Healthy sleep habits
Many Australians don’t get enough sleep, surveys show, and they feel tired as a result. Research also shows that while sleep disorders like insomnia are sometimes to blame, poor sleep habits or choices are just as often the cause.
How much sleep do I need?
Most adults need about 8 hours of sleep per night. Children and teenagers need more sleep than adults, while older people tend to sleep more lightly and for shorter time spans than when they were younger, despite needing the same amount of sleep as they did as young adults.
What is good sleep hygiene?
Healthy sleep habits, also called good sleep hygiene, are habits you can develop to help you sleep well. While you can’t make yourself sleep, there are things you can do to increase your chances of getting a good night’s sleep.
Things you can do to improve your sleep include making some simple changes to your environment as well as changing the timing of certain activities, or what you eat and drink. See: Ten tips for healthy sleep.
In most cases, sleeping pills are not the answer – they aren’t suitable for regular use and don’t address the cause of sleeping problems.
Last reviewed: July 2017
