What can I do to sleep better?

Introduction

Improving sleep quality is a common concern for many individuals. Various non-pharmacological interventions have been studied to determine their effectiveness in enhancing sleep. This synthesis will explore the impact of physical activity, music, passive body heating, and other techniques on sleep quality based on recent research findings.

Key Insights

Physical Activity and Sleep Quality
- Regular physical activity, including low-impact exercises like walking, is positively related to improved sleep quality, particularly in women .
- Exercise can serve as a non-pharmacologic treatment for sleep disturbances, offering a healthy, safe, and inexpensive alternative to sleeping pills .
Music and Sleep Quality
- Listening to soothing music before bedtime significantly improves sleep quality in older adults and students, reducing sleep disturbances and enhancing overall sleep efficiency .
- Music-assisted relaxation is an effective, low-cost intervention that can be easily implemented to promote better sleep .
Passive Body Heating
- Taking a warm shower or bath 1-2 hours before bedtime can improve sleep onset latency, sleep efficiency, and subjective sleep quality by facilitating core body temperature decline.
Sleep Hygiene Practices
- Establishing a consistent sleep schedule, creating a relaxing bedtime routine, and using white noise or peaceful sounds can help improve sleep quality.
- Techniques such as inverted posture, skin warming/core cooling, motor relaxation, sensory withdrawal, breathing techniques, and cognitive relaxation show promise but require further investigation.
Interventions for Specific Populations
- Distance interventions like the Better Nights/Better Days program have shown effectiveness in reducing sleep problems and improving psychosocial functioning in school-aged children with and without ADHD.

Conclusion

To improve sleep quality, individuals can engage in regular physical activity, listen to soothing music before bedtime, take warm showers or baths, and practice good sleep hygiene. These non-pharmacological interventions are accessible, cost-effective, and have been shown to significantly enhance sleep quality across various populations.

What can I do to sleep better?

Summary

Introduction

Key Insights

Conclusion

Sources and full results

Walk to a better night of sleep: testing the relationship between physical activity and sleep.

Low-impact physical activity, such as walking, is positively related to sleep quality in healthy adults, with more impact on sleep quality than duration.

Better Nights/Better Days-Distance Intervention for Insomnia in School-Aged Children With/Without ADHD: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Better Nights/Better Days is an accessible, sustainable, and effective program for improving insomnia in school-aged children, with both ADHD and non-ADHD children showing similar results.

Music improves sleep quality in older adults.

Soothing music at bedtime significantly improves sleep quality in older adults, with a cumulative dose effect and improved sleep over time.

Music-assisted relaxation to improve sleep quality: meta-analysis.

Music-assisted relaxation moderately improves sleep quality in adults and elders with sleep complaints, making it a cheap, easily available and accessible treatment for sleep complaints.

Effects of exercise on sleep.

Exercise is a well-known, healthy, and potentially effective treatment for insomnia, offering a healthy, safe, and inexpensive alternative to prescription sleep aids.

Music improves sleep quality in students.

Relaxing classical music significantly improves sleep quality and reduces depressive symptoms in students with poor sleep, making it a safe and easy method to treat insomnia.

Before-bedtime passive body heating by warm shower or bath to improve sleep: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Warm showers or baths before bedtime improve sleep quality and efficiency, with a 40-42.5°C warm shower or bath significantly shortening sleep onset latency.

Sleep Hygiene

Regular exercise can also improve your ability to wind down and fall asleep more easily.

Nonpharmacologic techniques for promoting sleep.

Nonpharmacologic techniques like inverted posture, skin warming, and cognitive relaxation show promise for promoting sleep onset in athletes, but require further investigation for optimal application and optimal methods.

The Bidirectional Relationship Between Exercise and Sleep

Exercise improves sleep and may facilitate better adherence to a physically active lifestyle, with poor sleep contributing to low physical activity levels.

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