5 Sleeping Rules to Break Right Now

One of the key components of a healthy existence is sleep. Your life’s quality is influenced by how well and how much you sleep. A single night of insomnia can make you feel drowsy, unmotivated, and inattentive the next day. Your immune system, blood pressure, and mental health can all be impacted by a lack of sleep. Your chances of developing heart disease, depression, type 2 diabetes, and other ailments might rise over time if you are consistently sleep-deprived.

The activities you engage in before bed can have a big impact on how well you sleep. You might not be able to sleep well at night due to poor sleep hygiene. Many people experience the negative impacts of inadequate sleep, which range from difficulty concentrating to irritation to weight gain, but they are unaware of the causes.

Below are the five pivotal sleeping habits that you must break immediately to have a positive impact on sleep.

Bad Habit No 1: Eating just before sleeping

It could be challenging for you to unwind and go to sleep if your body is still digesting a substantial meal. Additionally, lying down while your food is still being digested might result in oesophageal erosion from stomach acid, which can induce heartburn and indigestion. Having to deal with this unpleasant burning sensation can make it difficult to relax and go to sleep. The metabolism decreases as the body and mind get ready for sleep. As a result, late-night snacking might also result in gastrointestinal problems that will not help you to sleep well.

Here are a few important suggestions:

• Eat healthy and nutritious food for dinner. Avoid junk food.
• Eat dinner at least two to three hours before going to bed so that your body has enough time to metabolize it.
• Maintain a fixed schedule for dinner daily.
• Keep your snack light and choose foods that will help you fall asleep if you need a snack between dinner and bedtime.

Bad Habit No 2: Sleeping late and at unusual hours

Each of us has a natural circadian rhythm based on the sun’s rising and setting. When we are most likely to feel awake and focused rather than exhausted depends on this cycle. The sleep hormone melatonin is affected by light. Melatonin production decreases while you spend the day in the sun, keeping you awake and attentive. Melatonin levels rise as the sun sets and you are exposed to less light, which makes you feel drowsy. A chemical imbalance brought on by sleeping against our circadian clock can make it difficult to fall asleep. An inconsistent sleep routine, such as staying up late and going to bed early, can cause insufficient sleep and long-term insomnia.

Here are a few important suggestions:

• Sleep at the earliest possible time. Avoid late-night sleeping. Next-gen mattresses such as The Sleeping Company’s SmartGRID mattress is a perfect option for a good night’s rest.
• Try to get ready for bed at least an hour in advance. Perform activities like meditation, and reading a book, before going to bed.
• Keep a regular sleep routine based on the time you need to get up each day.
• Aim for at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night.

Bad Habit No 3: Late consumption of alcohol and caffeine

The effects of caffeine might last for up to 8 hours after ingestion. Caffeine stimulates the neurological system, resulting in a wakeful state and increased brain activity, neither of which are sleep-promoting. Therefore, it is advisable to avoid late consumption of coffee for a good night’s sleep.

A common misconception is that drinking alcohol before bed promotes restful sleep. Although it may make you feel sleepy, alcohol interferes with your capacity to enter and stay in a deep sleep state.

Here are a few important suggestions:

• Stay away from coffee and other caffeinated drinks at least 8 hours before sleep. This amount of time enables your body to fully process caffeine and ensures that it won’t keep you up at night.
• If you want to consume alcohol, try to intake it in the early evening. The best course of action, however, is to never drink alcohol.
• Avoid daily consumption of alcohol and caffeine. They are detrimental to your health in the long run.
• If you feel addicted to caffeine and alcohol, consult your doctor and take help from your friends and family.

Bad Habit No 4: Screen time before bed

Electronic devices, such as cell phones, laptops, and tablets, emit blue light. The blue light from the screen of these gadgets interferes with the generation of melatonin and your ability to fall asleep. It gets harder for you to get to sleep and get a good night’s rest the longer you lie in bed staring at your electronic devices. The late-night use of these devices can also cause anxiety, which floods the body with cortisol. Cortisol prevents sleep and relaxation by keeping the body and mind active and alert.

Here are a few important suggestions:

• Cut back on screen usage at least 1 to 2 hours before bed to avoid blue light sleep interruptions.
• Opt for activities such as reading, meditation, and stretching rather than using your smartphone before bedtime.
• Activate the night mode of your electronic devices to minimize the blue light emissions.
• Delete the unproductive apps that keep you glued to your mobile phones. These apps, unknowingly, waste your precious time.
• Use faint red lights instead of blue lights as your night lamp.

Bad Habit No 5: Exercise before dozing off

Exercising is good for health and improves sleep. However, the timing of your workout plays an important role in impacting your good night’s rest. Exercise boosts cortisol levels, endorphin release, and core body warmth. Your mood and mental clarity can both be enhanced by a decent workout in the morning and afternoon. However, if you exercise late at night, your adrenaline levels may spike, making it difficult to fall asleep. Therefore, it is not advisable to exercise before you hit the bed.

• Avoid exercising at least 1 to 2 hours before bed. Instead, consider including light stretching in your sleep ritual.
• Opt for morning exercise as it offers the body enough time to relax and allows the parasympathetic nervous system to take over, enabling one to unwind before going to bed.
• Schedule your high-intensity workouts at early hours to avoid their repercussions on sleep.
• Sleep on a comfortable mattress along with your exercise routine to improve your sleep quality. With technological advancements, it is recommended to buy mattress online rather than opting for retail purchasing.

Conclusion

Habits are tough to break but once broken it changes your life forever. By breaking these 5 bad habits of sleeping, the quality of your life will change forever. Try them and experience the magical powers of a good night’s sleep.