December 04, 2015
8 Things You Are Doing Everyday That Are Ruining Your Sleep
Are you someone who constantly feels tired? For some people, no matter how early they get to bed at night, they will wake up feeling ready to do little more than go back to sleep. If this sounds like you, don't panic, you aren't turning into some sleep deprived shell of a person. In all likelihood, your sleep patterns are just a little screwed up.
Here are 8 things you may be doing that are preventing you from getting the best sleep possible.
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1. You’re eating spicy, rich or heavy meals late at night.
It is important that your body has a chance to shutdown before bed. If you eat a big meal within 3 hours of bedtime, your body will be engaged in the process of digestion and not prepping for sleep. To help you fall asleep, Dr. Shelby Harris, director of behavioral sleep medicine at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City, suggests mixing whole grain carbs with some protein. "[Eat] an apple with some peanut butter or crackers with some cheese. Stay away from anything with caffeine at night, such as chocolate," she says.2. You live-tweet from your bed.
Most of us cannot shut our minds down early enough to get a good sleep. Instead of watching tv to relax, Harris suggests you find something else to do. "Experiment to find what works for you to wind down. For some, it’s reading. For others, it’s doing mindfulness meditation. Could be muscle relaxation, deep breathing exercises or even art," she says. "See what works for you and keep doing it during that hour long power down time before bed."
3. You try your best to catch up on sleep.
Sleeping in on the weekends may sound like a great idea but it takes more than one day to catch up on sleep. "Most people consistently don’t get enough sleep on a nightly basis, leading to a five to 10-plus hour debt come the weekend," Harris explains. "Make getting more sleep daily a good goal. Keeping the same bed and wake times every single day is ideal."4. You sleep with your pet.
Your fur baby does more than hog they bed. While you might not be aware of it, they can be disturbing your sleep cycle. Harris says, "They move and make noises and it can cause awakenings even if you don’t know it was the pet at the time. Plus, they can have allergens in their fur that will get on your bedding."