There’s not a strikingly strange observation about a simple fact that concerns us. Perhaps it may not be wrong to suggest that we are prevailing in times where the concept of work and striving endlessly to make ends meet is a bit too highly rated. Not that work isn’t important or that striving for making a better life signals something untoward; it’s just that not an awful lot is reserved for rest. This simple four-letter word expresses the meaning of something incessantly important. Perhaps that is why there’s this uncanny similarity between three vastly different terms- work, rest, and life. All of these consist of the exact same number of alphabets (4). On that note, there’s nothing absurd about asking whether we are getting enough rest or getting enough sleep. Here are the 5 things to avoid for a good night’s sleep.
In times where we are actively lost in pursuing our goals and meeting deadlines, it’s a fairly rational and regular question to ask whether one is getting a good night’s sleep? In fact, are we getting sufficient good night’s sleep? Do we spend time on ourselves in checking whether we’ve slept enough?
A good night’s sleep- as they say- is the key to maintain the harmony between work and life balance. But at the same time, there are certain things to avoid for a good night’s sleep. So have you ever wondered what might these be? What could be the things to avoid (to ensure) for a good night’s sleep?
Let’s look into some crucial factors:
Drinking – Things to Avoid for a Good Night’s Sleep
This may sound a bit surprising to some. But the fact is, if you wish to get a good night’s sleep then try to avoid drinking certain liquids or fluids. Wondering why? Alcohol contains a fairly high dosage of caffeine which is such a deterrent to a good night’s sleep. Whether it is coffee or tea or even cola, try to avoid all of these if you wish to sleep peacefully for the night.
But that said, there’s also something to watch out for in terms of alcohol consumption. One must be cautious about not drinking too much because excessive drinking can cause sweating and can even cause headaches. How would you expect to sleep then?
Food – How to Sleep Better
There are certain food items or things to avoid for a good night’s sleep. Wondering what these might be and how to sleep better? It’s common knowledge that there are plenty of junk food items that must be avoided in this regard.
Things like French fries, chips, and even burgers are known to hamper smooth sleep for the simple reason that they hamper sleeping cycles.
In fact, it’s not so much about avoiding junk food alone, there are other food articles that must be avoided if getting a good night’s sleep if the simple goal.
On that note, it’s important to note that one must avoid spicy food items. Such food is known to cause heartburn, a discomfort that can disrupt sleep. Furthermore, try to avoid protein-rich food since it stimulates the brain.
So be mindful to avoid these things for a good night’s sleep.
Suggested Read: Is Sleeping over Belly Unhealthy and Dangerous?
Cigarettes – Things to Avoid for a Good Night’s Sleep
To a vast majority of people, this isn’t some random habit. It is, for the lack of a better word, a consummate habit; it’s something that sticks on you harder than glue sticks to a piece of paper. What’s worse? It can be a lifelong issue that most struggle to do away with.
One of the things to avoid for a good night’s sleep is a cigarette. While it’s a common fact that smoking causes more harm to the body than one could imagine, it must be avoided for a good night’s sleep for the nicotine factor.
Nicotine disrupts the sleeping pattern and is considered a misguided way to relax before sleeping, at night.
Exercise
Perhaps it may hardly come as a surprise that most reading this would be in for a shock. How can exercise be a disruptor to a good night’s sleep? Haven’t we all heard- and time and time again- that exercising is good for the health?
Haven’t we all been told and repeatedly so (whether in the way of friendly advice, social media chatter, forwarded messages, and the increased awareness and talk surrounding common health) that one mustn’t avoid exercising?
So how can it hamper something so basic as sleep? Here’s the thing one needs to be mindful of.
It’s not so much about exercise as it is about the timing of exercising. Experts suggest that among the things to avoid for a good night’s sleep is exercising just before or shortly before hitting the bed. Ideally, one must be careful about maintaining a three-hour gap between exercising and retiring for the day.
Therefore, you must make sure to leave a gap of around three hours between finishing a workout and preparing for the night’s sleep. Any failure to do so would actually make you active in the mind whilst you are resting your head on the pillow.
The Bedroom
Wait a sec! Don’t freak out. Give it some thought. The first or immediate reaction about reading this sub-head would be a bit of a shock. After all, how can one avoid the bedroom when it comes to taking a good night’s sleep? Where should one be sleeping then, the washroom or the garage? How to Sleep Better?
Well, not really. The water runs deep here. It’s not the bedroom as much as it is about ensuring something in particular inside the bedroom that one must be cautious about.
So What is it Exactly?
Well, one of the things to avoid for a good night’s sleep is to avoid overheating the bedroom. You must be careful about not overheating the very living space you inhabit during the night. Usually, one can avoid and simply go without the afternoon sleep.
But it can be particularly upsetting if one doesn’t get a sound sleep- particularly- during the night.
It is believed that temperatures that are in excess of 24°C will become too stuffy to get good, restful sleep. Therefore, be careful about not turning your living room into some form of a chimney.
The other things that one must avoid should be watching too much TV during late-night hours- such a deterrent to getting good sleep.
Suggested Read: Why Can’t I Sleep? What Causes Sleeplessness, and How Can You Fix it?
In the end, one must remember that sleep is around as important and precious as doing good work or leading a life of quality or value. Do all you can to ensure that.