Are you having trouble falling asleep at night? Do you wake up groggy and tossing from the thoughts and distractions? Do you feel tired, unrested, and irritable each day? You might have developed a few bad habits that prevent your body from fully entering sleep mode at night. And if you are like most patients who visit their trusted sleep doctor in New York City, you aren’t sure which bedtime habits are harmful or helpful. Bad sleep habits include drinking too much coffee, checking your phone before bed, and sleeping in. Avoid these bad sleep habits below and get in touch with us to improve your sleep health right away.
Avoid These Bad Sleep Habits
Bad Habit 1: Drinking Coffee Late at Night
After dinner, a nice cup of hot coffee with cream and liquor is always a treat. You might think twice about having coffee after dinner, as it could be disrupting your sleep patterns in other ways. You will have a harder time falling asleep because it takes six hours for caffeine’s effects to fade from your body. As you get older, the time it takes for those effects to disappear from your body is longer.
Bad Habit 2: Eating Late at Night
Although everyone enjoys dinner at different times of the night, it is important to not eat too early before going to bed. Although you can’t avoid having late-night munchies from time to time, it can have detrimental effects on your ability to sleep. Your body will be more susceptible to heartburn, indigestion, and other digestive issues if you lie down in the middle of your digestion process.
Bad Habit 3: Sleeping with Contact Lenses
Contact lenses work best if they can remain moist in your eye. Your eyes also need moisture to function properly. Your eyes will be dry if you keep your contacts in your sleep. According to the Sleep Foundation, you could also harm your eyes if you fall asleep with contacts as the material can put you at high risk for corneal infection or pinkeye.
Bad Habit 4: Using Your Phone in Bed
It can be difficult to put down the phone before you go to bed. It would be a great idea to take a break from bright screens for at least one hour before going to bed to improve your sleep quality. Not only are bright screens preventing your brain from resting, but also all the sounds and buzzes. A buzz could also be awakening a part of your brain that causes you to feel less rested when you get up from sleep.
Bad Habit 5: Lack of Exercise Before Bed
Your body must be able to use all its natural energy throughout the day. Your body might not be able to get enough sleep if it is not. Although you may worry that exercising will make you feel tired, you’ll actually feel less lethargic throughout the day if your daily exercise routine is followed. This will allow your body to fall back into its natural sleep rhythms, giving you the rest that you need.
Get Your Sleep Health Back on Track in NYC Today
Sleep MD NYC offers specialized treatment for your sleep disorders to improve your quality of life. It can be difficult or impossible to fall asleep on a regular basis if you have insomnia. Our experts will help you identify the problems in your life and other contributing factors that make you tired. We can help you get your sleep back on track with our treatments. If you are dealing with one of the biggest causes of sleep deprivation, sign up for customized sleep apnea or insomnia treatment in NYC today.
