Last updated on March 12th, 2022 at 07:53 am
Do you feel sick most of the time? Having no energy to get up? Reducing weight? Trouble falling asleep even when you are tired. Well, there are chances that you are ruining your health with the bad sleeping habits you adapt to with time.
Along with your lifestyle, bad bedtime behaviours are another reason for interrupted sleep or bad health.
10 Bad Sleeping Habits That Affects Your Overall Health
1. Snacking Up Before Bedtime
Before you lie down, your body needs time to digest all that food; otherwise, you’ll likely get indigestion and heartburn, which can disrupt your sleep. Acid can enter your oesophagus when your stomach is quite full, which is very welcoming to heartburns. The gravity does not help in keeping the stomach acid in place when you’re lying down, it exacerbates the situation.
Bring the change; Get your meal at least 2 to 3 hours before you go to sleep.
2. Overdone with Nightcaps
Consuming alcohol right before going to bed is not really helpful when it comes to sleep. Alcohol can make you feel drowsy, but it is not helpful in causing you to sleep. Instead, it disrupts the stages of your sleep, which cause more unrest than help.
How alcohol/nicotine affect your sleep;
- It may worsen snoring and sleep apnea.
- Nicotine and caffeine work as stimulants to keep you awake.
- It can cause craving that also interrupts sleeping
Bring the change; Avoid consuming nicotine/caffeine at least 4 hours before sleep.
3. Working Up Before Hitting The Bed
Although it is recommended that you exercise for 30 minutes each day—which will almost certainly assure a decent night’s sleep, but doing so just before bed is definitely not a smart idea. It creates issues since your body is charged up when you should be winding down. It has the potential to increase your body temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure. If you can, avoid doing aerobic exercise shortly before bedtime unless it’s the only time of day you can find to exercise.
Why it is not recommended to work out right before bedtime?
Exercising causes the release of endorphins and can elevate cortisol levels. To get a good night’s sleep, our core body temperature must drop. Furthermore, all those endorphins bouncing around in your brain may keep you humming, making it difficult to relax and sleep.
Bring the change; Get done with exercising in the evening or any other time of the day.
4. Bingeing Before Bedtime
Smartphone has become an integral component of our daily routine. It’s a plethora of travel planners, organisers, entertainers, alarms, social media, emails, and whatnot. Your brain, on the other hand, is built to react to what it sees on the screen. Instead of lulling you to sleep, your phone or screen time acts as a stimulant. Before you go to bed; check your email one last time, scroll through Instagram, or respond to that last text? This causes your brain to go into problem-solving mode rather than sleep mode. The light from such devices can also disrupt your sleep by suggesting to your brain that it is still time to be up rather than releasing sleep-inducing hormones.
Bring the change; Try reading before bedtime, instead of having screentime.
5. Lying Awake In Bed
If you’re having difficulties sleeping, lying awake is the last thing you need to do. If this happens on a regular basis, as it often ends up in insomnia. This way may associate your bed with anxiety and not sleeping. Try a soothing hobby like reading instead of tossing and turning. If you’re still having trouble, get out of bed and reset your sleep cycle from the start at your convenience.
Bring the change; Stop pushing yourself to sleep. If you are not sleepy, try reading or doing something that relaxes you.
6. Unnecessary Midday Naps
This one could be a little contentious. Many people swear by midday nap, which is encouraged in several settings. It may not be a problem if you get enough rest at night. If, on the other hand, you’re having difficulties sleeping, the last thing you need to do is add to the fire by napping during the day. Naps reduce your ability to sleep at night, and sleep disorders are caused by excessive daytime sleepiness or smaller naps.
Bring the change; Avoid taking naps in the day just because you have nothing to do. Instead, try completing your sleeping hours at the night.
7. Varying Sleep Time
We are creatures of habit, and our sleeping patterns are no different. Your body will have no idea when it is meant to feel weary and sleepy if you go to bed and wake up at various times every day. Our natural clock, known as the circadian rhythm, is ultimately responsible for this, and changing the times we sleep can have a negative impact on it. We can sleep better if we stick to a regular schedule. Begin by setting an alarm and going to bed when you’re tired, ensuring that you get enough sleep on a regular basis to suit your demands.
Bring the change; Set the same sleeping time on a daily basis and stick to it for better sleep patterns.
8. Sleeping Less With Busy Schedules
We all have different reasons for being busy, and it’s simple to find extra time in the day by sleeping less. Why spend eight hours in bed? Wouldn’t it be more enjoyable to watch television, play video games, or spend time with your friends or family? Unfortunately, not getting enough sleep has a substantial impact on the quality of our waking time.
If you don’t get enough sleep, you could find that you don’t gain much by spending the day bleary-eyed and confused.
Bring the change; Every night, spend enough time in bed to meet your sleep requirements.
9. Sleeping With distractions
Filling your bedroom with televisions, game systems, computers, phones, and other electronic devices will provide plenty of fun, but unhealthy in a long run. Unfortunately, none of these will assist you in getting a better night’s sleep. The light from screens may interfere with sleep. Indulging in such activities right before bed will stimulate your brain, which is the last thing you need to fall asleep.
Bring the change; Switch to meditation or reading before bedtime.
10. Staying Active Till The Last Moment
Sleep is a tranquil and relaxing activity. So attempting to shift to something exact opposite makes no sense. Our bodies aren’t designed to deal with sudden shifts. The same may be said regarding getting ready for bed. Reading, listening to soothing music, or taking a relaxing bath are all good ways to emotionally and physically prepare for sleep.
Bring the change; Try listening to the podcast, take a bath, or relaxing massages.
We get ourselves to indulge in activities or develops habits that do not seem life-changing at the moment but cause a direct effect on our moods, emotions, and mental health in a long run. Welcoming an unhealthy lifestyle significantly disturb your sleep pattern and also your mental health.
Here are some of the changes you must make in your daily routine that can bring significant change in your sleep. Let’s have a look at some remedies you can try at home for better sleep.
SLEEP HYGIENE – SLEEPING HABITS
Anything that impacts the overall quality of sleep is considered sleep hygiene. Good sleep hygiene is defined as getting enough sleep and being well-rested, whereas poor sleep hygiene is defined as struggling to sleep and suffering from insomnia.
There are a number of things you may do to improve your overall sleep hygiene. Maintaining a regular sleep regimen is one method to enhance your sleep hygiene. Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day is part of this. This adapts your body to a set routine, and it will be ready to sleep when the time comes.
Preparing your mind and body for sleep
Meditation is proved to be the most effective way in regulating your sleep because of many reasons;
- It offers you time to get your body to a sound level
- You take control of how you feel
- It increases melatonin (the sleep hormone)
- Increase serotonin (precursor of melatonin)
- Reduce heart rate
- Decrease blood pressure
- Activate parts of the brain that control sleep
Just as you need a boost to wake up in the morning, your body requires some balance and relaxing to get into sleep mode.
Recliners For Sleeping
Having a comfortable and relaxing space is highly recommended for better sleep. Have you ever tried recliners for better sleep, as they are beneficial in numerous ways;
- Helps with acid reflux
- Reduce symptoms of sleep apnea
- Relieve back pain
Occasionally sleeping in recliners can help you sleep faster and once your sleeping pattern is set, you can switch to bed or couch, whatever you are comfortable with.
To look for the best affordable recliners, CLICK HERE.
Sleep Restriction
There are a number of options available to those who are suffering from insomnia. Sleep deprivation is one therapy strategy. This is reducing the amount of time you spend in bed (usually to 7-8 hours) so that you are more likely to fall asleep during that period.
Aromatherapy
Essential oils are proved to have a soothing effect on your mood along with stimulating chemicals in the brain that are involved in controlling sleep or activating sleep hormones. It is more about the mind game.
How to use essential oils
- Massaging your favourite blend of essential oils on the neck, shoulders, or other relaxing points on the body.
- Spray essential oil on your pillow.
- Take an essential-oils infused bath before going to bed.
- Putting a few drops of essential oil in your humidifier.
Essential oils promote better sleep by enhancing your physical, mental, and spiritual well being.
Essential Oil Recommendations
Aromatherapy 100% Pure Therapeutic 16 – Piece High-Grade Essential-Oils
Lagunamoon Premium Essential Oils Set
Conclusion | Sleeping Habits
To improve your overall health it is important to have adequate sleep along with exercise, and a proper diet. With time, our bodies adjust to the changes we make over the lifetime or the habits we develop, especially sleeping patterns. Bad sleeping habits is an evident cause of reduced health in children and adults, which can lead to serious underlying diseases. To stay active and healthy, make sure you are adapting to healthy sleeping habits as per your body type and age.
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