At times I find myself struggling with insomnia. On a daily basis, I speak with patients about their struggles with sleep. For this reason, I thought it important to stress the practices of “sleep hygiene”. As I write this, I realize I need to practice what I preach.
13 simple steps to sleep hygiene:
- Follow a consistent sleep-wake schedule
- Avoid afternoon naps
- Exercise daily
- Avoid nicotine products
- Avoid caffeinated products
- Expose yourself to natural light (sunshine) every day. Of course, protect your skin from the sun’s rays.
- Limit alcohol as it can lead to fragmented sleep
- Avoid heavy meals at night and try to eat at least 2-3 hours before lying down
- Relax in the evening. After dinner I recommend you perform activities that promote feelings of relaxation (yoga, stretching, reading, light music, etc.)
- Limit screen time in the evening and night
- Create a good sleep environment — create a dark, cool, quiet bedroom. Turn off all electronics
- Get up if you can’t sleep — if you have been awake for more than 20 minutes and you can’t turn off your mind, get up and engage in a relaxing activity until you feel tired again and then return to bed.
- The bedroom and bed are for sleeping and sex — avoid performing other activities in bed (i.e. — reading, watching TV, looking at cell phone/iPAD/computer)
Here is a link to the Mayo Clinic website for information on healthy sleep habits. I always find the Mayo Clinic as a good resource.
MD, Board-Certified Internist, Concierge Medicine Physician
Dr. Guy Delorefice has been practicing in Sonoma County since 1999 as a board-certified internist. He earned a degree in Biology from St. Mary’s College of California, then completed his medical degree at Creighton University. While at Creighton, he launched medical clinics in third-world countries and became fluent in Spanish. His internship and internal medicine residency were completed at Providence St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Portland, Oregon. After finishing his training, he relocated to Sonoma County to be closer to home and family. Dr. Guy has built a reputation for exceptional patient care and has been voted by peers as a top physician in his specialty in consecutive years.
Outside medicine, he is deeply family-oriented — married to Rebecca, father to Lani and Capri, with a black lab named Hank. He’s passionate about the outdoors and spends time mountain biking, road biking, abalone diving, fishing, hunting, and skiing. He’s often seen biking around Sonoma with his family.