It takes more than sleeping eight hours to ensure a restful night. What you do and don’t do before you go to bed can impact how you sleep and feel when your alarm wakes you up in the morning. We put together a list of common mistakes you may make that rob you of quality zzzs.
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Eat a large meal before going to bed
A full stomach or bladder always disturbs your sleep. Getting up during the night to use the bathroom interrupts your rest, so avoid drinking too much a couple of hours before going to bed. Eating a large meal at night can trigger heartburn symptoms when you lie down and can make it uncomfortable to sleep.
You lay awake in bed at night
When you cannot fall asleep, don’t just lie in your bed awake, scrolling on social media or overthinking. Rather than tossing and turning in your sheets, get up, do a yoga session to calm your mind, perform a few physical exercises, or read. When you’re having trouble getting to sleep frequently, you may deal with insomnia, and it’s best to search for medical help.
You have an old mattress
When you wake up with back pain, specifically lower back pain, your mattress may be malformed and affect your sleep quality. Old mattresses can also trigger allergies because they make the perfect home for dust mites that can exacerbate asthma or eczema symptoms. If you want to replace it with a new one, look for the best foam mattress because if you care for it properly, it can last even 10 years.
Sleep in a room too warm, too cold, or too noisy
You cannot fall asleep in a room that stimulates your sense. If music plays around the house, the TV is blaring, the lights are on, or the room temperature is too warm or cold, you cannot fall asleep. Even a small variation in the environment makes it difficult to catch a wink. Identify the factors that help you rest at night, and keep the bedroom free of noise, lighting, or other distractions.
Use the bedroom as a multipurpose space
Filling your bedroom with gaming systems, computers, TV, smartphone, and all the gadgets you have around the house make it an environment filled with stimulation that keeps sleep at bay. Technology won’t help you fall asleep, or at least not this kind of technology. Screen light is harmful to sleep, so you should put all devices away at least an hour before bedtime. Clear out the bedroom of technology and build it as the sanctuary where you find peace and rest.
Drink coffee or alcohol before bed
Though some movies may promote getting drunk to get to sleep, this isn’t actually helpful. Alcohol makes you feel drowsy, but it disrupts the quality of sleep, and you end up waking up more exhausted than you went to sleep. Alcohol can even worsen sleep apnea and snoring when you drink it close to bedtime. It would help if you also stayed away from any caffeinated beverage 4 to 6 hours before bedtime because they work as stimulants that keep you awake at night.
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