The Do’s and Don’ts of Going to Sleep
In the past we have discussed several different sleep disorders that are relatively common and usually prevent the victim from achieving a full and healthy night’s sleep. These conditions can clearly lead to stress, exhaustion, and a much more vulnerable immune system since your body needs sleep to function 100% properly. However, you don’t necessarily need to have a sleep disorder to suffer from an incomplete or poor nights sleep. There are several habits that people adopt and get used to that, unbeknownst to them, act as inhibitors to a healthy amount of sleep. Here is a friendly list of things to avoid when going to bed, as well as a few pointers on pre-sleep activities that will aide your sleep process.
Within 2 hours of laying down to go to sleep you should avoid eating a large meal of any kind. Eating anything hearty, especially spicy foods, can potentially cause discomfort and heartburn when you lay down to sleep which will keep you awake for longer than desirable. Also, eating a large meal before bed will force your digestive tract to work while your going to sleep which might not inhibit you from getting to sleep but it could very possibly affect the quality of sleep you get and the amount of times you wake up a night. It is also a good idea to avoid drinking anything right before bed to avoid late night bathroom trips that interrupt sleep.
Try to train your body to want to sleep at a certain hour by keeping a regular sleep schedule. By going to bed and waking up at roughly the same time every day, your body will eventually get used to this schedule and naturally feel tired and ready for sleep when you want it to, and alert and rested when you wake up. In this same vein, you should develop a pre-bed routine that will help you wind down and relax so you can slip off to sleep more quickly.
Watching TV or using your computer right before you go to bed is a bad habit to fall into. The flashing images on a backlit screen strain your eyes and provide an excess amount of mental stimulation that can often make it difficult to fall asleep. If you don’t give your brain an opportunity to wind down a bit before bed you may very possible end up staring at your ceiling for a time before you can get to sleep. Give yourself at least 30 minutes of visual-stimulant-free time before bed so you can drift off easier.
Make sure your room is at the right temperature before bed. The temperature in your bedroom will directly affect the amount and quality of sleep you are likely to achieve. It is a matter of opinion, but most people prefer to have their rooms a bit colder than the rest of the house. The slight drop in temperature in the bedroom allows you the opportunity to better utilize your blanket or comforter to warm yourself which is usually tends to be very soothing and makes it easy to fall right to sleep.
If you are a person who is inclined to take a nap during the day, this could be affecting the quality of sleep you are getting during the night. Taking naps during the day is not necessarily a bad thing. After all, millions of people take naps every day and are fine. The problem lies with taking naps that last longer than 30 minutes to an hour. Getting an excessive amount of rest during the day can confuse your body and make it feel like it doesn’t need rest when the time comes to go to bed. If napping is an activity that you enjoy, try to keep your naps before the evening and within the range of an hour or so in order to avoid a late night struggle.
One of the main problems that people with unsatisfactory sleeping habits experience is trying to sleep on an old, uncomfortable mattress. This seems obvious but you might be surprised the denial people go through in order to avoid the seemingly tedious process of replacing a mattress. Luckily for these people, that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Mattresses for Less makes the process, from shopping to shipping, more simple than they could imagine. You don’t even need to leave your computer!
Just go to MattressesforLess.net and browse their massive inventory of the newest, most comfortable beds available. Once you decide on your mattress you can place you order and it will be delivered to your home the same day! Don’t settle for an uncomfortable mattress because enjoying the place you sleep is the number one “Do” if you wish to achieve your full sleep potential.