Good sleep is essential for health. Consistently not getting enough sleep is known to increase the risk of obesity, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. To achieve restful sleep, it is important to go to bed and wake up at the same time regularly. Having a personal routine that relaxes the body and mind before sleep can also be helpful.

On the other hand, there are habits that unknowingly prevent good sleep. The UK daily newspaper Daily Mail introduced six behaviors to avoid for a good night's sleep, as suggested by sleep expert Professor Russell Foster.

 

Overeating or eating before bedtime = Eating a large amount of food close to bedtime can cause difficulty sleeping at night. This is because during the digestion process, the body's core temperature rises, making it harder to fall asleep. Due to the body's circadian rhythm that regulates sleep, core temperature slightly decreases before sleep, but eating before bed can disrupt this process, making it harder to fall asleep and potentially reducing sleep quality. Especially, consuming spicy or greasy foods is not recommended. Additionally, overeating late at night can lead to poor digestion and increase the risk of acid reflux.

Exercise = Professor Poster said that vigorous exercise should be avoided within two hours before bedtime. Just like overeating, exercise raises body temperature. If you cannot find time to exercise except late at night, taking a warm bath after exercise can help. This is because the blood vessels in the hands, feet, arms, and legs expand, causing blood to move from the core of the body to the periphery, thereby lowering core body temperature. However, the bath should be with water that is not too hot but comfortably warm to be effective.

 

Bright lighting = The lighting in the bedroom should be dim. Seeing very bright light in the evening can alter the body's internal clock and make it take longer to fall asleep. Natural light influences the sleep-wake cycle. When the sun rises, the body secretes cortisol, a hormone that induces alertness. When it gets dark, the hormone melatonin, which causes drowsiness, is produced. According to Professor Poster, light emitted from cell phones, laptops, e-books, and even desk lamps can interfere with this process. As a result, the body remains overly alert, making it difficult to relax and fall asleep.

 

Smartphones = Not just because of the light emitted from smartphones. The act of falling into negative thoughts while browsing social media before sleep or reading news and feeling stressed makes it difficult to relax and fall asleep. Professor Poster said that most people do not have sleep problems, but rather stress and anxiety. Therefore, he recommended engaging in other activities that help relax, such as meditation or reading, instead of looking at the phone.

It is also good to physically keep your phone away while sleeping. If you wake up during sleep and happen to look at your phone, the accumulated notifications in the meantime can cause your sleep to be neglected.

 

According to Professor Poster, drinking caffeinated beverages after 2 PM can make it difficult to fall asleep. The stimulating effects of caffeine appear within 15 minutes, but caffeine remains in the body for several hours. Caffeine naturally exists in our brains and is structurally similar to a chemical called adenosine, which makes us feel sleepy. Caffeine binds to adenosine receptors, blocking adenosine and maintaining alertness. Drinking coffee late in the day can result in high concentrations of caffeine remaining in the body even when it's time to sleep.

Alcohol = Initially, alcohol can help with falling asleep. Drinking alcohol induces a calming effect that makes you feel sleepy more quickly. However, alcohol consumption disrupts REM sleep, which is essential for memory, learning, and creativity. Drinking too much alcohol and sleeping can actually interfere with important brain functions such as memory formation. Additionally, because alcohol is metabolized in the body throughout the night, it can cause you to wake up more frequently.

 

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Lifestyle habits are morning routines

Take good care and stick to the proper evening routine.

It seems like you don't care.

Even just an hour before falling asleep

I need to prepare before I fall asleep in advance.

It becomes sleep mode.