Sleep Hygiene
What is sleep hygiene?
Sleep hygiene is a set of practices and routines that help you get better sleep. It promotes:
- Physical maintenance and repair
- Immune system boost
- Emotional and cognitive renewal
What helps more with good sleep: sleeping in a cool room or in a very warm room?
Sleeping in a cool room (60°F to 67°F)
What is insomnia?
Experience disruptions in how you feel or function because you aren't sleeping well or sleeping enough, due to:
- Difficulty falling sleep
- Difficulty staying asleep
- Waking up too early
- Not being able to go back to sleep
Avoiding caffeine later in the day can help you sleep
TRUE
- Generally recommend cutting off all caffeine at least 6 hours before bedtime
Humans spend 1/3 of their lives asleep. How about cats?
A) 1/3
B) 2/3
C) 1/2
B) 2/3
Cats sleep a lot—typically 12–16 hours a day. That's about 70% of their lives!
Name 2 things you can DO to help you sleep
- Reading
- Crossword puzzles
- Knitting
- Writing
- Drawing
- Listening to music
What helps more with good sleep: watching the clock when you can't fall asleep or looking away from the clock?
Looking away from the clock
Name 2 symptoms during the daytime caused by insomnia
- Feeling tired
- Trouble concentrating
- Memory issues
- Mood changes
- Daytime sleepiness
- Low motivation or energy
- Increased errors or accidents
It is better to have warmer bedroom to help with sleep
FALSE
- Temperature between 60 to 67°F is often recommended for sleep
What kind of animal holds hands when they sleep so they don’t drift away from each other
Sea otters, beavers, and primates
Name 2 things you should AVOID to help you sleep
- Using my phone
- Watching TV
- Playing video games
- Being on the computer
- Exercising
- Clock watching
- Getting frustrated
What helps more with good sleep: getting up about the same time every day or sleeping in really late on days when you don't have to get up?
Getting up about the same time every day
What are some medical complications of poor sleep?
Heart disease (high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke), diabetes, obesity, and mental health conditions like depression and anxiety
Napping doesn't make up for a lack of nighttime sleep
TRUE
- Napping can deregulate a person’s sleep schedule even further
Which of these animals sleep with only half of their brain, literally keeping one eye open?
A) Dolphins
B) Lions
C) Wolves
A) Dolphins
Other animals include: Whales, dolphins, manatees, birds, sea lions, fur seals
Avoid eating a big meal within ____ hours of bedtime
2-3
*If you're hungry, then eat a small, healthy snack (bananas with peanut butter, yogurt, cheese, oatmeal, hummus with veggie sticks/crackers)
What helps more with good sleep: taking a 2 hour nap after school or limiting a nap if you need one to 20 minutes?
Napping for about 20 minutes max
What is a nervous system condition causing an urgent, tingling need to move legs, usually in the evening.
Restless Legs Syndrome
The way electronics disrupt sleep is by emitting blue light
TRUE
- Blue light can suppress melatonin production
What's the longest amount of time snails can sleep continuously?
A) 3 days
B) 3 months
C) 3 years
C) 3 years
Certain land snails can sleep for up to 3 years in hibernation or estivation ("summer hibernation")!
What is CBT for insomnia?
Overcome insomnia by learning to recognize and change your negative sleep thoughts with cognitive restructuring
Replace negative sleep thoughts with more helpful, accurate thoughts about sleep --> reduce worry and other negative emotions that trigger stress
What helps more with good sleep: getting regular exercise during the day or exercising right before bed?
Regular exercise during the day
What is an example of a parasomnia (unusual behavior during sleep)?
- Sleep-walking
- Sleep-talking
- Sleep-eating
- Night terrors
- Nightmare disorder
- Sleep paralysis
- Acting out while dreaming
- Waking up and feeling confused
Teenagers are recommended to have 7 hours of sleep
FALSE
- Teenagers are recommended to have 8-10 hours of sleep
- Adults are recommended to have 7+ hours of sleep
Can birds sleep while flying?
Yes! They can shut off half their brain while asleep.