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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2012 Aug 1.
Published in final edited form as: J Am Geriatr Soc. 2011 Jul 28;59(8):1393–1402. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2011.03519.x

Table 1.

Sleep Hygiene Recommendations Provided to All Participants

  • Maintain regular times for going to bed and arising.

  • Establish a comfortable, secure sleeping environment. Attend to temperature and provide nightlights and/or security objects.

  • Discourage staying in bed while awake; use the bedroom only for sleep.

  • If the person awakens, discourage watching television.

  • Establish regular meal times.

  • Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine.

  • Avoid excessive evening fluid intake and empty the bladder before retiring.

  • Avoid daytime naps if the person is having trouble sleeping at night.

  • Treat any pain symptoms.

  • Seek daytime sunlight exposure.

  • Engage in regular daily exercise, but no later than four hours before bedtime.

  • If the person is taking cholinesterase inhibitors (tacrine, donepezil, rivastigmine, or galantamine), avoid nighttime dosing.

  • Administer drugs such as selegiline that may have a stimulating effect no later than six to eight hours before bedtime.

Modified from Alzheimer’s Association 27