If you’re struggling with a sleeping disorder, it’s important to know that you’re not alone. In fact, nearly 70 million adults in the United States alone suffer from some type of sleep disorder.
Though it may not solve your issues completely, knowing what the biggest sleeping mistakes are, and avoiding them, can’t hurt your efforts. And while some you may already know, others you may not have thought of before, which means you could be making a few mistakes each night without knowing it.
In this article, we’ll break down 8 of the biggest sleeping mistakes that you need to avoid at all costs. We’ll help you create a nightly routine that encourages proper sleep habits, too, so you can feel good all day, every day.
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Not Winding Down Before Bed
If you’re like most people, you need to give your body plenty of time to wind down before trying to go to sleep. Simply lying down and expecting to fall into a deep sleep isn’t going to happen, so you need to create a nightly routine that helps you out.
Our recommendation? Try to start winding down around 3 hours before bedtime. Get in bed, turn off the lights, and let your body get relaxed so you can fall asleep when you need to.
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Not Avoiding Sleep Distractions
There are tons of sleep distractions that you need to avoid to ensure that you can get a good night’s rest. Things like smartphones, laptops, and televisions, in particular, can keep you up much later than you’d like.
So, when you’re winding down for the night, avoid these distractions at all costs. Read a book, listen to a podcast, but don’t stare at a screen for a few hours and then try to fall asleep because it won’t happen.
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Eating or Drinking Late at Night
Believe it or not, eating before sleeping can lead to you lying awake hours into the night. Because of this, we recommend that you avoid eating anything heavy at least 3 hours before you plan on trying to go to sleep.
If you are going to eat before bed, make sure it’s something light. Also, avoid caffeine and alcohol and only drink water hours before bedtime.
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Having Your Room at the Wrong Temperature
Another one of the top tips to know if you want to improve your sleep habits has to do with your thermostat. As you already know, if your room isn’t the right temperature, falling asleep can be next to impossible, no matter how tired you are.
That’s why you need to make sure the temperature is perfect for when you start winding down. A programmable thermostat is recommended, assuming you adjust the temperature in your home a few degrees before bed.
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Naping Too Late in the Day
We get it. Sometimes you need a quick power nap to help you get through the day. But taking that nap too late can make it hard to go to sleep on time, which isn’t what you want.
So, if you have to take a nap, keep it short (around 30 minutes) and preferably 8 hours or so before you want to go to bed at night. That way, you have plenty of time to recover from that nap so you can rest well later that night.
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Exercising Too Late in the Day
Another thing that you can do to accidentally affect your sleep schedule has to do with exercise. Because while exercise is important, working out too late in the day can make winding down to go to sleep next to impossible.
Like eating before bed, we recommend that you workout at least 3 hours before you plan on going to sleep. With that being said, the earlier, the better, so try to make morning or lunchtime workout fit your schedule if you can.
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Sleeping on an Old Mattress
Having trouble going to sleep each night? Not sure what the problem is? Take a good hard look at your mattress, as it could be the cause of all of your problems.
More specifically, ask yourself how old is your mattress, and what did you pay for it? If it’s older than a few years, and if it was a budget mattress, there’s a good chance that it’s the reason you can’t sleep well at night.
Of course, investing in a new mattress is a big purchase. But if you can fit it into your budget, it’s more than worth trying to help you have more energy during the day.
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Not Creating a Good Sleep Routine
Everything that we’ve touched on in this article goes into creating a good sleep routine. Without one, you’ll find that getting a good night’s sleep consistently isn’t going to happen more often than not.
Once you have a sleep routine, be sure to stick to it, and don’t let multiple nights of not following it derail your progress. And of course, if you’re still having problems after creating a routine, a visit to a sleep specialist is recommended.
Now You Know What Sleeping Mistakes to Avoid!
Remember, there are plenty of sleeping mistakes out there, all of which you need to avoid. The good news? Figuring out what problems affect you is easy, which means creating a plan to help you sleep better at night isn’t as hard as you may think.
Looking for more healthy lifestyle tips and tricks? Check back with our blog often, as we’re always talking about everything related to both physical and mental health. Check out cloud9mattress for more information on mattresses online.
