Unhealthy before-bedtime habits that worsen sleep quality

Unhealthy before-bedtime habits that worsen sleep quality

Statistics suggest that more than 30% of the country’s population fails to get quality sleep. This could be due to poor lifestyle choices. Improvement in these lifestyle choices may include avoiding stimulants and switching to branded mattresses. However, at times even mattresses from Tempur-Pedic, Saatva, Sleep Number, Serta Mattress, and Essentia Mattress may not be enough to improve sleep quality. To improve your sleeping patterns, here are some mistakes you should be avoiding:

Habits to avoid before going to bed for better sleep

Using electronic devices
Modern lifestyles require the constant use of electronic gadgets. Unfortunately, phones, iPads, laptops, and even televisions emit blue light, which reduces the production of sleep hormone when it falls on the retina. Although you can install a blue light filter on most devices, it still adversely affects melatonin production. Switch out staring at your phone to reading or meditating to improve sleep quality.

Indulging in stimulants
Consuming caffeinated beverages or other harmful stimulants can disrupt sleep. While sweets may promote sleep, eating chocolate that contains high amount of caffeine may make it difficult to fall asleep. Although dark chocolate has its benefits, sleep experts recommend consuming it and caffeinated beverages at least four to six hours before bedtime. People who are hypersensitive to caffeine should consume it at least 12 hours before bedtime.

Midnight snacking
Midnight snacking is one of the crucial things to avoid before bedtime for better sleep. While eating delicious fried food may seem to enhance your experience when binging on your favorite series, not only is it harmful for the metabolism, but it can also disrupt a good night’s sleep. Additionally, having a late dinner or snacking late at night has been observed to increase the risk of suffering from sleep apnea. Similarly, it is also highly recommended to avoid larger meals at night as it may be difficult for the gut to digest and process the food while you are asleep. Mid night snacking can worsen heartburn for many people. But thankfully, options like Alka-Seltzer PM Heartburn Relief + Sleep Support Gummies can help deal with the occasional heartburn and sleeplessness. These heartburn-relief gummies contain melatonin to help you fall asleep quickly and rest better through the night.

Drinking lots of water
Drinking water ensures a smooth metabolism and flushes the toxins from the body. However, timing is essential when it comes to hydrating. Chugging a couple of glasses of water before bedtime can lead to uncomfortable sleep as you may get the urge to urinate frequently in the middle of the night. Hence, it is recommended to drink a glass of water an hour before bedtime and empty the bladder before winding down for the day.

Watching an intense movie or playing video games
Relaxing by watching your favorite movie or playing your favorite video game may seem like a good idea. But it can be counterproductive for your circadian cycle, especially if you watch a violent movie or play games that force your brain to stay alert. These activities lead to increased production of the stress hormone cortisol and result in poor sleep quality.

Besides, eating a heavy meal before going to bed doesn’t give the body enough time to process the foods from the stomach into the digestive tract. As a result, excess foods push the stomach acids upwards, causing reflux.

Good bedding is essential for a good night’s sleep. Slumber Cloud® is many people’s go-to choice for all bedding supplies, such as sheets, blankets, comforters, mattress pads, pillows, and more. Designed scientifically, Slumber Cloud’s soft beddings have a cooling effect but are still warm enough for cozy winters.

Popular Reads

Here’s how you can get your allergies detected

Here’s how you can get your allergies detected

How many times have allergies caused you to sneeze every time you take a ride in the open air? Or rashes on coming in contact with a plant? Or swelling as a result of a peanut allergy? Sneezing, running noses, watery eyes, rashes, swelling all these reactions due to allergies can be quite distressing. Allergies are more common and can be caused by various things. The cause of allergies is still unknown, it could be genetic or just a singular development. However, they can be easily detected by just visiting your doctor and undergoing some tests. Read on to know more about what are allergies and how to detect them. What are allergies? The immune system is designed to fight any entrant in the body that it recognizes as foreign. However, at times, the immune system becomes over vigilant and starts fighting foreign entrants that are not harmful. Substances that cause the immune system to react this way are called “allergens”, and when you display symptoms of these interactions, you are diagnosed “allergic” to the substance. Allergens can include plants, grass, pollen, dust, food, animal dander among others. While symptoms like running nose, sneezing, watery eyes, rashes, itching, and others, are all attributed to allergic reactions.
5 frequently asked questions about Alzheimer’s disease

5 frequently asked questions about Alzheimer’s disease

A common form of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease is a debilitating and progressive disease that affects the brain and motor functions of the body. The disease progresses through stages. It begins to affect the regions of the brain that control language, thought, and memory. In most of the cases, it begins with a slight memory loss. In the final stages, Alzheimer’s disease leads to the loss of various abilities including motor skills, speech, and independent movement. Here are a few frequently asked questions about Alzheimer’s. What are the causes? Alzheimer’s disease does not have any definite cause. Research has been unable to conclude whether Alzheimer’s is developed by one cause or multiple ones. The exact cause of the ailment is not yet known. However, there are multiple factors that may increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. One of the major causes is ageism. Also, a family history of Alzheimer’s is another major risk. This may lead to the inheritance of genes that cause this disease. Some other possible risk factors that can cause Alzheimer’s include high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases, and high cholesterol. What are the symptoms? In most cases, the first warning sign of Alzheimer’s disease is a loss of cognitive ability.
Four important steps in anemia management

Four important steps in anemia management

Hemoglobin is a protein molecule in the red blood cells responsible for carrying oxygen throughout the body. Its richness in iron gives blood its red color. Anemia is a condition where a person has low hemoglobin or red blood cell count. From an underlying disease to nutrient deficiencies, there are a lot of factors that contribute to the onset of this condition. There are many forms of anemia. Some of them include: Iron deficiency anemia -This is caused due to low iron levels in the blood. Most common causes of this type of anemia are heavy menstruation or internal bleeding. Vitamin deficiency anemia – This type of anemia is caused by the deficiency of vitamin C, B-12 or folate Aplastic anemia – Damaged stem cells in the bone marrow fail to produce enough red blood cells, leading to aplastic anemia. Sickle cell anemia – This is a condition characterized by the development of abnormal crescent-shaped red blood cells. Hemolytic anemia – This is a blood disorder caused due to premature death of red blood cells. Thalassemia – This is caused due to low amounts of hemoglobin in the blood. The blood disorders vary in duration and severity. Prompt diagnosis, and treatment are important because anemia could also be due to an underlying condition.