Sleep Hygiene

Consistently getting a full night of sleep is one of the most effective strategies for reducing physiological and emotional responses to stressors.  This section includes tips and tricks for improving sleep hygiene.

Evidence suggests that getting enough sleep each night is associated with:

  • Lower physiological reactivity to stressors (e.g., reduced cortisol responses to stress)
  • Reduced emotional reactivity to stressors
  • Greater ability to engage in reappraisal in response to stressors
  • Lower use of unhelpful responses to stress, like worry and rumination
  • Higher academic performance in college students

One study found that among a wide range of behaviors and habits, getting a good night's sleep was the strongest predictor of academic performance (i.e., GPA) in college students (Trockel et al, 2000).

Getting a good night's sleep is harder than it might seem and many of us have habits that make it harder to consistently get enough sleep (e.g., using electronic devices before bed, cramming for an exam or finishing an assignment all night, not having a consistent bed time).

The following tips are all evidence-based strategies for increasing the quality and quantity of sleep:

Sleep Hygiene Checklist

 

Sleep Hygiene Checklist126 KB
Trockel et. al (2000)1.17 MB