Sleep is a crucial part of ouroverall health.
Then, when you crawl into bed, you’re suddenly wide awake.
This happens for a couple of reasons.
Not only are your hormones affected, but your mindset is as well.
Your body and brain need time to wind down at the end of the day.
Now, put your hand down and move your phone out of your bedroom.
Using your phone or a computer right before bed is disruptive in many ways.
This isn’t particularly conducive to falling asleep peacefully.
Just like televisions, smartphones and computers also emit melatonin disrupting blue light.
This is in part due tonarrative empathy.
While reading, we begin to associate and empathize with the lead characters, feeling what they feel.
Do you know what else it can do?
Make you feel stressed about the day ahead.
When you’re stressed, it’sharder to fall asleep and stay asleep.
Arguing
You’ve probably heard the sage wisdom that you should never go to bed angry.
People are generally optimistic about the time that will be required to resolve a dispute.
Relationships are complicated and often the problems in them can’t be solved with a single conversation.
None of that is conducive to a good night’s sleep.
Before you know it, the clock says it’s 9 p.m. and you still haven’t eaten dinner.
Unfortunately, eating right before bed isn’t going to do you any favors.
And in general, eating right before bed canlead to acid reflux during the night.
If you must eat right before bed, stick to something small and simple to minimize sleep disruption.
How late is too late to drink caffeine?
One study found that drinking caffeine even six hours before bedtimereduced nightly sleep by more than an hour.
Maybe skip that 4 p.m. coffee after all.
Drinking a lot of water
Hydration is important.
It’s difficult to get a good night’s sleep when you’re up and down throughout the night.
Unless it’s a quick power nap, no more than 20 minutes, you may be groggy afterward.
According to theNational Sleep Foundation, power naps can actually make you more alert and aware.
This it isn’t the same for everyone.
Deep breathing can also help bring your adrenaline levels back down.
According tothe National Sleep Foundation, the ideal temperature for sleep is between 60 and 67 degrees.
One example is when you shower.
