1/11
Most of us feel sleepy after having a heavy meal in the afternoon. While short naps can help you to get through the day, they will definitely interfere with getting some peaceful shut eye in the night. This will in turn change your sleeping pattern or schedule and affect your day time productivity and alertness.
2/11
Sleeping on your stomach or on with a curved spine can put a lot of strain on your ligaments and tendons, which can affect the quality of sleep. It’s best to sleep flat on your back or on your sides with a pillow between the knees to support the spine.
3/11
Heavy and spicy meals just before going to the bed can cause digestive discomfort. It can cause indigestion and acidity making it hard for you to sleep. Spicy or heavy meals also increase your body’s temperature and interferes with the action of sleep-inducing hormones. So, plan your dinner at least 2-3 hours before going to bed.
4/11
There is a common misconception that drinking before going to bed can help you fall asleep. While alcohol makes you fall asleep faster, it reduces your sleep quality and wakes you up later in the night. Cigarettes, on the other hand, contain the stimulant nicotine which tends to disrupt the sleep cycle. People who smoke also experience nicotine withdrawal at night making it even harder for them to sleep.
5/11
Caffeine is a stimulant that helps you to stay awake. Caffeinated beverages are also diuretics which will make you want to visit the bathroom one too many times at night — invariably rendering you sleepless. So avoid having coffee, tea, chocolates and cola at least four to six hours before going to bed.
6/11
Drinking lots of fluids before going to bed will interrupt your sleep by increasing your bathroom trips throughout the night.
7/11
This is a common habit which leads to insomnia in a lot of people. The habit of going to bed before you feel sleepy conditions the brain to stay awake. This is the main reason why people experience interrupted and shallow sleep. Go to bed only when your brain can no longer focus and when you are sleepy.
8/11
Studies have shown that mornings are the best time to exercise. But with a busy lifestyle and professional commitments, a lot of people find it difficult to do so, and hence workout late in the evenings. Exercise stimulates the body and can cause chronic insomnia. If you wish to exercise in the evening, make sure you do it at least four hours before your bedtime.
9/11
People who suffer from insomnia tend to depend on sleeping pills. But prolonged use of the drugs tends to interfere with the body’s natural mechanism to fall asleep. It may also lead to long term side-effects and complications.
10/11
Unwanted thoughts and worries are one of the culprits leading to poor sleep. Give your mind some space to unwind by putting away all your work-related worries for the next day at least one to two hours before going to bed.
11/11
Technologies meant to make life easier have actually invaded our sleep cycle. According to a new research, majority people take resort in the virtual world before going to bed. The average bedtime ritual has changed from reading a book to checking social media sites nearly four times and watching at least 17 minutes of television. Experts have suggested that in order to get a good night’s sleep you should avoid watching television, work on your mobile and computer for at least half an hour before trying to sleep. But apart from spending time away from technology, there are a few other things you should avoid right before you hit the sack
