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But other times, it’s harder to pinpoint why you’re slipping intosleep debt.
If your environment is the problem, choosing thebest mattressandbest pillowcan help.
When it comes to behavioral issues, a sleep diary might be the solution.
A sleep diary is a great way to achieve this."
Ready to get started?
Here’s our full guide to creating your own sleep diary.
What is the point of a sleep diary?
A sleep diary is used to help you understand your sleep or lack of it.
Collecting this information over a two-week period allows you to take a step back and objectively assess your routine.
to see if there is any pattern."
A sleep diary can also give you a different perspective towards your sleep including identifying misconceptions.
However, it also reveals your bedtime changes drastically between the weekend and the work week.
How long should you keep a sleep diary?
However, a sleep diary doesnt have to be a short-term commitment.
How do you do a sleep diary?
There’s room to personalize your sleep diary, so consider what kind of information you want to explore.
Below is a basic outline to get you started with your sleep diary.
Be honest with your data.
If you want to understand your sleep issues, you need accurate information.
This can help you findwhen to go to bedbased on your internal clock.
How long it took you to fall asleepIn minutes, how long did it take you to fall asleep?
Butavoid watching the clockin your bedroom, as this might keep you awake longer.
Were you snoring in seconds?
Did you toss and turn before settling down?
Or did you lie awake for a while before finally drifting off?
A sleep tracker can help with the details, but it isnt essential.
Were you in pain or uncomfortable?
Were you feeling stressed or anxious?
Was there too much light or noise?
If there was a clear cause waking you up, take note of it.
Rate your sleep 0-5With zero indicating terrible and five indicating excellent, note just how well you slept.
“Sometimes your sleep troubles are a result of bad sleep habits,” says Lisa.
“For example, drinking too much caffeine before bedtime, not exercising or poorsleep hygiene.”
It will affect the overall amount of sleep you’re getting.
For example: two cups of coffee at 11am, one at 3pm.
Timing can be as important as amount when assessing sleep.
MedicationNote down any medications you might have taken during the day, as well as when you took them.
Your bedtime routineMake a general note of yourbedtime routine, including what you did and when you did it.
How well did you stick to your planned wind-down?
You might also want to add a journaling aspect to your sleep diary.
Noting your emotional wellbeing before going to bed can help you understandhow you sleep when you’re stressed.
(The Sleep Charity has it’s ownsleep diary templateyou can use as a starting point.)
