Bad Sleeping Habits: How to Fix and Avoid Them (An Expert Guide)
Getting good sleep is an indispensable part of your health. Without proper sleep, the body gets deprived of rest, the immune system weakens, the hormone balance is disrupted and it might cause serious health problems in the long run.
We all know how important it is for our health and well-being, yet we neglect sleep for a variety of reasons, mostly to keep up with the demanding work schedules. Statistics show that more and more people in the United States sleep less than the suggested seven hours.
In today’s world it’s easy to pick up habits that leave us sleepless and worn out. Fortunately, these habits can be broken with simple adjustments. Let’s discover how to fix and avoid bad sleeping habits for a healthier lifestyle!
Bad Habit #1: Eating Before Bed
Let’s admit it, we all give in to a late-night snack binge at a certain point. Some people may even go the extra mile and eat a large meal before sleeping. While it does sound fun, it may also be detrimental to sleep. Piling up the calories before bedtime is not only a bad sleeping habit, it may potentially grow into an eating disorder and threaten your health.
It is commonly agreed that it is best to stop eating three hours before bedtime. Any large meals or unhealthy foods that cause indigestion and trigger acid reflux can prevent you from sleeping. Eating balanced and nutritious meals to avoid experiencing night time cravings is the best approach to curb your late night snacking habit.
Bad Habit #2: Screen Time Before Bed
While exposure to any type of light source inhibits the secretion of the sleep-inducing hormone called melatonin, blue lights emitted by TV and phone screens are known to mess with your body’s sleep triggers. That being said, staring at a blue light emitting surface for hours before bedtime is certainly a no-go if you want to get a good night’s sleep.
A lot of people use their phones as their alarm clock nowadays, but keeping your phone so close to you in bed is only tempting fate. Find something else that offers effective alarm tones or keep your phone or tablet out of reach once you’re in bed. Let your eyes get some rest from light exposure and keep your brain away from distractions allowing you to drift into sleep.
Bad Habit #3: Caffeine Intake
Caffeine, a well-known stimulant, blocks sleep-promoting receptors that allow you to drift into sleep naturally. Research shows that while drinking coffee or another caffeinated drink closer to bedtime is indeed worse, caffeine continues to disrupt sleep quality even six hours after consumption.
If even the smallest amount of coffee keeps you awake, you might improve your sleep quality by turning to decaffeinated options that offer a similar taste without the stimulants. Keeping your coffee drinking habit restricted to the early hours of the day and consuming a minimal amount might also be a good solution.
Bad Habit #4: Heavy Exercise Before Bed
Tiring yourself out with an excruciatingly intense workout session before bedtime might seem to be sensible at first glance. It is, however, not a very reasonable choice. Intense physical activity raises your body temperature and might leave you aching and unable to sleep.
Instead, give your body some breathing room between your workouts and bedtime. Recent research shows that evening sessions even help you get a good relaxing sleep, as long as you don’t exhaust yourself right before bedtime.
Bad Habit #5: Long Daytime Naps
Your siesta habit might interfere with your good night sleep as well. While a quick daytime nap might prove energizing and refreshing to some, long naps can prevent you from sleeping at night and cause you to get stuck with an unhealthy sleeping cycle.
Understand that napping cannot replace or make up for a good night’s sleep. Research points to the fact that while keeping your snooze sessions under thirty minutes might be beneficial for learning abilities, prolonged naps can be very harmful for your overall health, let alone your sleep quality.
Bad Habit #6: Overcrowding the Bed
Nowadays, many people like to flood their bedside surroundings with electronics and screens. While they may take great pleasure from watching a TV show or even doing computer work from the comfort of their beds, the abundance of electronic devices and other stuff might be blocking their path to a healthy sleep as well.
Sleeping should be regarded as a sacred activity. It is indispensable for our vital functions and ideally, a good portion of the day is spent sleeping. As it is such a crucial part of our lives, our bedrooms should be kept clean, comfy and isolated from all of the distractions.
Turn your sleeping area into a sacred ground and use other spots of your house for all activities other than sleeping. No matter how small your living space may be, you can always find enough room for a sacred sleeping ground devoid of distractions.
The Bottom Line
In addition to overcoming bad habits, you can develop healthy bedtime rituals to relax your mind and body to help you fall asleep healthily. If you wake up groggy and tired every day, maybe it could help to invest in a nice clock that actually wakes you up, to help start your day on a good note. Once you understand the importance of sleep for a healthy lifestyle, the methods and options are endless! Follow these tips and start improving your sleep quality today!
Carolyn Mitchell is a freelance writer and content strategist with a passion for home décor. She can often be found re-painting and updating the furnishings in her home, and she is also a dedicated cat mom to two adorable kitties.
