Sleep is a beautiful thing. It allows us to recharge, recover, and stay healthy. Without it, we can begin to experience negative repercussions such as feelings of depression, increased stress, memory loss, fatigue, and even an increased risk of cancer. As such, you must get plenty of quality sleep each night. If you’ve been having trouble doing so, there could be several things that you’re inadvertently doing to sabotage your sleep. To start sleeping better, avoid these things that could be hurting your sleep.
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An environment that isn’t conducive to sleep
The conditions in your bedroom can have a big impact on your quality of sleep. To create a bedroom environment that’s perfect for sleep and start catching those elusive Z’s, make sure to block out all light and noise sources as much as possible. In addition, you should try to keep the temperature low and ensure that there is good air quality in your room.
Too much screen time
You’ve probably heard this warning a thousand times already, but spending time on your phone, tablet, or computer before bed can greatly harm your sleep. Such devices emit blue light that disrupts your body’s natural rhythm and tricks your brain into thinking that it’s daytime. Thus, your body will think you need to be awake. It’s important to stay away from such screens for at least half an hour before you go to bed.
Eating sleep-disrupting foods
Your diet affects almost every aspect of your health, including your sleep quality. Acidic, caffeinated, spicy, and high-fat foods have been proven to be particularly disruptive to your sleep—especially if eaten right before bed.
Eating a large meal right before bed
In addition to what you eat, when you eat could also impact your sleep. If you eat a large meal right before you head to bed, you may experience heartburn symptoms when you lie down. Such uncomfortable symptoms will make it difficult to fall and stay asleep. As such, you should try to schedule large meals in the middle of the day, or at least a few hours before your go to bed.
Not exercising or exercising at the wrong time
Exercising regularly is proven to be beneficial for promoting quality sleep. However, exercising can also hinder your sleep if you do it at the wrong time. If you do a strenuous exercise right before going to bed, your heart rate, body temperature, and blood pressure will likely be raised. As a result, your body may have difficulty winding down into sleep.
