There are many ways to have great sleep at night. Yet we have different personalities and routines that may affect our sleep. The type of lifestyle that you lead and some of the habits that ruin your sleep. Most of these habits are innocent ways that keep you in check at night. That most people do not find disruptive but always affect their sleep health in a way or another. For instance, you have no idea how long a cup of coffee can last with you until you take it late in the evening. Below are some of the honest habits that ruin your sleep and how best you can adjust to improve your sleep quality.
There is nothing wrong with scrolling through Facebook, YouTube or your WhatsApp. However, if it is a habit you’ve got that you go through your phone once you lay on your bed it will affect your sleep. Firstly, the light from the screen interferes with your sleep and for your circadian rhythm uses light to control your sleep-wake cycle. Since your brain is not aware of the difference between phone light and sunlight. It gets active and keeps you wide awake. Secondly, social media is addictive and it keeps you glued to your screen causing you to want more and you spend your sleep time on it. Turn electronics off an hour before bed and discipline your sleep routine to unwind with other non-screen activities.
Reaching out for pain pills
Many people reach out for pain medication at night when they feel pain in various places. This innocent habit of getting rid of the pain for better sleep is not bad but is unnecessary especially when done consistently. Nonetheless, depending on the type of pain that you are getting it is best to address the cause of pain instead of sleeping it off. Focus on the pain problem and solve it for good and regain the sleep quality you need. Get to see a sleep doctor to address your concerns with pain that are causing you not to sleep. Alternatively, you can invest in a new serta mattress that supports your body better and ease your pain. Since some times the pain you experience like back pain is a result of a poor quality mattress.
Sleeping in cozy pyjamas
A cooler body is easier to get sleep. The body temperatures fall at night to allow you to sleep easily and comfortably. Hence when you are in a habit of sleeping in cozy pyjamas they make you too warm by increasing your body temperature. As a result, your sleep is disrupted for you to get uncomfortable and unable to sleep. Create a cozy sleeping situation with beddings that you can pull on and off easily in case you feel that you are too warm. This will help you control your body temperature at night. Learn how to work around the heat in your room even when you have a thermostat or heater on for quality sleep.
Sleeping in on weekends
Isn’t it a habit of many people to catch up with lost sleep during the weekend? This habit has to stop if you need to get your sleep health fixed. Although sleep is essential, paying off sleep debt for what you lost during the week only breaks off your sleep. Afterwards, since many people sleep for long it messes up their body’s sleep cycle. If this cycle of sleeping goes on and on it leads to having poor sleep quality for sleeping in on weekends have you turning in bed Sunday night. Thus, you wake up fatigued on Monday for not getting rested and refreshing sleep. The trick here is to sleep in an hour or two that do not interfere with your daily schedule. Set an alarm if you feel you will overdo it or get someone to wake you up.
Brushing your teeth before bed
Although there is no excuse as to why you skip brushing your teeth. This innocent habit may affect your sleeping time and eventually your sleep quality. Many people have had that experience where they were stuck on the couch. But as soon as they get to the bathroom to brush their teeth the light and the energizing taste of peppermint toothpaste signals the brain to wake up. Hence you can opt to brush your teeth earlier as you clean up before you decide to unwind or after you dimmed the lights. Choose a mild toothpaste and shift your bedtime routine a little bit to accommodate this new habit. Hence protecting your sleep quality and routine to avoid counting sheep to fall asleep.
High productivity levels at night
Some people favour working at night than morning hours. This habit of loving to get productive at night may affect your sleep quality. As much as you have some work to do and a to-do list to go through, your mind does not calm easily when you want to sleep for it is still racing from the stressful activities you were handling. Switch this habit with a more soothing ritual other than getting yourself too tired so that you sleep. Take an hour or two earlier in the night to sort the bills and other activities other than hours to bed.
Exercising at night
It is a known fact that exercise helps you sleep better. This is only true though if you time it right. To get that deep sleep you hope the exercise will bring avoid exercising before bedtime for it will instead keep you awake. The release of endorphin hormones that remain in the system after a workout makes your late exercise counterproductive. Therefore, choose to exercise in the morning or afternoon hours. However, if your daily routine needs you to exercise later avoid vigorous exercises that will only make you get a hard time sleeping. Try soothing activities after, some chamomile tea that will relax your muscles and help you fall asleep faster.
