Sleep hygiene

Establishing good sleeping habits at night is essential for people with sleep disorders. Practical steps you can take to achieve this are:

• Go to bed and get up at the same time each day, including at weekends
• Avoid irregular, late nights and sleeping-in late the following morning
• Make time for relaxing pastimes such as a warm bath or 10 minutes of reading immediately before going to bed
• Avoid caffeine within six hours of bedtime and try to avoid drinking alcohol, especially when you feel sleepy

In addition, making lifestyle alterations to daytime activities is helpful:

• Take short planned naps (10-15 minutes) two or three times a day at convenient moments in order to stay as alert as possible
• Take regular breaks from tasks needing long periods of concentration or standing/sitting still
• Ensure that your work area is well-lit and well ventilated
• Exercise regularly, but not too close to bedtime

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