Devices
Tracking your sleep is an important way to determine the quantity and quality of your sleep and identify areas for improvement. How you track your sleep is up to you and different devices/methods work better for different people.
For those who prefer wearable devices, Apple, FitBit, and Garmin are popular makers of higher end smart watches with full functionality while more affordable options are available with limited capabilities. If you would like to wear a device somewhere other than your wrist, you can choose from rings, necklaces, and clips.
For those who prefer not to wear a device all day, there are still plenty of options. You can wear a ring or headband, use a sleep tracking mat, place a device next to your bed, or put your smartphone on your mattress.
We do not endorse any specific device or product, these are simply examples of the types of trackers available. We recommend choosing one that fits your needs and budget. If you would prefer to use a sleep log instead, we have provided information below.
sleep log
One easy and cost-effective method to track your sleep is by keeping a sleep log, where you note when you go to bed and wake up each day. Set up your sleep log by tracking the following items and try to fill out your log book as soon as you wake up:
-
Today’s date:
-
Write the date of the morning you are filling out the log.
-
-
Last night, what time did you turn the lights off to go to sleep?
-
Do your best to accurately track this.
-
-
Today, what time did you get out of bed?
-
Do your best to accurately track this.
-
-
How would you rate last night’s sleep quality overall?
-
This is your personal rating
-
-
Did you wake up in the middle of the night or early morning, before you meant to? Yes or No
-
Prior to your alarm or predetermined waking time
-
-
How long did it take you to fall asleep?
-
Your estimate in minutes
-
-
Did you nap today? Yes or No
-
If yes, what time did your nap start and end?
-
-
Additional notes
-
This is a space for you to keep additional notes on how you are feeling and log anything that you don’t feel was captured in the questions above.
-
We have included a printable version of these instructions and sample sleep logs under the Resources heading below.
Once you have tracked your sleep for 2 weeks and identified areas for improvement, set a goal for improving either sleep quality or sleep quantity and commit to 2 healthy sleep behaviors.
Reassess your progress in 2 weeks to see if you need to make any changes. It can help to have an accountability buddy to share goals with or to have rewards for when your goals are met.
RESOURCES
Sleep
The National Sleep Foundation is dedicated to improving health and well-being through sleep education and advocacy.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and its partners work to heighten awareness of the impact of sleep health on the public’s health and safety.
This Healthy Sleep resource developed in conjunction by OHSU and Harvard Medical School is relevant to sleep disorder information and provides links to videos and interactives helpful to getting quality sleep.
Phone Sleep Apps - Apple and Android compatible, DOD-endorsed
The Tactical Breather app available on Android and iOS can be used to gain control over physiological and psychological responses to stress. Through practice you can learn to gain control of your heart rate, emotions, concentration, and other physiological & psychological responses.
Breathe2Relax on Android and iOS is a portable stress management tool; a hands-on diaphragmatic breathing exercise. Breathing exercises have been shown to decrease stress responses, help with mood stabilization, anger control, anxiety management, and wind down before bedtime.
CBT-i Coach is for people who have experienced symptoms of insomnia and would like to improve their sleep habits. The app will guide users through the process of learning about sleep, developing positive sleep routines, and improving their sleep.
Non-DOD apps
Sleepbot is a sleep application that includes: motion and sound graphs, sleep debt log, statistics, trend graphs (averages, sleep/wake times, patterns), multiple custom alarms, resources to help you fall asleep and stay awake and is free. Available on Android or iOS.
White Noise Lite features ambient sounds of the environment that will help you relax during the day and sleep at night. It generates sounds over a wide range of frequencies, masking noise interruptions, so you can fall asleep. Available on Android or iOS.
Service members
Oregon Military Assistance Helpline (ORMAH)
Call 1-800-511-6944
A 24 hour hotline open 365 days a year providing confidential services such as:
Crisis Intervention
Marital and Family Issues
Personal and Emotional Issues
Alcohol and Substance Abuse
Staffed by veterans and counselors trained in military culture.
Worksource Oregon has veteran employment representatives (DVOPS/ LVERS) who assist veterans on transitioning back into the civilian workforce and alerting them to available training opportunities. Get connected with representatives who provide specialized vocational guidance and application assistance, specialized workshops and clubs, information on federal contract and government employment opportunities and more.
Service member & Family
Military OneSource is your central hub and go-to-place for the military community answers to the military life questions such as deployments, reintegration, moves, parenthood, retirement and more.
National Guard Family Program: The National Guard Family Program exists for the sole purpose of supporting and educating families along the path of their National Guard life.
ORNG Service Member and Family Support helps build resilience around the Service Member and Family by connecting them with appropriate resources, training, and community outreach.
Federal Occupational Health (FOH) provides your organization’s EAP (Employee Assistance Program). The EAP is a professional service that provides problem solving, coaching, information, consultation, counseling, resource identification, and support to all employees.
Supervisor
The Family Supportive Supervisor Behaviors (FSSB) manual has ways to teach supervisors how to provide family and personal support as well as performance support to their employees.
The Study for Employment Retention of Veterans (SERVe) is a research study that developed and evaluated a training for civilian supervisors designed to improve the support and understanding of Veterans and Service Members in the workplace.
World at Work is a nonprofit association for HR professionals and organizations. In their Resource Center, they have a number of resources related to compensation, benefits, work-life effectiveness and flexible work arrangements.
The When Work Works Flexibility Toolkit includes case studies, survey research, the business case for flexibility, and some tip sheets for employers and employees.
The Oregon Healthy Workforce Center – a NIOSH Center of Excellence – has online tools and toolkits that can help improve safety, health and well-being at work.
The Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) promotes cooperation and understanding between Reserve Component Service members and their civilian employers and to assist in the resolution of conflict arising from and employee’s military commitment.