WELLNESS

SLEEP
KIT
August 2022
TROUBLE Let’s be honest: sleeping is a lot harder than it
SLEEPING? used to be.

HERE’S YOUR With so many sleep tips circulating, it can be challenging

SLEEP KIT!
to tell what tactics help put your mind to bed and which
are myths.

That’s why we created this kit: to help demystify the

science of sleep so you can build better sleep habits,
stress less, and enter every day with optimism.

• SLEEP HYGIENE
• SLEEP TIPS
• SLEEP RESOURCES

September 1, 2022 2
SLEEP HYGIENE WHAT IS SLEEP HYGIENE
Sleep hygiene is science-backed practices — during
the day and before bedtime — that help create the
ideal conditions for healthy sleep.
Good sleep hygiene can mean the difference
between a restful night and a restless one..
Sleep Hygiene Hub
Sleep Foundation: Sleep Hygiene
SIGNS OF POOR SLEEP HYGIENE
The most obvious signs of poor sleep hygiene are
trouble falling asleep, disrupted sleep, and feeling
fatigued and foggy throughout the day. Sleep
deprivation slows our reflexes, sabotages decision-
making and saps creativity.
When people struggle with insomnia, sleep hygiene is
an important part of cognitive behavioral therapy
(CBT), the most effective long-term treatment for
people with chronic insomnia. CBT for insomnia can
help you address the thoughts and behaviours that
prevent you from sleeping well. It also includes
techniques for stress reduction, relaxation and sleep
schedule management.
EAP Services
Workplace Options (password: warnermedia)
EAP Int’l Helpline Numbers
BENEFITS OF GOOD SLEEP HYGIENE
Getting quality sleep doesn't just feel good. It's
important for your health. It strengthens your
immune system, helps you maintain a healthy weight,
and lowers your risk for serious health conditions
such as diabetes and heart disease.
Good quality sleep can also improve your mood and
even your memory. While you sleep, your brain forms
Access to Services
new pathways to help you remember information.
Whether you’re learning new skills or confronting
change, restful sleep supports better comprehension
and problem-solving skills.
Research even shows that after a good night’s sleep,
you’re likely to feel less anxious and more confident.
How Better Sleep Can Improve your
Wellbeing
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SLEEP TIPS SET A CONSISTENT SLEEP SCHEDULE
This means going to bed and waking up at the same
time every day, give or take 20 minutes, including
weekends. Creating a sleep framework sets the
body’s internal clock to expect to rest at a certain
time each day.
Schedule Sleep: On your iPhone or
Android device
CREATE A RELAXING BEDTIME ROUTINE
Whether it’s a warm bath, reading a book, listening to
Headspace sleepcasts, meditating, restorative yoga,
or any relaxing activity about an hour before bed
helps creates a smoother transition between
wakefulness and sleep.
Sign up to meditation: Get Headspace
for free
KEEP YOUR ROOM COOL, QUIET & DARK
Studies show that a bedroom temperature of around
18 degrees Celsius (65 degrees Fahrenheit) is most
conducive to healthy, restful sleep.
Think about dimming the lights at home after you
finish dinner, or once you get into bed.
UNPLUG BEFORE BED
Screens and sleep are incompatible. Keeping screen use
to a minimum, at least an hour before bed, is essential
for sound sleep.
Challenge yourself: Digital Detox
Challenge
AVOID STIMULANTS BEFORE BED
If you’re having trouble sleeping, you’ll want to avoid
beverages and foods that contain caffeine — coffee,
non-herbal tea, colas, even chocolate — at least 6 hours
prior to bedtime.
AVOID CERTAIN FOODS & ALCOHOL
Diet and nutrition can influence the quality of your
sleep. Mediterranean and DASH diets have shown
benefits for sleep, but other dietary approaches that
balance macronutrients and ensure adequate vitamins
and minerals may have similar effects.
Alcohol alters what’s called “sleep architecture,” the
natural flow of sleep through different stages such as
deep sleep, REM sleep, and light sleep. Drinking can also
lead to lighter, more restless sleep, diminishing sleep
depth and quality, so you’re more likely to wake up
feeling fatigued.
GET REGULAR EXERCISE
Exercise can be a powerful tool in relieving insomnia.
While the options for exercise routines and movements
are numerous, note that only moderate-intensity
aerobic exercise, like walking, has been shown to relieve
insomnia.
If you are having trouble sleeping, consult your doctor
about an appropriate exercise regimen to help you enjoy
better sleep and wellbeing.
SEE THE BEDROOM AS A PLACE OF REST
If you struggle with sleep issues, it’s important to use
your bedroom for sleep. Use a technique called
stimulus control to break the association of bed as a
place of frustration and worry.
LIMIT NAPS DURING THE DAY
Although a short power nap of 20-25 minutes can lift
your mood and leave you more refreshed, at least in
the short term, it won’t make up for poor quality sleep
at night.
However, if you are experiencing trouble falling or
staying asleep, it can be best to avoid naps altogether.
A late-afternoon snooze will decrease your
homeostatic sleep drive, making it harder to drift off
at bedtime.
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RESOURCES EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMME HEADSPACE MINDFULNESS APP INTERNATIONAL WELLNESS RESOURCES
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for insomnia is a Mindfulness meditation may be effectively combined VIDEOS
short, structured, and evidence-based approach to with other strategies to change behaviours that might Sleep Essentials
combating the frustrating symptoms of insomnia. be causing your ongoing poor sleep.
Know Your Sleep
WarnerMedia offers 24/7 counselling and support – Headspace is your personal guide to mindfulness and a
including CBT and guided, mindfulness-based stress restful night’s sleep — and WarnerMedia International
reduction – to all employees and their family members employees get it for free! Learn more. ARTICLES
through Workplace Options (password: warnermedia). Sleep Easy with this Pre-Bedtime
International Helpline Numbers. Learn more. Routine
HEADSPACE RESOURCES Access to Services
Improve Your Child's Sleep
EAP SERVICES IN-APP How Better Sleep Can Improve Your
Rolling River soundscape Wellbeing
CBT Desert Bells soundscape Tips & Guidance: Sleep
Sleep 101 Sleep Hygiene
Counselling
How to Eat for Better Sleep
Life Coaching The Science of Sleep
After a Nightmare SOS
ManagerAssist
Nap in The Grass
Work-Life Services
VIDEOS
Aware Mindfulness Training
Tips From a Sleep Doctor
Learn Your Body's Ideal Schedule
Tips to Fall Asleep Faster
How to Become a Morning Person
Tips from an Expert on Food and Sleep

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