Habits That Ruin Your Sleep
Do expensive duvet covers, decorative pillows, feathered mattress, and a comforter help you fall asleep faster? Sadly, they don’t guarantee a good night’s sleep and you may still be struggling to fall asleep. Sleep is directly connected to a person’s daily habits. Certain unhealthy habits over a period become the primary cause for sleep deprivation.
Curb Those Cravings
A cup of coffee during the day is required to keep you going but if your last coffee is close to bedtime, then be assured that you are going to spend your night tossing and turning in your comfortable bedding. Sleep gained by consuming alcohol is not deep and restorative. Also, cigarette contains nicotine which affects your ability to fall and stay asleep.
Exercising Helps You Sleep Better
People who exercise fall and stay asleep longer than non- exercisers as exercise helps keep the body alert during the day and achieve quality sleep at night. The old saying ‘there is a right time for everything’ is 100 per cent applicable to exercising, Exercise must never be done close to bed time as it increases the adrenaline levels within our body delaying the sleep process.
Ban Electronic Devices In Your Bedroom
The bedroom is your sanctuary to unwind after a long day and usage of electronic devices such as television, PlayStation, laptop, mobile phones or Kindle disturbs the sleep cycle. The lights emitted from these devices stimulate the brain, delaying the sleep process. Therefore you must clear out all technology clutter from your bedroom and reserve it for only sleep and sex.
Have Breakfast Like A King And Dinner Like A Pauper
Our breakfast should be the heaviest meal as most of our work is done during the first half of the day whereas dinner should be light as the activities done thereafter are less physical in nature. Light dinner ensures lesser calories to burn and avoids problems that could upset your sleep like acidity, uneasiness, or full bladder.
Say No To Weekend Sleep-in’s
Sleeping longer on weekends is something we all look forward to but it is this habit that disrupts our circadian rhythm. If you feel tried and sleepy after every extended weekend sleep-ins then you are probably suffering from social jet lag and the only way to deal with this is to stick to your wake and sleep timings on all seven days.
Diving Deep Into The Purpose Of Sleep
Ever wished you didn’t really ‘need’ to sleep, so you could maximize all 24 hours of the day? Well, if only we had such superhuman abilities, we’d be able to do a lot more. But there’s the catch – we’re only human, and so we need sleep to restore our cognitive, physical and emotional strength and function at optimal capacity every day. Let’s delve a little deeper into the purpose of sleep to help us live our life to the fullest.
To Improve Brain Function For Concentration And Productivity
Just like the body, the brain gets tired through the course of the day. Overworking the mind can lead to the weakening of cognitive function by affecting the synapses that relay messages from the brain to other parts of the body. With reduced quality of brain function, one is more likely to make errors, lose short term memory, be unable to concentrate, etc. Thus, sleep helps the brain to rest and reset itself for another full day of work and productivity.
To Enhance Physical Performance For Speed, Strength, And Agility
We can’t deny that we all get physically tired at the end of a long day. Those who exercise regularly can function better for longer, but even after that, the body needs to rest to be able to recover. Lack of sufficient sleep can affect the body’s performance athletically as well as in everyday life. Studies have shown that lack of sleep can result in slower speed, lowered grip strength, and difficulty in performing even simple physical tasks. Hence, a good night’s sleep is essential to improve and recuperate the body’s speed, accuracy, and physical stamina.
To Improve Mental Wellbeing And Reduce Risk Of Depression
We talked about the brain and the body, but we cannot forget about the mind. Studies have shown that lack of sleep is directly related to a variety of mental health disorders. Sleep is also required to help the mind heal and rejuvenate itself so that we are in an emotionally stable state throughout the day.
So, you see, sleep is essential to keep all aspects of the body running in perfect condition like a well-oiled machine. Along with good diet and exercise, maintaining a proper sleep schedule is also essential for one’s holistic well-being.