Sleep Hygiene (Safety)

Are you one of the majority

(estimated 70%) of all people
with poor sleep habits?
 Sleep Hygiene (Safety)

• Ensure adequate Sleeping Habits

• Improve Quality of Life
• Improve Job Alertness And Effectiveness
• Improve On The Road Driving Safety
 Potential Consequences of
Sleep Deprivation
• Shortened life spans and higher mortality rates.
• Increased risk (heart disease/stomach problems)
• Irritability, depression & in some cases, explosive
outbursts and mood swings.
• Increased risk of high speed highway crashes.
• Increased risk of other accidents by lack of focus
• Decreased work performance and memory lapses.
• Marital, social and employment problems.
 What is Sleep Hygiene?

The term “sleep hygiene” is used to

describe simple behaviors that may
help everyone improve their sleep
patterns.
 Do I have poor sleep patterns?
Do any family members or friends have poor sleep
patterns & suffer from chronic fatigue? It very likely is
caused by poor sleep habits. It’s easy to find out the
answer. Go over the tips in the presentation. You can
easily make those changes to improve the quality
of life for yourself, your family & friends. You can
increase your alertness, job effectiveness and driving
safety. Test yourself to determine Sleep efficiency.
 Sleep Hygiene Tips (15)
1. Establish a regular time for going to
bed & getting up in morning. Maintain this
on weekends and during vacation.
2. Avoid naps, especially in the evening.
3. Exercise before dinner. A low point
in energy occurs a few hours after
exercise; sleep will then come easily.
Exercising close to bedtime, however,
may increase alertness.
Sleep Hygiene Tips

4. Take a hot bath about an hour and a

half to two hours before bedtime to
alter body core temperature rhythm &
helps yourself fall asleep more easily
and more continuously. Taking a bath
shortly before bed increases alertness.
Avoid this very common mistake.
Sleep Hygiene Tips

5. Do something relaxing a half-hour

before bedtime. Read, meditate, pray
or take leisurely walks. These activities
will help you to wind down the busy
day and prepare yourself for sleep.
6. Keep bedrooms well ventilated, cool
and comfortable.
Sleep Hygiene Tips

7. Do not look at the clock. Locate

Alarm clocks away from your person or
your direct field of vision. Obsessing
over the time will just make it more
difficult to fall sleep.
Sleep Hygiene Tips

8. Eat light meals & schedule dinner

two to four hours before bedtime.
A very light snack before bedtime can
help sleep, but a large meal may have
the opposite effect. Avoid this very
common mistake.
Sleep Hygiene Tips
9. Spend a minimum of a half hour in the sun each day. The
best time is early in the day. Wear your protective clothing &
sunscreen when exposure will exceed a half hour. When
extended exposure to sun and heat is required by job duties or
activities off the job, ensure adequate water & mineral intake
(mineral loss of iron, zinc, calcium, potassium, and magnesium
is quite common in hot weather due to exertion).
Note: Headaches (very common in hot environments) often
Indicates water & mineral deficiency. Chronic headaches can
carry over and affect sleep patterns & overall health. Ensure
you are taking adequate amounts of water and multivitamin
supplements are recommended by your Doctor/Nutritionist.
Sleep Hygiene Tips

10. Avoid fluids just before bedtime so

that sleep is not disturbed by the need
to urinate.
11. Avoid caffeine in any form in the
hours before you sleep.
Sleep Hygiene Tips
12. If you are still awake after 15 minutes,
go to another room and read or do quiet
activity (dim lights) until very sleepy. Do not
watch TV. Avoid this common mistake.
13. If distracted by a sleeping bed partner,
You can move to a couch or spare bed for a
couple of nights. This might be helpful.
Sleep Hygiene Tips
14. If a specific worry is keeping you awake,
thinking of the problem in terms of images
rather than in words may allow a person to
fall asleep more quickly and to wake up with
less anxiety.
15. Lastly, Use the bed for sleep and your
relations only. Do not read, watch television,
or work in bed because excessive time in
bed fragments sleep. Locate TVs elsewhere.
 Sleep Schedule

Determine Your Sleep Efficiency & Create A Sleep Schedule

1. Keep a sleep diary for 14 days.
2. Then calculate the average hours of actual sleep and hours in bed.
3. Then divide the average hours slept by the hours in bed.
4. The result, given as a percentage, is the sleep efficiency number.
Example: If you sleep an average of five hours out of seven hours in
bed = .714 & sleep efficiency percentage is 71%
The Goal: Achieve sleep efficiencies of between 85% and 90%. That
means only 10% to 15% of time is spent staying awake in bed. Sleep
efficiency in older people may fall normally between 75% to 85%.)

WHAT IS YOUR INITIAL SLEEP EFFICIENCY PERCENTAGE?

IF YOU ARE LIKE MOST, IT WILL BE BELOW 85%.
Meet your sleep efficiency goal
To achieve this % goal, take the following action:
1. Go to bed 15 minutes later than usual the first week.
2. If 85% sleep efficiency isn't reached by the end of the
week, add another 15 minutes before going to bed.
3. Refrain from going to bed even if tired. Bedtime should
not be reduced below five hours*.
4. Once efficiency reaches 90% or more, then begin to go
to bed 15 minutes earlier each week.

*Avoiding the bad practice of sleeping late on weekends

(a very common practice ) & getting your allotted time
for sleep every night (varies for each person) is best.
Maintain Proper Sleep Habits
Learn to identify the root causes of poor
sleep habits and chronic fatigue. Stop negative
effects from poor sleep habits on your life today.
Your awareness will lead to better job related
safety ... Especially Road Driving Safety Practice.
Improve all phases of your life & health.
Pass this on to others who may need to know this.
 THANK YOU

Recommended Additional Sources for Sleep

& Personal Health Improvement:
Go to Google ... Type in the Following!
• Sleep Tips or Sleep Hygiene Tips
• Water deficiency & headaches
• Mineral deficiency & headaches