Good Sleep Hygiene Habits

I. Maintain a Comfortable Sleep Environment

• A. Lighting: The room should be dimly lit, avoiding bright lights.
• B. Temperature: Room temperature is recommended at 25–26°C; air conditioning or electric fans can be used appropriately.
• C. Avoid Noise:
  • Keep the room quiet.
  • For unavoidable external noise (e.g., near railways, highways, or bridges), install soundproof windows or other soundproofing equipment to ensure a quiet sleep environment.
  • Play soothing music or use a fan to create background noise to reduce the impact of noise.
  • Remind family members not to disturb you.
• D. Diet:
  • Avoid consuming alcohol, caffeine, tea, or other stimulating beverages 4–6 hours before bedtime.
  • Avoid heavy meals (e.g., late-night snacks) 3 hours before sleep.
  • Note: Although alcohol may temporarily aid sleep, it can disrupt sleep later due to rebound effects after metabolism.

II. Sleep Schedule

• A. Fixed Sleep Time:
  • Go to bed at 11:00 PM.
  • Sleep for 7–8 hours, do not exceed 9 hours.
• B. If unable to fall asleep after lying in bed for more than 30 minutes:
  • Get up and engage in relaxing activities (e.g., light exercise, walking, reading).
  • Return to bed only when sleepy.
  • Avoid using the internet or watching TV before sleep.
• C. Maintain a consistent daily routine from Monday to Sunday:
  • Avoid sleeping in, taking random naps, or catching up on sleep during holidays.
• D. Keep a sleep diary to understand and improve sleep habits.

III. Control Light Exposure to Regulate the Biological Clock

• A.
  • Control light in the bedroom during sleep to avoid excessive brightness.
  • If waking up feeling unwell, open curtains or blinds before sleep the next day to let morning sunlight naturally regulate the biological clock.
• B. Night Shift Workers:
  • Wear sunglasses when returning home in the morning to avoid negative effects of morning light on daytime sleep.
  • Keep the room dark during sleep.
• C. Ensure sufficient light in work environments.
• D. Delayed Sleep Phase:
  • Morning light exposure:
    • Under 65 years: 45 minutes
    • 65 years and older: 60 minutes
• E. Advanced Sleep Phase:
  • Avoid morning light (e.g., wear sunglasses during morning exercise).
  • Expose to light between 4:00–5:00 PM.

Sleep Hygiene Education Short Video

IV. Regular Exercise

• A. Exercise at least 3 days per week, 30 minutes per session.
• B. Maximum heart rate during exercise:
  [(220 - \text{age}) \times 0.8]
• C.
  • Daytime exercise improves daytime alertness and nighttime sleep quality.
  • Avoid intense exercise 3 hours before bedtime.

V. Use of Sleeping Pills

• For regular users:
  • Take medication as prescribed.
  • Do not adjust or stop medication on your own.
  • Discuss any concerns with a doctor.

VI. Should You Take a Nap?

• A healthy nap should be fixed at 20–30 minutes.
• Exceeding 30 minutes may lead to deep sleep, making it hard to wake up and disrupting the biological clock, affecting nighttime sleep.