Getting a perfect night’s sleep—we all love it & we sometimes struggle with it. And what we do right before bed can be the very thing that’s messing with our sleep, whether that’s having late-night snacks or scrolling through our phones. Here are twelve things you might want to skip before bed. Don’t be the saboteur of your own sleep!
Featured Image Credit: EdZbarzhyvetsky /Depositphotos.com.
Late-Night Coffee Runs
Caffeine is never your friend when you’re trying to sleep. Drinking coffee (or anything with caffeine) too close to bedtime can turn you into a night owl because it sticks around in your system for hours. This will keep you wide awake when you should be dreaming about your next vacation—so switch to decaf after lunchtime.
Heavy Meals Are a No-Go
It’s never easy trying to sleep with a belly full of pizza. Eating a big meal right before you hit the hay can cause you to feel uncomfortable or even give you heartburn. Your body’s too busy trying to digest all that food—which means it’s not resting. You should try to keep dinner light & early if you can.
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Save the Gym for the Morning
Don’t get us wrong, exercise is certainly fantastic but the timing of when you do it is important. Working out pumps up your adrenaline & heart rate and this makes it rather difficult to wind down. If you’re going to the gym, try to do it earlier in the day so that your body has plenty of time to chill out before bedtime.
Blue Light Special is a No
At night, those gadgets you struggle to put down aren’t doing you any favors. The blue light from screens messes with our sleep hormones by tricking our brains into thinking it’s still daytime — this makes it far harder to fall asleep. Try putting the tech away at least an hour before bed—pick up a book instead.
Nap Time Shouldn’t Be All the Time
As great as naps are, there’s a time & place for them. Sleeping for too long, especially late in the day, will make you struggle to fall asleep at night time. Instead, you should keep those naps short & sweet at approximately 90 minutes. You should also avoid napping after 3 PM unless you absolutely have to.
Booze Isn’t a Sleep Aid
It might seem like a glass of wine is the easiest way to fall asleep but that’s not true. In fact, alcohol actually messes with your sleep cycle so while it might knock you out, you’ll keep waking up throughout the night. Stick to a warm, non-alcoholic drink if you need something to sip on before bed.
Drinking a River Before Bed
Speaking of drinking, hydration is certainly important but guzzling loads of water right before bed isn’t good. Why? Because you’re probably going to be up & down all night visiting the bathroom! Limit your fluids a couple of hours before you plan to sleep or leave a glass of water by your bedside so you can drink when needed.
Cigarettes Are Sleep’s Enemy
Just like caffeine, nicotine is a stimulant and lighting up before bed can kick your heart rate into high gear. This will keep you awake—and restless. Anyone looking for a more peaceful sleep should try to avoid smoking in the evening. Or better yet, look into quitting completely because it’s a lot better for you!
Stressful Stuff Stays in the AM
Tackling stressful tasks or having heated discussions right before bed will leave your mind racing and this gets your heart pumping. Try to wrap up any intense activities or conversations earlier in the day. This way, you’ll be able to drift off with a calm mind. Staying up will solve nothing and, in fact, cause more problems.
Angry Sleep is Bad Sleep
Likewise, going to bed angry or upset can make it really hard to fall asleep because it feels like your brain won’t let you rest. It’s far too busy being mad. As such, you should try to resolve any disagreements or let go of those frustrations before you hit the pillow. If you can’t do that, simply agree to pick things up again in the morning.
Spicy Food is a No Before Bed
It’s okay if you love a bit of spice, although you may want to save it for lunchtime. Spicy food can cause heartburn and discomfort, which, as you might’ve guessed, are definitely not conducive to a good night’s sleep. Keep your dinner mild to make sure you’re not up all night regretting that extra hot sauce!
Work Emails Can Wait
Checking work emails will keep your brain in high gear and this makes it far harder to wind down. You should try to disconnect from work a good hour before bed—no matter how important that email is! Doing so tells your mind that it’s time to rest instead of stressing about tomorrow’s to-do list.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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