Type the words ‘how to sleep better’ into Google, and there’s one piece of advice almost all the results have in common: practise good sleep hygiene. An elaborate term simply used to describe good sleep habits, sleep hygiene can refer to anything from not scrolling on your phone before bed to having a warm bath or winding down with a book.

In some cases, it’s also used to refer to a bedtime routine – a long list of good sleep habits people turn to in a bid to rest a little more easily.

Subjectively, these are all things that will have a positive impact on your sleep. It’s not rocket science – when you remove things that cause you stress and replace them with relaxing influences, you’re more likely to find it easier to nod off. 

However, that doesn’t mean everyone will benefit from practising good sleep hygiene. In fact, argues Kathryn Pinkham – a sleep expert and founder of The Insomnia Clinic – placing too much emphasis on following the ‘perfect’ bedtime routine can actually make your sleep worse.

Pinkham, who spoke at Stylist’s The Gut Life Weekend in partnership with Yakult, says “the more we think about sleep, the less likely it is to happen”. 

“Sleep is paradoxical – the harder you try to get it, the worse it gets,” she explains. “So, while a good bedtime routine is great, this is only the case if you enjoy the routine and relate it to sleep. If you are doing a long wind down routine aimed at making yourself sleep you are likely to be building up anxiety before bed as you are ‘trying’ too hard.” 

In this way, she says, excellent sleep hygiene isn’t necessary to have a good night’s sleep – it might help some people, but it’s not a box you need to tick if it adds to your anxiety around going to bed. For example, Pinkham explains, a short routine – like cleaning your teeth and putting your pyjamas on – can work just as well, if not better, than a more elaborate one.

“A sleep-friendly routine is anything you find relaxing or enjoyable and that you relate to bed,” Pinkham says. “For me, it’s washing my face, putting my PJs on and reading my Kindle for 10 minutes. After that, I drop off.”

She adds: “There is no way to ‘make’ sleep happen, all we can do is create the ideal situation for sleep to occur naturally.”

So there you have it. While having a bedtime routine might work well for you and your sleep, it’s not for everyone – and if you’re finding your bedtime routine places a lot of pressure on you nodding off, then it could be time to scale things back a little.  

Want to hear more from Kathryn? Click on the link below to listen to her interview on The Gut Life.

Images: Getty