Are you having trouble sleeping? Well, your habits might be one the things you need to keep in check if you wish to have a sound sleep every night. Here are a few things you should avoid doing before bedtime to ensure a good night’s sleep.
1. Don’t use any gadgets
Gone are the days of reading a book before going to bed, these days most of us spend time mindlessly browsing on our laptops or scrolling through our feeds on our mobiles. Doctors suggest that one should avoid watching television, working on laptops and mobiles for at least an hour before trying to sleep.
2. Don’t take any naps during the day
Sure, we understand, after a sumptuous lunch, a nap doesn’t sound like a bad idea at all, but please don’t snuggle in for a quick nap, as it’ll surely disrupt your nighttime sleeping pattern and also affect your productivity through the day.
3. Avoid having heavy meals at night
Having heavy and spicy meals just before going to bed can cause digestive irritation. It is better to plan your meals 3-4 hours before you sleep so that there’s enough time for your sleep-inducing hormones get acting and your body-temperature remains optimal for a good night’s sleep.
4. Avoid drinking coffee/tea
Both, coffee and tea have caffeine in them, and caffeine is what keeps you awake. Plus, caffeinated beverages are also diuretic by nature, having these will force you to visit the bathroom one too many times. So avoid having anything with caffeine in it 4-5 hours before going to bed.
5. Avoid drinking water in excess
Though drinking water is good for your health, an excess of it before you hit the bed will invariably make you wake up and visit the loo. This will disrupt your sleep, and get in the way of having some quality shut-eye time.
6. Don’t drink alcoholic beverages or smoke
People tend to think that drinking aids in putting one to sleep. While alcohol makes one fall asleep faster, it also significantly reduces the quality of one’s sleep. Cigarettes too aren’t good, because they contain nicotine in large amounts which can interrupt one’s sleep a lot.
7. Avoid overworking or engaging in an intellectually stimulating activity
It’s always a good idea to give your mind some time to unwind after a long day of tiring work. So don’t think about next day’s work or start playing games on your laptop which require your active involvement. These will get in your way of having a quality sleep.
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