May is recognized as “Better Sleep Month.” Supported by the Better Sleep Council, Better Sleep Month aims to raise awareness about the benefits of quality sleep and to help people develop healthier sleep habits. And this information is so needed! A quick scroll through the Sleep Foundation’s Sleep Statistics page is enough to show that many adults are not getting the quality rest they need. In fact, over a third of adults are getting less than seven hours of sleep each night, and nearly half of Americans report feeling sleepy during the day between three and seven (7!) days per week.

If chronic sleepiness is something you relate to, it may be time to refresh your sleep routines. There are a few things you can do to improve the quality of your sleep to get the rest you need.

Establish sleep-promoting routines. There are routines and rituals that promote rest, and which can be done in the morning, throughout the day, and in the evening before bed. Things like lowering household lights, having 30 minutes of wind-down time, getting enough sunlight or physical activity during the day, journaling your worries before bed, and so on. You don’t have to do to all the recommended things. Small changes can make big differences. Experiment with one or two at a time until you discover what activities are most helpful for you.

Keep a consistent bedtime and wake-up time – even on weekends! Having a regular sleep schedule is one of the most important things you can do for your ability to rest. This will help your brain and body anticipate and prepare for sleep when the time comes.

Maximize your environment for sleep. The comfort and quality of your mattress, pillows, and bedding; the room temperature and airflow; the lighting; the noises and disruptions that occur throughout the night – all these things can help or hinder the sleep you get. Review the elements of a relaxing bedroom and make adjustments that could improve your rest.

Keep a sleep diary. Whether written out by hand in a journal or monitored by an app or fitness device while you sleep, tracking your sleep habits can help you learn about your sleep patterns and discern which changes are working for improved rest. In addition, you can earn YP4H incentive points for tracking sleep in Virgin Pulse! Check out the “How to Earn” menu in Virgin Pulse and look for the “Sleep” section to review all available options.

Check in with your doctor, therapist, or a sleep specialist. Especially for those with long-term or worsening sleep problems, seek guidance from a medical provider to check for any underlying physical or mental health issues. A sleep specialist may be needed to work on chronic insomnia and other sleep disorders.

As with many health behaviors, we often know what to do, but figuring out how to do it can be challenging. For example, maybe you’d like to get to bed earlier and at a consistent time but changing your bedtime would involve changing a myriad of other activities that tend to occur between 4:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. Or, maybe you’ve heard less screen time at night is helpful, but you’re struggling to kick the Netflix habit before bed.

That’s where health coaches come in. Health Coaches specialize in motivation and behavior-change strategies. They can help you give voice to your sleep improvement ideas and come up with small, realistic steps towards making the changes you know will help you sleep better. You can set up individual health coaching to develop personalized plans for your sleep goals! Email the team with your preferred phone number and a few specific dates and times you’re available for a 30-minute phone call to schedule your first session: healthcoach.osuhealthplan@osumc.edu. You can also check out our upcoming group programs related to sleep in May 2022.

For a “behind the scenes” look at how sleep works, join Travis Westbrook, PhD for an Educational Program, Healthy Sleep Habits on Tuesday, May 10, from noon to 12:45 p.m. Participants will identify some of the most impactful steps you can take to improve or maintain the quality of your sleep.

Then, for extra support and accountability to bring your healthy sleep habits to life, join Health Coaches Jessica and Amanda for a Group Health Coaching Series, Sleep Well for Wellness! Participants will discuss strategies they’re using to improve sleep and how they’re addressing challenges to restful sleep. Throughout the series, participants will set goals and evaluate their efforts with the encouragement of the group and health coaches. This group meets on Wednesdays from 12:30 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. starting May 18 through June 8. Register for both programs in Link to Health (https://linktohealth.osu.edu/).

Plan to join the Your Plan for Health (YP4H) Mind Sweeper healthy habit challenge in May to practice relaxing your mind each night before going to bed.

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