Sleep Doctors Say These Bad Habits Could Be Keeping You Up At Night
Ben Blennerhassett/Unsplash
Between the switch from Daylight Saving Time to Daylight Standard Time and Tuesday’s election, this may not have been the best week to get a good night’s sleep. It’s time to get back on track because you’re going to need your rest before the holiday season starts to dominate your life. But do you have good sleep habits?
In a recent survey conducted by the Better Sleep Council, over half of the respondents (52%) described their sleep quality as “poor” or “fair.” So the Huffington Post asked sleep doctors about what they avoid doing before calling it a night. If you’re not getting enough sleep, if could be due to one of these nine bad habits:
- Don’t watch the news before falling asleep – This can cause anxiety or worry making it harder to fall asleep.
- Don’t work in bed – You want to maintain the association that bed is only for sex and sleep.
- Working out – Exercising in the morning or throughout the day can do wonders for insomnia, however, working out before bed can release energy that keeps them from falling asleep.
- Having tense conversations before bed – This could keep you up with negative emotions swirling in your head making it hard for you to wind down.
- Drinking caffeine – This one should be obvious.
- Drinking alcohol – Although it can help you fall asleep, it can disrupt sleep patterns later during the night.
- Using electronic devices without a blue light filter – The blue light from electronic screens tell your brain to stay awake. It suppresses melatonin that is needed to help you fall asleep.
- Bright lights in the room – This also suppresses melatonin production. Get a dimmer.
- Spending too much awake time in bed – Activities such as watching TV could make you disassociate your bed with sleep.
Jen Theodore/Unsplash
Phil Harris is 50% of "Phil & Mel in the Afternoon" on K104.7. He has been with the station since 2013 and on the air in Charlotte since 2000. Before coming to the Queen City, Phil worked for radio stations in Pittsburgh, Austin, and Seattle. In addition to the weekly "Throwback Threesome" music video feature, Phil writes about things that matter to Charlotte sports fans and pet owners. He happens to be both.
Get The K Files Newsletter Delivered Directly To Your Inbox
You'll be in the know on music and entertainment news, exclusive giveaways, and what's happening in right here in Charlotte.
By clicking "Subscribe" I agree to the website's terms of Service and Privacy Policy. I understand I can unsubscribe at any time.