Sleep is a cornerstone of our well-being, influencing everything from mental clarity to physical health. Yet, many of us might unknowingly engage in habits that sabotage a good night’s rest. From eating supper later to exercising, seemingly harmless routines can wreak havoc on our bodies’ natural rhythms. In this post, we’ll explore sleep disruptors, how they affect rest, and practical tips to help reclaim your nights for rejuvenating slumber.
Worrying
During bedtime, thinking or worrying about things you need to do or stuff going on in your life can disrupt your sleep and keep you awake. When this happens, it can help to have a notebook or something to write on near your bed. For example, write down when you’ll think, plan, problem-solve, or do something. By scheduling a time to focus on what’s going through your mind, you’ll probably find fewer thoughts bothering you during bedtime.
Watching the clock
Waking up and being aware of the time can increase your sleep-related worry. If you wake up during the night, turn the clocks in the bedroom so you can’t see them and check the time.
Napping
Taking naps can be harmful or beneficial. A long nap can disrupt the natural sleep-wake cycle of your body (circadian rhythm) and make it more difficult to sleep at night. If you feel sleepy, taking a 10 to 30-minute nap can help. Try to do it between 7 and 9 hours after you wake up, which for most people is mid-afternoon. Take a nap in your bed to associate your bed with sleep. Set the alarm so you don’t nap too long, and don’t nap after 4 PM. Try to take naps at the same time every day. Taking an afternoon nap for 10 minutes can improve your mood, alertness, and mental performance and won’t disturb your sleep. However, sleepy people can make mistakes or poor decisions or get hurt. So, don’t force yourself to stay awake to follow a particular sleep schedule. If you can take a nap in the afternoon, take it.
Winding down
Your sleep system doesn’t operate like a switch you can turn on and off. If you go, go, go until bedtime, there’s a good chance you won’t go right to sleep. Winding down gradually around an hour before bed by doing something relaxing can help. It provides a transition between the excitement of your day and the calmness of sleep. Slowing things down before bed can help your sleep unfold naturally.
Eating
Going to bed and lying down after eating a large or high-fat meal or certain foods can trigger heartburn, indigestion, reflux, or a stomach ache, disturbing your sleep. A four-hour window between eating and sleeping can help digestion before your digestion system slows down during sleep. If you’re hungry before bedtime, a small, nutrient-dense, low-energy food might be okay and beneficial for some people.
Exercising
Exercising raises your body temperature, speeds up your heart rate, and stimulates your nervous system. A strenuous workout too close to bedtime can interfere with sleep. It delays the regular drop in body temperature at night associated with falling asleep. If you want to exercise before bedtime, yoga or simple stretching an hour before bedtime might help you unwind and relax. Also, a strenuous afternoon workout, such as an aerobic one, might help you fall asleep faster, wake up less during the night, and increase deep sleep associated with your body recovering from physical stress. Exercise raises your body’s temperature for about four to five hours before decreasing, which can signal your body to shift into sleep mode.
Consuming caffeine
Caffeine is a stimulant that promotes alertness, increases adrenaline production, and blocks adenosine (a sleep-inducing chemical), which can keep you from falling asleep. The effects of caffeine persist for hours. It can take about 6 hours to eliminate half the caffeine consumed, which varies among people. For example, older adults tend to be more sensitive to caffeine. Consuming caffeine after 3 PM can affect your sleep.
Smoking
Nicotine is also a stimulant, which can make it difficult to fall asleep. The effects of nicotine can also cause you to experience withdrawal or cravings during the night that are strong enough to wake you up. Ideally, it would help if you avoided cigarettes altogether. However, if you smoke, it’s best to avoid smoking at least 2 hours before bed.
Drinking alcohol
Drinking alcohol can make people feel relaxed and drowsy and fall asleep faster. However, it also contributes to poor sleep quality later. For example, alcohol relaxes your whole body, including the muscles of your throat. It makes you more prone to snoring and sleep apnea. Because alcohol is a diuretic, drinking it before bed can cause more trips to the bathroom, interrupting your sleep. Alcohol before bed also blocks REM sleep (dream time). With less REM sleep, you’ll likely wake up tired and unfocused. Drinking alcohol before bed can also inhibit restorative sleep (turning on delta and alpha brain wave activity) and interrupt your circadian rhythm by affecting the normal production of adenosine in the body, which triggers sleepiness. For people with no history of alcohol problems, a glass of wine or a beer with dinner 3 to 4 hours before bedtime is less likely to hurt sleep. For people sensitive to alcohol, eliminating it in the evening might be necessary.