Sleep habits affecting your teeth? Sounds strange right but research has shown a good bedtime routine can not only help you achieve a better night’s sleep but also keep your teeth, mind and body healthy. Establishing healthy sleep habits is like creating an oral hygiene routine. A restful night’s sleep can reduce stress levels, teeth grinding and clenching, as well as many systemic conditions such hypertension, diabetes, obesity and heart conditions.
Sleep hygiene is essentially creating good habits and behaviours to help you achieve a good night’s rest, allowing both your mind and body to relax and repair. Here are some tips on how you can get started:
- Be consistent – maintain regular waking up and sleep times, even on weekends.
- Stop the use of devices such as phones, TVs, and iPads, which emit a bright blue light that tricks your brain into thinking it’s daylight, keeping you awake longer.
- Create a bedroom environment – quiet, dark and cool. Use white noise like a fan if needed.
- Bedtime routine- Reading a book or meditation. An activity that is relaxing and calming.
- Daily sunlight -sun exposure in the morning helps to reset your circadian rhythm.
- Regular exercise.
- Limit the amount of caffeine and alcohol.
If we are not sleeping well at night, there is an increased risk of teeth grinding and clenching, which can lead to chipping and/or cracking of teeth, TMJ disorders, and jaw muscle pain.
Want to find out more? Discuss this with one of the clinicians when you’re in next.
