A great way to start nurturing your sleep health is to get rid of bad sleeping habits. Unbeknownst to us, a lot of our everyday lifestyle habits like eating junk food before bed, staying up till late, not drinking enough water, etc., can have a very detrimental effect on our sleep health. We have therefore compiled a list of several poor sleeping habits that you should correct immediately to ensure a good night’s sleep on a consistent basis.
#01 Say No to Screen Exposure at Night
The practice of exposing your eyes to electronic items like TVs, smartphones, laptops, etc., goes hand in hand with the rising trend of insomnia in the world. Not only can the blue light emitting from such devices hinder your melatonin production but it can also cause retinal injury through prolonged exposure. Even if your work demands and unavoidable span of screen-time, it is advisable to wrap up your work at least one and half hours before going to bed. After all, not getting enough sleep is a major contributor to poor memory consolidation and learning ability, which in turn can affect your productivity and work performance.
#02 Exercise Before Bed Good or Bad
Exercising regularly is one of the most important factors which help you fall asleep quicker and sleep longer at a stretch. But there is a great amount of debate concerning about the role of exercising right before bedtime. Sleep experts suggest that an intense session of workout before bed can make you feel overly fatigued, and increase your core body temperature, blood pressure, and heart rate. To avoid such unnecessary stimulation, it is preferable to restrict vigorous exercising to the daytime and perform light workout in the evening- about 90 minutes before you go to sleep.
#03 Take Care of the Water Intake
One of the common mistakes that a lot of people commit before bedtime is that they chug up a large amount of water before bedtime. It is a healthy habit to drink lot of water throughout the day but the water intake should be gradually lowered once you start reaching the bedtime. This will prevent a great deal of nighttime sleep disruptions that result from an overfilled bladder.
#04 Avoid Caffeine and Alcohol Before Bed
Research suggests that caffeine before bedtime will result in causing a stimulation in your body that may hinder with your circadian rhythm by making it harder to fall asleep. Caffeinated products like tea, coffee, chocolates, soda, pop tarts, energy drinks, etc., should be therefore avoided from at least 6 hours before bedtime. Alcoholic drinks should similarly be avoided in the latter half of the day as they are known to disrupt the later part of the sleep and lead to wakefulness. Moreover, being a natural diuretic, alcohol can increase the number of toilet trips in the night by sending more water from the body into the bladder.
#05 Setup a Comfortable Bed
You should adopt a strict guideline when it comes to maintaining a sleep-friendly bed. You should first of all get rid of your current mattress if it is old, worn out, or even slightly uncomfortable. Instead, invest in a mattress that is not only firm so as to support your body weight and spinal alignment, but also comfy enough to inspire undisturbed sleep. Avoid air mattresses if you are facing back pain and look for other more supportive alternatives. Be extra cautious when selecting your bedding material and go for pillow covers and sheets made of fabrics like cotton, satin, silk, etc., as they allow proper air circulation and do not trap heat.
#06 Don’t Mess your Sleep Schedule
The time that you go to bed every night and the time when you wake up must be unwavering to prevent you from cutting short your eight hours of sound sleep. Adhere strictly to your sleep schedule and you’ll soon notice that waking up and falling asleep at a fixed time has become a natural process for your body. Remember to follow a bedtime ritual every night before sleeping rather than jumping straight to the bed so that your mind can naturally unwind itself. A bedtime yoga session, a warm and soothing bath, or a round of light and soft music before sleeping has proven to have calming effects on your body and reduce any buildup stress. Follow this comprehensive article to find more such natural ways to combat stress and deal with sleep issues.
#07 Stay Clear of Unhealthy Food
Lastly, avoid taking any unhealthy food items that may cause indigestion or acid refluxes at night. Foods that are rich in oils, sugars, and fats should not be taken at night as such foods take a harder time to get broken down and absorbed in the body. Large and spicy nightly meals should also be avoided for the same reasons at nighttime.
Bottom line:
A good sleep health is achieved not just by adopting good sleep habits but by also letting go of the bad ones. Acknowledging the poor sleep habits and working to remove them early on can help you find the right balance you need to maintain a good sleep health.
