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Getting a good night’s sleep is important for your mood, your energy level, and your overall health. It’s also dependent on what you do during the day: how much physical activity you do, what you eat and drink, and how mentally stimulated you are especially in the hours just before you crawl into bed.
“When people suffer from insomnia or other sleep issues, it’s often because of something they’re doing, probably unintentionally, when they should be preparing for rest,” according to Michael Grandner, PhD, a psychiatry instructor.
According to Amanda MacMillan on MedicalNewsToday, here are some things to avoid doing at night
1. Using a smartphone or other digital device
Using electronic devices like e-readers and smartphones, or even watching television in or before bed, can disrupt sleep. Robert Rosenberg, DO, author of Sleep Soundly Every Night, Feel Fantastic Every Day, recommends avoiding any light-emitting technology for at least one hour before bedtime.
“The blue light given off by computers, smartphones, tablets, and TV prevents the production of melatonin which helps the body become sleepy,” he said in Health magazine.
2. Taking certain medications
If you take medicines or supplements daily and you’re also experiencing sleep problems, ask your doctor whether the time of day you take your dosage may be keeping you awake. The effects may be subtle, but some medicines can make you alert for several hours after taking them.
For example, antidepressants can have strong effects on sleep, and some pain medications may upset your stomach and make sleep more difficult.
A sleeping pill isn’t always the answer, either. They’re generally only recommended for short-term use (over-the-counter meds, especially). So if you find yourself taking them regularly, talk to your doctor about other options. A prescription drug will be safer and more effective to use for more than a few weeks at a time, but a longer-term solution that doesn’t rely on medication is your best bet.
3. Texting a friend
You may think a text is less disturbing than a phone call late at night. But think twice before you message a friend or family member or get involved in a group text conversation shortly before bed. If you sleep with your phone in or near your bed, you could be disturbed by replies after you’ve already retired or fallen asleep.
If you are worried about getting messages late at night, put your phone in another room or mute it.
4. Skipping your wind-down time
When people say they can’t shut their mind off in bed, it’s often because they haven’t given themselves adequate time to relax in the hour or so beforehand. When you’re going from one distracting activity to another and not giving yourself time to sit back and reflect on your thoughts, your mind will keep racing when you finally climb into bed.
You should take at least 30 minutes before you head into your bedroom to put away anything too stimulating, thought-provoking, or absorbing from action-packed TV shows to work you’ve brought home with you.
5. Checking your work email
Aside from the fact that a blue-light emitting device can mess with your body’s natural sleep rhythms, there are other potential problems with checking your email too close to bedtime.
Unless you’re waiting for a specific email that’s going to put you at ease and help you sleep better, it is advisable to not check it. Checking in with the office too late at night is more likely to make you nervous or agitated, or fill your mind with things you’ll need to do in the morning.
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