Sleep is a crucial part of our overall health. It's during sleep that our bodies recover
after a workout, our brains store our memories, and virtually all of our systems slow down
and stabilize. Here are the things to avoid doing right before bed so you can clock some
quality shut-eye. For many of us, late at night is prime time to catch up on our favorite TV shows. But
watching TV right before bed, or having it on all night, can be disruptive to your sleep
The blue light that's emitted by your TV affects the amount of the sleep-regulating hormone
melatonin, that your body will produce, making you less likely to become sleepy
Don't watch TV? If you sleep with your phone nearby and use it right before bed, raise your hand
Like TVs, smartphones and computers also emit melatonin-disrupting light. Some of these devices now have a blue light shade setting, similar to the effect of amber
lenses that researchers have used to demonstrate that blocking out blue light leads to better sleep
While reading a trashy romance novel, self-help book, or memoir might be a good way to wind
down at the end of the day, it's going to be a lot harder to rest after reading a thriller
While reading, we begin to associate and empathize with the characters, feeling what they feel
— things like increased heart rate and brain activity, which can keep you from a restful
night's sleep. It's better to read about something boring. That knock you right out Some people like to check their work email right before bed to know what they in for the next day But that can make you feel stressed about the day ahead making it harder to fall and
stay asleep. Trade checking work email late at night for checking it in the morning when you head out
the door. They say you should never go to bed angry. In fact, having difficult conversations at night can negatively impact your sleep
Not only could an argument lead to going to bed later, but there's no guarantee that you'll
actually come to a resolution before you go to sleep. Save those heavy conversations for the daylight hours when you'll have lots of time to work
them out. Life can get busy, especially for those of us who work late hours or have children
Or both. Before you know it, it's 9 p.m. and you still haven't eaten dinner
But not only has late-night eating been correlated to obesity, research suggests an overlap between
eating late at night and binge eating disorder. Eating right before bed comes with other problems, too
Foods that have hidden caffeine or sugar, like chocolate, can keep you awake even if
you've skipped the coffee. And in general, eating right before bed can lead to acid reflux during the night
"'Workin' on my night cheese!" Caffeine should be avoided before bedtime, too
Even if you feel like you're able to fall asleep with no problem after drinking caffeine
you may still be affected. One study showed that not only can caffeine make it harder to fall asleep, it makes it
difficult to develop or sustain deeper stages of non eye movement sleep How late is too late to sip an iced latte One study found that drinking caffeine even six hours before bedtime reduced nightly sleep
by more than an hour. Even if you aren't drinking to the point of passing out, a relatively small amount of
alcohol can have an impact on your sleep, leaving you tired and groggy the next day
You should stop drinking altogether. Oh, I'll stop drinking, you're right. Stop drinking, start dancing
Sure, a glass of wine before bed may make you feel more relaxed and help you fall asleep
fast, but the quality of your sleep will suffer. Drinking actually increases brainwave patterns
tricking your brain into behaving as if it's awake when you're trying to catch some Zs
Drinking enough water helps regulate blood pressure, flush bacteria from your bladder
and sustain virtually every system in your body. While many recommendations cite a need
for six to eight glasses of water per day minimum, don't drink them all right before
bed. It's tough to get a good night's sleep when you're running to the bathroom all night
The National Sleep Foundation recommends daily exercise to help you get better sleep
but going to the gym late at night can potentially have a negative effect on your sleep
Working out gets your adrenaline pumping and your heart racing, which is definitely not a
recipe for a successful night of sleep. But this isn't the same for everyone. A study in
the Society of Psychophysiological Research suggests that people who work out late at
night saw an improved sleep pattern So if you working out late experts suggest a quick cold shower to bring your body temp back down Deep breathing can also help level out your adrenaline too While you may think it better to be toasty to get a good night sleep it turns out
that turning down the thermostat can actually lead to a better night's sleep
According to the National Sleep Foundation, the ideal sleep temp is between 60 and 67 degrees
This is because sleep preferably occurs during the circadian phase of decreased heat production
and increased heat loss. When that rhythm doesn't happen naturally because you have the heat cranked
up, your sleep can also be disrupted. Establishing a nighttime routine has been shown to be beneficial
for everyone, from young children to older adults. These routines work by signaling to your brain
that it's time to start winding down and preparing for sleep. While the most obvious way to establish
a routine is to go to bed at the same time every day, bedtime routines often involve things like
showering and brushing your teeth. But if you normally shower in the morning to help wake you
up, but decide to shower at night, your brain might see this as a signal to stay awake rather
than sleep. Your best bet is to establish a routine so your body and brain will know when
it's time to go to bed. Sleep is incredibly important, but realistically, it's unlikely
that we'll stick to all of these suggestions on a daily basis. Instead of stressing about whether
or not you're setting yourself up for optimal sleep, focus on small steps to improve your shut
eye because quality sleep fuels a great day