There is nothing better than logging seven to eight hours of slumber. Unfortunately, most people aren’t clocking enough sleep and professionals say many are inadvertently ruining their own sleep. If you’re regularly getting a poor night sleep, it could be due to something you’re not doing right before bed.
Below are common mistakes that could be ruining your sleep quality and their solutions.
#1. Not Having A Regular Bedtime
Having a regular sleep pattern helps the body to find its natural rhythm and preserve a regular sleep-wake cycle. This allows your body’s internal clock to naturally feel more awake during the day and sleepy at night.
To help your body have a regular sleep-wake cycle, go to bed and rise at the same time every day, even on weekends. Throwing off your rhythm by adjusting the time you sleep every night confuses your body’s internal clock causing you to feel sleepier during daylight hours and have difficulty falling asleep at night.
#2. Using Your Phone Until the Moment You Close Your Eyes
Smartphones have become one of the biggest sleep disruptors in adult and teenagers. Not only does processing information keep your brain on high alert, but the blue light emitted from the phone inhibits melatonin production which can affect the circadian rhythm and make it hard to fall asleep when you’re ready.
To minimize the disruption, avoid looking at your smartphone two to three hours before bed. If this isn’t feasible, wear blue light blocking glasses or use a blue light filter.
#3. Working Out Intensely Right Before Bed
Working a good sweat is a component of a good night’s sleep. However, when done intensely and too close to bed, it can ruin your sleep. Late exercises speed up your heart rate, raise your body temperature and stimulate your nervous system, all of which have negative effects on your sleep.
If you exercise at night and have interrupted sleep, try working out at least three hours before bedtime. Also, make sure that the beddings you use are comfortable so they can promote sleep. Here’s the 2019 best mattress from GQ you may want to buy to help promote healthy sleep.
#4. Eating A Lot Right Before Bed
Sleeping on an empty stomach isn’t comfortable and so is going to bed on an overly full belly. Nighttime noshing or eating too close to bed can cause acid reflux which can make it hard for you to sleep. This happens when the food in your stomach comes back into the esophagus causing heartburn and indigestion.
Avoid eating meals within a few hours of bedtime. If you’re super hungry, have a light snack to satisfy you until breakfast.
#5. Drinking Alcohol Before Bed to Try to Wind Down
Having a nightcap can help you fall asleep, but you’ll have a poor quality of sleep. Alcohol increases the amount of adenosine in the body causing you to wake up at night after imbibing. Alcohol also creates more slow-wave sleep patterns in the brain, leading to disturbed sleep.
These five common mistakes could be ruining your sleep. Avoid them before you retire to bed to get a good night’s sleep.
