Sleep Enough

Our daytime habits have a large impact on the sleep we get at night, whether we realize it or not. Some of these habits may have been cultivated for many years while we were young, and when sleep came easy. But gradually, you’ll find that as you get older, your sleep quality may diminish – while your habits remain unchanged. Shouldn’t it be about time to see what you can do about it? Actually, ALL of us are not exempt from this, and even I used to have many bad habits before, which unknown to me, impacted my sleep in some way.

Caffeine/Coffee

We know that coffee is one of those things that can keep you awake if you drink it at night. But coffee is NOT the only thing with caffeine. Tea, chocolate, and some energy drinks also contain caffeine, and should be avoided in the evening and night. Many people do not realize chocolate has some caffeine content as well, and this goes for chocolate cakes or chocolate ice cream.

NB: Different people react differently to caffeine. I used to drink 3-4 cups of strong coffee a day while working 2 jobs and it did not affect my sleep because I was so tired when it was time to sleep, that no amount of coffee, insomnia or no insomnia, was going to keep me awake. But this was also the time when I was sleeping only 3-4 hours a night, and it definitely wreaked havoc on my health. That was a couple of years ago.

If you want to be sure that the caffeine is affecting your sleep, try to stay off it for a few days and see if that makes a difference. This could be hard for some.

Exercise

Exercise is something that can do wonders for your sleep or hinder it. If you exercise strenuously in the late evening, it might make sleeping harder. A rule of thumb is not to exercise vigorously less than 5 hours prior to sleep. Exercise raises body temperature and increases the metabolic rate, while the body needs a lower temperature to fall asleep.

On the other hand, exercise can also improve your blood circulation while making you feel tired. All of which is conducive for sound sleep. If you have to exercise late in the evening due to your schedule and cannot change that, try switching to a less intensive exercise session.

Alcohol and smoking

Alcohol may help some people to sleep, but this varies from individual to individual. Alcohol may make falling asleep faster, but it may also cause more frequent night time awakenings. Try cutting down or avoiding alcoholic beverages altogether at night, and see if that helps your sleep.

If you’re a smoker trying to quit smoking, remember that one of the nicotine withdrawal symptoms is insomnia. It’s one of the unpleasant side effects associated with quitting smoking. Nonetheless, the huge benefits of kicking the nicotine habit far outweigh all the withdrawal syndromes.

Daytime napping

Daytime naps can definitely affect your sleep at night, as the body thinks that it needs less sleep. But here we have to draw a line between power naps and sleeping more than 30 minutes during the daytime. Long naps can confuse the circadian rhythm or the internal clock, whereas power naps help you stay energetic and mostly do no harm to your sleep at night.

Food and drink

Some foods speed up your metabolism and body temperature, or cause heartburn. All these can affect your sleep negatively. Spicy food containing lots of chilli, pepper or garlic, can cause heartburn, which intensifies if you lie down. Other foods can cause flatulence, which may become an annoying discomfort. Even if you do sleep, it may be unrefreshing sleep. Drinking too much liquid can cause frequent urination which obviously disrupts the sleep process. Do not drink too much water or other liquids prior to sleep.

Watching TV or reading

If you like watching TV just before bedtime, it might help put you to sleep if the show is boring, OR it might make your mind even more active. For example, watching a scary show might end up giving you nightmares. Or watching a reality show where your favorite contestant got voted off – This might be enough to make some people sleepless for the night!

Reading can also work the mind unnecessarily. Actually, both activities stimulate the mind and may make it harder for one to fall asleep. I know for a fact that burning the midnight oil to cram the head prior to exams is one sure way to not get much if any sleep for the remainder of the night