COVID-19 Public Health Road Map: Sleep hygiene

Behavioural science recommendations
Good sleep hygiene (i.e., behaviours that ensure sufficient and high quality sleep) can benefit both physical and psychological health. Sleep hygiene comprises many behaviours (e.g. creation of a cool, dark and quiet sleeping environment, regular daytime exercise, eating behaviour, substance use and screen use). These behaviours can be influenced by what we know and what we can do (capability); people around us and our physical environment (opportunity); and our beliefs, what we want, how we see ourselves, how we regulate our emotions, and our habit (motivation). To support changes since COVID-19:
• Consider whether any disruption to daily routines, finances, access to usual places to sleep, and/or social support (e.g. that may have arisen from working from home, school closures, changes to commuting, sports and leisure facility closures and/or restrictions) may have influenced sleep hygiene behaviour.
• Promote understanding of the value of sleep hygiene for optimal sleep and the benefit of physical and psychological health including the use of a sleep hygiene plan (e.g. bedtime, wake time, sleep environment).
• Encourage the use of good sleep hygiene behaviours (e.g. regular daytime exercise, not going to bed hungry, thirsty or over full, limiting screen use and intake of caffeine, nicotine and alcohol before bed).
• Discourage compensation for sleep loss (e.g. napping, stimulant use, sleeping in, going to bed early, and use of devices).
• Encourage and promote help seeking when sleep is chronically disrupted or disordered.
• Develop and implement four-nation sleep guidance to support general physical and psychological health.

We recommend following the British Psychological Society’s Behavioural Science and Disease Prevention: Psychological guidance to shape any policy and/or communications strategy.