Sleep Tips & Tricks
Tips for Better Sleep
Caffeinated products decrease a person’s quality of sleep. As any coffee lover knows, caffeine is a stimulant that can keep you awake. So, avoid caffeine (found in coffee, tea, chocolate, cola, and some pain relievers) for four to six hours before bedtime.
Similarly, smokers should refrain from using tobacco products too close to bedtime.
Although alcohol may help bring on sleep, after a few hours it acts as a stimulant, increasing the number of awakenings and generally decreasing the quality of sleep later in the night. It is therefore best to limit alcohol consumption to one to two drinks per day, or less, and to avoid drinking within three hours of bedtime.
A quiet, dark, and cool environment can help promote sound slumber. Why do you think bats congregate in caves for their daytime sleep? To achieve such an environment, lower the volume of outside noise with earplugs or a "white noise" appliance. Use heavy curtains, blackout shades, or an eye mask to block light, a powerful cue that tells the brain that it's time to wake up.
Keep the temperature comfortably cool—between 60 and 75°F—and the room well ventilated. And make sure your bedroom is equipped with a comfortable mattress and pillows. (Remember that most mattresses wear out after ten years.)
Also, if a pet regularly wakes you during the night, you may want to consider keeping it out of your bedroom.
It may help to limit your bedroom activities to sleep and sex only. Keeping computers, TVs, and work materials out of the room will strengthen the mental association between your bedroom and sleep.
Light reading before bed is a good way to prepare yourself for sleep.
Ease the transition from wake time to sleep time with a period of relaxing activities an hour or so before bed.
Take a bath (the rise, then fall in body temperature promotes drowsiness), read a book, watch television, or practice relaxation exercises.
Avoid stressful, stimulating activities—doing work, discussing emotional issues.
Physically and psychologically stressful activities can cause the body to secrete the stress hormone cortisol, which is associated with increasing alertness. If you tend to take your problems to bed, try writing them down—and then putting them aside.
Struggling to fall sleep just leads to frustration. If you’re not asleep after 20 minutes, get out of bed, go to another room, and do something relaxing, like reading or listening to music until you are tired enough to sleep.
Staring at a clock in your bedroom, either when you are trying to fall asleep or when you wake in the middle of the night, can actually increase stress, making it harder to fall asleep. Turn your clock’s face away from you.
And if you wake up in the middle of the night and can’t get back to sleep in about 20 minutes, get up and engage in a quiet, restful activity such as reading or listening to music. And keep the lights dim; bright light can stimulate your internal clock. When your eyelids are drooping and you are ready to sleep, return to bed.
Natural light keeps your internal clock on a healthy sleep-wake cycle. So let in the light first thing in the morning and get out of the office for a sun break during the day.
Having a regular sleep schedule helps to ensure better quality and consistent sleep.
Going to bed and waking up at the same time each day sets the body’s "internal clock" to expect sleep at a certain time night after night.
Try to stick as closely as possible to your routine on weekends to avoid a Monday morning sleep hangover.
Waking up at the same time each day is the very best way to set your clock, and even if you did not sleep well the night before, the extra sleep drive will help you consolidate sleep the following night.
Many people make naps a regular part of their day. However, for those who find falling asleep or staying asleep through the night problematic, afternoon napping may be one of the culprits. This is because late-day naps decrease sleep drive.
If you must nap, it’s better to keep it short and before 5 p.m.
Eating a pepperoni pizza at 10 p.m. may be a recipe for insomnia. Finish dinner several hours before bedtime and avoid foods that cause indigestion. If you get hungry at night, snack on foods that (in your experience) won't disturb your sleep, perhaps dairy foods and carbohydrates.
Drink enough fluid at night to keep from waking up thirsty—but not so much and so close to bedtime that you will be awakened by the need for a trip to the bathroom.
Exercise helps promote restful sleep if it is done several hours before you go to bed.
Exercise can help you fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly—as long as it's done at the right time.
Exercise stimulates the body to secrete the stress hormone cortisol, which helps activate the alerting mechanism in the brain. This is fine, unless you're trying to fall asleep. Try to finish exercising at least three hours before bed or work out earlier in the day.
Some of these tips will be easier to include in your daily and nightly routine than others.
However, if you stick with them, your chances of achieving restful sleep will improve.
That said, not all sleep problems are so easily treated and could signify the presence of a sleep disorder such as sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, narcolepsy, or another clinical sleep problem.
If your sleep difficulties don’t improve through good sleep hygiene, you may want to consult your physician or a sleep specialist. Learn more at when to sleep treatment.
Tips for CPAP Usage
Work closely with your doctor and CPAP supplier to make sure you have a CPAP mask that fits properly. Everyone has different face shapes, so the right style and size mask for someone else may not work for you.
Try a different mask. A range of CPAP masks are available. For example, some feature full face masks that cover your mouth and nose, with straps that stretch across your forehead and cheeks. These may make some people feel claustrophobic, but they work well if you prefer to breathe through your mouth during sleep. They also provide a stable fit if you move around a lot in your sleep.
Other masks feature nasal pillows that fit under your nose and straps that cover less of your face. These can feel less cumbersome.
Nasal pillows may work well if you wear glasses or read with the mask on, because some don't block your eyes as much as full face masks do. However, this may not be an option if you move around a lot in your sleep or sleep on your side.
Pay attention to size. Most masks come in different sizes. Just because you're a certain size in one mask doesn't mean you'll be the same size in another. CPAP masks are usually adjustable.
Ask your doctor or CPAP supplier to show you how to adjust your mask to get the best fit. Manufacturer product instructions also can help show you how to do this. A properly fitting mask shouldn't be uncomfortable or cause pain.
First, try wearing just the CPAP mask for short periods of time while you're awake — for example, while watching TV. Then try wearing the mask and hose with the device turned on during the day while you're awake.
Once you get used to how that feels, start using the CPAP device every time you sleep — including naps. Just wearing the CPAP device every now and then may delay getting used to it. Stick with it for several weeks or more to see if your mask and pressure are right for you.
You may be able to overcome this by using a machine with a "ramp" feature. This setting allows you to start with low air pressure. The machine then automatically and slowly increases the air pressure to your prescribed setting as you fall asleep. Your doctor can adjust its rate.
If this feature doesn't help, talk with your doctor about changing to a device that automatically and constantly adjusts the pressure while you're sleeping. An example is a bi-level positive airway pressure (BPAP) machine that delivers more pressure when you breathe in (inhale) and less when you breathe out (exhale).
Check to make sure your mask fits well. A leaky mask can dry out your nose. If you have to tighten straps often to prevent air leakage, the mask does not fit properly.
A CPAP device that features a heated humidifier, which attaches to the air pressure machine, can help. You can adjust the level of humidification. Using a nasal saline spray at bedtime also can help ease a dry, stuffy nose.
Practice using your mask while you're awake. First, just hold it up to your face without any of the other parts. Once you're comfortable with that, try wearing the mask with the straps.
Next, try holding the mask with the attached hose on your face, without using the straps. Turn on the CPAP machine, perhaps with the ramp feature turned on. Next, do this using the straps too. Finally, try sleeping with the mask and machine on.
Relaxation exercises, such as progressive muscle relaxation, may help reduce anxiety related to CPAP use.
If you're still feeling claustrophobic, talk to your doctor or CPAP supplier. It may help to get a different size mask or try a different style, such as one that uses nasal pillows.
A leaky or an ill-fitting mask means you're not getting the full air pressure you need, and you may be irritating your skin. The mask can also blow air into your eyes, causing them to become dry or teary.
Try adjusting pads and straps to get a better fit. If the device fits over your nose, make sure it doesn't sit too high on the bridge of your nose, which can direct air into your eyes.
You may need to ask your supplier to help you find a different size mask, particularly if your weight has changed a lot. Or try a different style device such as a nasal pillow. If you develop skin deterioration or sores, such as on your nose, tell your doctor promptly.
Wearing the mask alone for some time during the day may help you get used to how it feels and make it easier to fall asleep at night.
Machines with the ramp feature that slowly and gradually increase the air pressure to your prescribed pressure setting as you fall asleep may make you more comfortable at bedtime.
Following good general sleep habits also are helpful. Exercise regularly and avoid caffeine and alcohol before bedtime. Try to relax. For example, take a warm bath before you go to bed. Don't go to bed until you're tired.
If you breathe through your mouth at night or sleep with your mouth open, some CPAP devices may worsen dry mouth. A chin strap may help keep your mouth closed and reduce the air leak if you wear a nasal mask.
A full-face-mask-style device that covers your mouth and nose also may work well for you. A CPAP-heated humidifier that attaches to the air pressure machine also may help.
It's normal to sometimes wake up to find you've removed the mask in your sleep. If you move a lot in your sleep, you may find that a full-face mask will stay on your face better.
You may be pulling off the mask because your nose is congested. If so, ensuring a good mask fit and adding a CPAP-heated humidifier may help. A chin strap also may help keep the device on your face.
If this is a consistent problem, consider setting an alarm for some time in the night, to check whether the device is still on. You could progressively set the alarm for later in the night if you find you're keeping the device on longer.
Most new models of CPAP devices are almost silent. But if you find a device's noise is bothersome, first check to make sure the device air filter is clean and unblocked. Something in its way may worsen noise. Ask your doctor or CPAP supplier how to properly clean your mask and hose.
If this doesn't help, have your doctor or CPAP supplier check the device to ensure it's working properly. If the device is working correctly and the noise still bothers you, try wearing earplugs or using a white noise sound machine to mask the noise. Placing the machine as far away from the bed as possible also may help make any machine noise less noticeable. Ask your doctor or CPAP supplier if extra tubing is available and right for your machine.