Bad sleep habits
Getting proper sleep is essential for us humans to maintain excellent health and overall well-being. There are several studies that show that the brain cleanses itself when we are sleeping, helping us to wake fresh and energised the next day. When we lose out on our sleep, it can lead us to develop not only mental disorders like sleep apnea and insomnia, but also leave us cynical in the way we approach things.
In this article, you will get to know 5 ways how you are hampering your sleep and what are ways you can overcome this problem. So let us get started,
- Bedtime Gadget Use
So many people in today’s generation are losing out on good sleep because of this unnecessary habit. The problem with using gadgets, especially at the time of sleep, is that most of these devices emit blue light that hampers the natural sleep and wake cycle in us humans. Moreover, this same blue light suppresses the secretion of Melatonin, a hormone that helps us doze off faster.
Hence, to get high-quality sleep at night, you should consider switching off all your gadgets at least 2-3 hours before you sleep. Doing so will make sure that you will sleep as soon as you hit the bed.
- Caffeine Intake Before Sleep
One thing that you should strictly avoid consuming before you go to sleep is caffeine. Caffeine is a beverage that keeps you alert and awake and will cause you trouble if you are going to sleep. This is because this substance stimulates your central nervous system and it will interfere with your sleep, especially if you have consumed it just before going to bed.
So, if you are someone who likes to have a coffee after the evening, consider replacing it with some other beverages that are free of caffeine. Drinks like Green Tea and Protein Shakes go a long way in keeping one healthy and also helping them to have a good night’s sleep as well.
- Consumption of Alcohol and Smoking at Night
It is a common perception that alcohol helps in having a good night’s sleep because of that drowsiness that follows after drinking. However, it is not true as alcohol disrupts your sleep rhythm and it constantly makes you toss and turn in the whole night. The same goes with smoking too, as nicotine present in traditional cigarettes ruins your ability to sleep and causes disorders like sleep apnea, snoring, insomnia etc.
While it is easier to overcome alcoholism through controlled drinking, it may not be that simpler when it comes to smoking. This is because when you try to quit cigarettes by going turkey, the withdrawal symptoms that are associated with it can hamper your sleep. In order to overcome this problem, you may try out an alternative like e-cigarettes, which is right now the latest smoking trend. This gadget effectively mimics the standard cigarettes by avoiding the harmful tobacco completely from it.
- Improper Sleeping Time
Did you know sleeping at various times every night can disrupt your sleep very badly? One must understand that we as humans are creatures of habits and we cannot exclude sleep from it. Our body rests best when it goes according to the circadian rhythm and having an irregular sleep pattern can affect it terribly. So, it is imperative that you hit the bed at the same time every night.
To sleep at proper times, try to establish a daily schedule that will help you to prioritise things in a better way. Ensure that you finish all your work by the end of the day so that you can retire to bed peacefully without any stress.
- Working Out Just Before Sleep
Though exercise can be a great thing to add to your routine to get good sleep, doing so just before going to bed can go against your favour. At a time when your body needs rest, working it out can cause your body temperature, heartbeat and your blood pressure to rise dramatically. This can not only delay sleep but can also provoke more nighttime awakenings in future.
So, it is suggested that you set your workout sessions in the morning. Apart from helping you to sleep better, morning workouts also give you tons of energy to be productive in your daily tasks.
In Brief,
You have just seen five ways on how you might be disrupting your sleep and hopefully you have learnt on how to overcome them too. Contrary to people who are workaholics, getting good sleep is not at all a waste of time and rather it is a way to boost your productivity as well as efficiency. You will see how optimistic and joyful you become once you have set your sleeping habits straight.
