Sleep is a crucial part of our overall health.
It's during sleep that our bodies recover after a workout, our brains store our memories,
and virtually all of our systems slow down and stabilize.
Here are the things to avoid doing right before bed, so you can clock some quality shut-eye!
Screen time
For many of us, late at night is prime time to catch up on our favorite TV shows.
But watching TV right before bed — or having it on all night — can be disruptive to your
sleep.
The blue light that's emitted by your TV affects the amount of the sleep-regulating hormone,
melatonin, that your body will produce, making you less likely to become sleepy.
Don't watch TV?
If you sleep with your phone nearby, and use it right before bed, raise your hand.
Like TVs, smartphones and computers also emit melatonin-disrupting light.
Some of these devices now have a "blue light shade" setting, similar to the effect of amber
lenses that researchers have used to demonstrate that blocking out blue light leads to better
sleep.
Suspense thriller
While reading a trashy romance novel, self-help book, or memoir might be a good way to wind
down at the end of the day, it's going to be a lot harder to rest after reading a thriller.
While reading, we begin to associate and empathize with the characters, feeling what they feel:
things like increased heart rate and brain activity, which can keep you from a restful
night's sleep.
Better to read about something boring.
That'll knock you right out.
Work emails
Some people like to check their work email right before bed to know what they're in for
the next day.
But that can make you feel stressed about the day ahead, making it harder to fall — and
stay — asleep.
Trade checking work email late at night for checking it in the morning when you head out
the door.
Arguing
They say you should never go to bed angry.
In fact, having difficult conversations at night can negatively impact your sleep.
Not only could an argument lead to going to bed later, but there's no guarantee that you'll
actually come to a resolution before you go to sleep.
Save those heavy conversations for the daylight hours when you'll have lots of time to work
them out.
Eating and drinking
Life can get busy, especially for those of us who work late hours or have children — or
both.
Before you know it, it's 9 p.m. and you still haven't eaten dinner.
But not only has late-nite eating been correlated to obesity, research suggests an overlap between
eating late at night, and "binge eating disorder."
Eating right before bed comes with other problems too.
Foods that have hidden caffeine or sugar, like chocolate, can keep you awake even if
you've skipped the coffee.
And in general, eating right before bed can lead to acid reflux during the night.
"Workin' on my night cheese…"
Caffeine should be avoided before bedtime, too.
Even if you feel like you're able to fall asleep with no problem after drinking caffeine,
you may still be affected.
One study showed that not only can caffeine make it harder to fall asleep, it makes it
difficult to "develop or sustain deeper stages of non-rapid eye movement sleep."
How late is too late to sip an iced latte?
One study found that drinking caffeine even six hours before bedtime reduced nightly sleep
by more than an hour.
A nightcap
Even if you aren't drinking to the point of passing out, a relatively small amount of
alcohol can have an impact on your sleep, leaving you tired and groggy the next day.
"you should stop drinking altogether."
"Oh, I'll stop drinking.
Stop drinking and start dancing!"
Sure, a glass of wine before bed may make you feel more relaxed and help you fall asleep
fast — but the quality of your sleep will suffer.
Drinking actually increases brain wave patterns, tricking your brain into behaving as if it's
awake, when you're trying to catch some zzz's.
Cigarettes
Smoking cigarettes may help you feel more relaxed, but ultimately leads to sleep disturbances.
This is because the nicotine in cigarettes acts as both a stimulant and a sort of sedative.
Immediately after exposure to nicotine, the drug stimulates the release of adrenaline,
which increases blood pressure, heart rate and respiration.
At the same time, however, nicotine acts on the brain, leading to sensations of pleasure
and relaxation that can feel sedating.
This sense of euphoria and sedation is short-lived, and, according to one study, smokers are "significantly
more likely than non-smokers to report problems going to sleep, problems staying asleep, daytime
sleepiness, minor accidents, depression, and high daily caffeine intake."
A lot of water
Drinking enough water helps regulate blood pressure, flush bacteria from your bladder,
and sustain virtually every system in your body.
While many recommendations cite a need for six to eight glasses of water per day minimum,
don't drink them all right before bed.
It's tough to get a good night's sleep when you're running to the bathroom all night.
Hitting the gym
The National Sleep Foundation recommends daily exercise to help you get better sleep, but
going to the gym late at night can potentially have a negative effect on your sleep.
Working out gets your adrenaline pumping and your heart racing, which is definitely not
a recipe for a successful night of sleep.
But this it isn't the same for everyone.
A study in The Society of Psychophysiological Research suggests that people who work out
late at night saw an improved sleep pattern.
So if you're working out late, experts suggest a quick cold shower to bring your body temp
back down.
Deep breathing can also help level out your adrenaline, too.
Cranking the heat
While you may think it's better to be toasty to get a good night's sleep, it turns out
that turning down the thermostat can actually lead to a better night's sleep.
According to the National Sleep Foundation, the ideal sleep temp is between 60 and 67
degrees.
This is because "sleep preferably occurs during the circadian phase of decreased heat production
and increased heat loss."
When that rhythm doesn't happen naturally because you have the heat cranked up, your
sleep can also be disrupted.
Switching things up
Establishing a nighttime routine has been shown to be beneficial for everyone, from
young children to older adults.
These routines work by signaling to your brain that it's time to start winding down and preparing
for sleep.
While the most obvious way to establish a routine is to go to bed at the same time every
day, bedtime routines often involve things like showering, and brushing your teeth.
But if you normally shower in the morning to help wake you up, but decide to shower
at night, your brain might see this as a signal to stay awake rather than sleep.
Your best bet is to establish a routine so your body and brain will know when it's time
to go to bed.
Catch those zzz's
Sleep is incredibly important, but realistically, it's unlikely that we'll stick to all of these
suggestions on a daily basis.
Instead of stressing about whether or not you're setting yourself up for optimal sleep,
focus on small steps to improve your shut-eye — because quality sleep fuels a great day.
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