Sleep should come easy after 8 hours of physical or mental exertion but this is not always the case. A good night's sleep may depend on what you do – or don't do – during the day or just before you turn in. you should be able to wake up in the morning feeling fresh and energized after a refreshing sleep. However, some of your habits may be contributing to your bad night's sleep. Here are seven common habits that are ruining your sleep.
Related Blog: Develop a Nightly Routine to Help You Sleep Better
Coffee before hitting the bed
If coffee is your addiction, you will have to find ways of breaking free. Alternatively, you could avoid taking coffee in the evening to increase your chances of a good night's sleep. Take it in the morning if you must but stay away from caffeinated beverages just before you hit the bed. If not, prepare to toss and turn the whole night, and wake up to red and swollen eyes every morning.
Sleeping with contact lenses
You don't need those contact lenses when turning in because your dreams won't require your eyesight. While you may not do without those lenses in the course of the day, sleeping with them tucked behind your eyelids may not augur well with your sleep. Remove those sight-enhancing glasses before tucking in for healthy sleep.
The unwelcome nightly nightcap
While the allure of a nightcap may be too strong to resist, a good night's sleep should provide a sufficient reason to kick the drink out the window. Granted, the nightcap can make you drowsy or create a feel-good feeling, but it's one of the worst enemies of sleep. If you must drink any alcohol, do it in the morning.
Lack of exercise
Be sure to do some physical exercises before you go to bed. Exercises enhance the blood flow in your body and help relax your muscles – exactly what you need to sleep well. Lack of exercise may just achieve the opposite: tense muscles that won't give you peace at night. Point of order though – don't overdo it because it might just tire out your body and deny you the sleep that you so crave.
Meals at bedtime
Waking up in the middle of the night with an empty belly may not be the best of experiences and you may not resist the temptation to avert this possibility by treating yourself to a meal just before you retire to bed. Stuffing your stomach with munchies will rob you of the precious sleep as your body remains active digesting the food.
Irregular sleeping regime
A good night's sleep will remain a pipe dream if you continue sleeping at irregular hours and times. Forget those lies you tell yourself about compensating for the lost sleep sometime during the day. A siesta in the day may sound the death knell for your night sleep. Push those tasks that are consuming your sleeping time to the following day.
Electronics in the bedroom
A small TV in your bedroom is a great way to catch up with the news or your favorite soap opera. A music system to play soft soothing music as you unwind may seem a great idea. What you don't know is that these electronic gadgets are doing more harm than good to your sleeping diet. They keep your brain engaged, hence, making it difficult for you to catch some meaningful sleep. Relegate all electronics to your living room.
You are to blame entirely for your lack of sleep. Common habits such as taking coffee or imbibing a nightcap, having a meal before going to bed and using your electronic gadgets in the bedroom are surely ruining your nights. Change these habits for a better night's sleep.
