Quality sleep is essential to your overall health.
Healthy Sleep for Better Health
Good sleep habits — often called sleep hygiene — can have a meaningful impact on your physical, emotional and cognitive well-being. Small daily routines can help you fall asleep more easily, stay asleep longer and wake up feeling more refreshed.
Why Sleep Matters
Sleep is a restorative process that helps your body and mind recharge. While you sleep, your body completes many important tasks that it can’t fully focus on when we’re active, such as consolidating memories, regulating hormones and storing calories.
Most adults need 7–9 hours of sleep per night, though individual needs vary.
Getting consistent, high‑quality sleep can:
- Boost your mood and emotional resilience
- Reduce stress and anxiety
- Improve memory, focus and decision‑making
- Support your immune system
- Regulate metabolism, and help maintain a healthy weight
- Reduce cravings triggered by fatigue
- Lower the risk of chronic conditions, including heart disease, high blood pressure, depression, diabetes and obesity
Healthy Sleep Hygiene Tips
Building better sleep habits doesn’t require big changes. Small, consistent routines can improve sleep quality over time:
- Keep a consistent sleep schedule, even on weekends
- TIP: Turn the alarm clock away from you or keep it out of reach. If you wake up during the night, don’t look at the clock. Trust your alarm to wake you up when it’s time.
- Create a relaxing bedtime routine, such as reading, breathing exercises, gentle stretching or a warm bath
- Limit screen time for at least one hour before bed
- Avoid caffeine, alcohol and heavy meals close to bedtime
- Keep your bedroom cool, quiet and dark
- Move your body daily, even with light exercise
- TIP: Try a neighborhood walk, simple stretching, gentle yoga, dancing or free online exercise videos.
- Limit daytime naps, especially in the afternoon
Treatment for Sleep Issues
If you continue to struggle with sleep despite making healthy changes, your primary care provider can help. Ongoing sleep problems may be a sign of an underlying sleep disorder, such as insomnia or sleep apnea.
Our care team can help identify the cause and recommend appropriate treatment or referral to a UVM Health sleep disorder specialists.