honing in on the sleep hygiene practices that work best for you and applying them consistently. Through prioritising your sleep and putting in the effort to make habitual changes, good sleep can become a sustainable way of life.