Everyone needs a good night's sleep. But when your sleep routine is ruined, it can affect your physical and mental health. Studies have shown that people's poor sleeping habits are very often the reason for insomnia. If you can't sleep at night, the following 10 things you should never do.
Main causes of lack of sleep
Bad sleep habits aren't the only reason you can't sleep. Medical illnesses, medications, and sleep disorders contribute to poor sleep. Make sure if any of these situations could be the reason you are not sleeping well.
Medical causes
Medical problems can interfere with your sleep. Stress from chronic illness contributes to insomnia. These are the most common medical problems that cause insomnia:
· Respiratory problems
· Acidity
· Diabetes
· Heart problems
· Kidney disease
· Allergies
· Anxiety
· Depression
· Gastrointestinal disorders
· Arthritis
· Asthma
· Neurological disorders
· Thyroid problems
· Sharp pain
If you experience insomnia because of any of these conditions, talk to your doctor about it. Ask for advice on natural ways to help you relax when you can't fall asleep.
Medicines
Certain medications cause insomnia. It is difficult enough to have a disease that requires medication in itself, but then having this same medication interrupt your sleep can be frustrating. This is a list of medications that can disrupt sleep:
· Allergy medications
· Asthma medications
· Contraceptive drugs
· Cold and flu medications
· Medications for depression
· Heart medications
· Medications for hypertension
· Thyroid medication
· Immunosuppressive drugs
Ask your doctor to adjust your prescriptions so you don't lose sleep at night. This may mean taking your medications at a different time during the day, not so close to bedtime. If you are already taking medication, be careful about taking sleep medication. These can interfere with your medicine and cause an adverse reaction.
Sleep disorders
If you have a diagnosed sleep disorder, you may experience insomnia. The following conditions can cause it:
· Sleep apnea
· Restless Leg Syndrome
· Narcolepsy
These are 10 things you should never do if you can't sleep
If you do not have a disease and are not taking medication, and you have not been diagnosed with a sleep disorder, you could be unintentionally interrupting your sleep by doing these things:
1. Go to bed very late or very early
Going to bed too early or too late at night can cause insomnia. It is best to maintain a regular bedtime routine. Try to stay awake for at least 16 hours a day, followed by 7 to 8 hours of sleep.
Your biological clock, also known as the circadian rhythm, will eventually adapt to this routine, giving you better sleep throughout the night.
2. Have a different sleep routine on the weekends
Maintaining a circadian rhythm is vital to combat insomnia. Doctors suggest that you keep a regular bedtime and wake-up time even on weekends. Staying up later in the weekend can disrupt your body's sleep rhythm and disrupt your sleep.
3. Drink too much caffeine
It's not too hard to keep track of how many cups of coffee you drink a day, but consuming too much caffeine is a guarantee for insomnia. The Mayo Clinic suggests that a typical, healthy adult should consume only 400 milligrams of caffeine per day.
That is about three cups of coffee per day. Which, to many people, seems like a small amount. Eating more than this can disturb your sleep. Don't forget that tea, soda, and chocolate contain caffeine.
4. Forget that the effect of caffeine lasts longer
Like many drugs, caffeine stays in your system for hours. Studies show that 50% of caffeine remains in your body for five to six hours after you drink it.
If you drink coffee or caffeinated sodas in the afternoon or evening, it will still be in your system when you go to bed. Even decaf coffee has some caffeine, which can prevent you from falling asleep or sleeping soundly.
5. Thinking that you need little sleep
The National Sleep Foundation recommends that healthy adults get 7-9 hours of sleep. This amount of sleep is more than enough for most people.
Some people need less sleep, but there aren't many people like this. Historically, people like Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and Leonardo da Vinci were known to need little sleep. Some people, like Winston Churchill and Thomas Edison, did not sleep much at night, but took naps during the day.
6. Use electronic devices before going to bed
Many people think that using the electronic device is a great way to relax at night. Whether it's playing a game on your computer or reading a book on your tablet, using electronic devices at night is very common.
However, scientists tell us that screen time before bed is a major factor in sleep loss. The screen of your electronic device emits a light that can interrupt the production of a chemical called melatonin in your brain. Melatonin helps you sleep, but having too little of it will affect your ability to sleep.
7. Eating too late
Eating heavy or spicy foods close to bedtime affects your sleep. Eating close to your bedtime triggers the release of insulin, which breaks your circadian rhythm or sleep cycle. Food in your stomach activates your brain and interrupts your ability to sleep.
8. Exercising very close to bedtime
Physical activity right before bed is detrimental to being able to sleep. It's best to exercise several hours before going to bed and allow your body to relax as the time approaches. Exercise raises your level of stress hormones that keep you awake at night.
9. You don't give yourself time to slow down