Proper sleep of 6-7 hours is essential for a healthy life. If you don’t have any sleep disorders and still don’t get enough sleep, the mistakes you make might be disturbing your sleep cycle. Keep reading to find fifteen common sleep mistakes that can deprive you of good sleep.
Sleeping on an uncomfy bed
Your uncomfortable bed can stop you from getting good sleep at night. If your mattress is more than seven years old and you can hear squeaks from it, you should replace it with an original mattress that can make you feel comfortable in bed.
Bed allergies can also disturb your sleep cycle. Ensure that there are no bed mites hidden in your mattress. Replace the bed sheets you have with hypoallergenic bed sheets for better sleep.
Taking pets to your bed
It might sound like the best idea to sleep with your pets. However, sleeping with your pets isn’t good for you and your pets. A pet can develop chronic illnesses if forced to sleep in bed for months. You can catch allergies from pets that can disturb your sleep cycle.
You should let your pets sleep in a separate place. If you can’t sleep without your beds, you can set up the bed for your pet in your bedroom.
Having a bad routine
You must have a fixed daily schedule for getting good sleep. Lack of a daily schedule can disturb your circadian rhythms. If you don’t have a fixed time to get in your bed and wake up in the morning, you won’t be able to get enough sleep.
Avoid any activities that keep you awake at night. Wake up at a fixed time in the morning to control your sleeping routine.
Napping hard in daytime
You will want to take naps throughout the day if you don’t get enough sleep at night. However, taking a more than 20 minutes nap is not good for your sleep cycle. Your body enters REM sleep if you sleep for half an hour.
If you set an alarm that goes off 30 minutes after you sleep, your REM sleep will be disturbed, and you won’t get good sleep at night. Make sure you take a power nap in the afternoon but don’t sleep for hours.
Getting more sleep on weekends
Most people have a habit of watching movies late at night and staying for longer hours in bed on weekends. Don’t let the weekend trick you into disturbing your routine. If you don’t follow the same sleeping routine on weekends, it will get difficult to get proper sleep on weekdays either.
Encourage yourself to follow your daily routine on weekends. Get all the important things during the daytime on weekends so you can enjoy your sleep at night.
Using your phone in bed
You might think that you will fall asleep easily if you use your phone in bed. However, the blue rays coming out of the smartphone screen can keep your mind awake.
Scrolling through social media feeds or watching movies in bed isn’t helpful. Make sure you stop using your phone one hour before you go to bed.
Eating in your bed
Taking your meal to your bed won’t help you sleep. A heavy stomach can cause nausea and disturb your sleep cycle. Your sleep will also be disturbed if you visit the restroom at night. Build a habit of taking light foods at night.
An improper diet
Eating sugary foods can disturb your metabolism. If your body can’t process food, you won’t be able to get enough sleep. Consumption of fast foods like Pizza every day is not a good thing for your health and your sleep. Instead of fast foods, you should include fruits, leafy green vegetables, and meat in your diet.
Sleeping on your couch
You might feel sleepy on your couch and go into a deep sleep. Remember that sleeping on your couch can not only make you feel body pain but also disturb your sleep cycle. Avoid staying on your couch for hours and head to your bed whenever you feel sleepy.
Your coffee intake
Drinking coffee around the clock can have negative effects on your sleep. The presence of caffeine in coffee can keep you awake at night. Make sure you don’t drink coffee before going to bed. Take Lavender tea as its relaxing properties can put your mind at ease and help you fall asleep.
Taking drugs
Drug addiction can destroy your sleep in no time. Join a support group if you can’t stop yourself from taking drugs. Include meaningful activities in your schedule that help you stay away from drugs. Go for therapy if making changes to your lifestyle or joining a support group hasn’t helped you overcome your drug addiction.
Hitting the “Snooze” button
Most people have an alarm clock in their bedroom to wake up in the morning. If you rely on your alarm to wake up, make sure you don’t hit the snooze button when the alarm rings.
Pressing the snooze button to get some extra sleep won’t help you at all. You’d be left feeling groggy throughout the day if you stayed in your bed for some minutes. Build a habit of leaving your bed as soon as the alarm rings.
Avoiding exercise
Daily exercise is the key to staying healthy and getting good sleep. You should do some exercise in the evening as it can help you get rid of stress that can stop you from falling asleep. Don’t do a heavy workout before going to bed, as it can alert your mind and disturb your sleep. Try out Yoga Nidra before going to sleep to put your mind at ease.
Lack of a proper schedule
Having a proper daily schedule can help you fix your sleep problems. Go to your bed at the same time every day and wake up at a fixed time in the morning. Don’t participate in any activities that disturb your routine and sleep cycle.
Working in your bedroom
Using your laptop to get office work done in your bedroom can disturb your sleep. Make sure you complete all your necessary work during office hours. In case it’s urgent to use your laptop at night, apply a blue light filter to block harmful rays coming out of the laptop screen.
