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Everyone knows they need good, quality sleep, but most find it difficult and challenging to break their bad habits. Some habits are worse than others, but these habits disturb, disrupt and disorder good quality sleep.
Caffeine Consumption
There’s no doubt about Americans guzzle more caffeine than any other culture in the world. This may not need much explaining, but overuse of caffeine and late-night lattes kickstart the body’s energy pattern. The lesson? Drink less caffeine.
Late-night Eating
This no-brainer bad habit is another American fault. Late-night, or emotional eating requires the body to work hard to break down food. During sleep digestion is turned off, thus leading to a sleepless, full stomach, heartburn-the-next-morning night.
Alcohol Nightcap
The occasional glass of wine to relax is fine, but long-term boozing before bed actually does the opposite effect, it keeps the body more awake and alert rather than relaxed and restless.
Technology Use in Bed
Laptops, iPads, iPods and tablets consume our minds day and night. These bright-light screens trick the mind to think its daylight rather night and messes with the circadian rhythm. Chill out and put the phone down especially while in the bed.
Exercising Before Bed
For most people, exercise makes them feel alert, vibrant and energized. There are the rare few who can exercise and pass out afterwards. It’s best to exercise several hours before bed, or during the time of day when the body feels most alert.
Making Up Sleep
Probably the worst habit (especially for those who travel for work or hold hectic jobs) is to pull all nighters and make up the sleep on the weekend. College students are known to do this, but this does not allow the body to restore and repair during the circadian rhythm. The lesson? Get balanced.
Sleeping Pill Addictions
Besides making up sleep, popping over the counter, or prescription, sleeping pills to sleep is definitely the worst habit. Sleep is a biological human process and those who require nightly pill popping should take this as an awareness piece that this is not normal, healthy or needed. Most likely something in life is unbalanced, which needs healing to activate better sleep
