There is nothing more refreshing than having a quality sleep at the end of a busy day. But sometimes you engage in certain behaviours that are actually sabotaging the quality and quantity of the sleep you get. The result is that you wake up tired and exhausted.  Expectedly, during the course of your day’s activity, you will be irritable, dizzy, unable to focus on tasks, and easily tired. Over time, your lack of quality sleep could result in chronic health problems such as diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, heart failure and so forth associated with sleep deficiency. Unfortunately, these sleep mistakes also could shorten your life expectancy.

So, which of these sleep mistakes are you guilty of?

Revenge bedtime procrastination

Why are you seeking revenge by procrastinating your sleep? So, because you lacked free time during the day, you were busy with work and couldn’t catch up with friends and loved ones on social media, you decided to stay up late into the night. For some people, watching a favourite TV show or movie, playing video games, reading or gisting with a bed mate. Procrastinating your sleep time is one of the sleep mistakes that can affect you negatively. First, your body functions begin to nose dive because it is getting less amount of sleep than it requires.  Moreover, in the long run, this could lead to sleep deprivation. Which puts you at the risk of a serious medical condition such as obesity.

Late-night eating and drinking

Late-night feeding can disrupt the quality of sleep you get. By late we mean within 3 hours of you going to sleep. This means if your bedtime is 9 pm, then any feeding within 6 pm-9 pm is late. This is because the food will not digest properly. This results in a disturbed sleep cycle.  So, if you are in the habit of sneaking into the kitchen too late at night for a snack, wine, caffeine or alcohol. It's time you stop it. Read also: Say goodbye to late-night feeding

Similarly, nighttime caffeine can cause more harm than good. It affects your internal clock and sleep. Again, contrary to popular opinion, alcohol is not a sleep aid. It does not allow you to fall asleep easily and sleep more deeply.

Eating large meals at night

Consuming heavy foods right before bedtime could be one of the reasons you frequently toss and turn all night. This is because it causes acid reflux, indigestion and heartburn. Overall, large dinners will disrupt the quality of sleep you get. If you make this sleep mistake, it is easy to stop. Reduce the quantity of food you eat before you sleep. Again, do not eat heavy meals such as eba, fufu, pounded yam etcetera 3 hours before bedtime Read also: List of foods that sabotage your sleep

Managing your mattress

If you are sleeping on an old mattress that keeps you up at night or makes you frequently toss and turn in search of a comfortable position, then it’s time to change your mattress ASAP. It doesn’t make sense to manage a mattress that doesn’t support your sleep that’s a costly sleep mistake. A good night's sleep is priceless, so invest in a quality mattress today. There are affordable mattresses that offer the needed support and comfort that your body deserves. Besides, you can swap your old uncomfortable mattress for a brand new one

Making up for lost sleep at weekends

For some people, weekends are lost sleep recovery days. If you are one of those who wake up at 6.am on weekdays but let yourself sleep in until Saturday or Sunday, it’s time to quit. Similarly, if you go to bed earlier some days and later other days, you will be disrupting the activity of the circadian rhythm which is responsible for regulating periods of wakefulness and rest.  Stick to the same wake-up time all seven days of the week. Read also: How to make up for lost sleep

Scrolling your phone before bedtime

Studies have shown how scrolling your phone before bedtime makes it harder for you to fall asleep. The blue light your phone, Tv screen or tablet emits disrupts melatonin secretion and your sleep cycle. While the Nightshift and Night mode introduced by apple and Android claims to adjust your screen colour and help you sleep better, we recommend that you shut down all screens close to bedtime so you can enjoy quality sleep. Read also: How technology affects your child's sleep

If you are guilty of any of these sleep mistakes, STOP IT ASAP. Quality sleep is important to maintain optimal functioning of the body. It is as important as healthy eating and exercising.

RECOMMENDED READING

https://www.wincofoam.com/say-goodbye-to-late-night-feeding/

https://www.wincofoam.com/5-best-mattresses-in-nigeria/

https://www.wincofoam.com/where-to-swap-your-old-mattress-for-a-brand-new-one-in-nigeria/


SOURCE: https://www.wincofoam.com/