Sleeping seems to be on everyone’s mind right now. Unfortunately, current research published by The American Journal of Human Biology suggests that many people are committing a number of critical mistakes before or even during their sleep that can lead to sometimes harmful effects. Not only do you need to make sure to get enough sleep, but also to make sure that it is effective since the sleep process is critical for processing sugar, muscle growth and repair, healthy blood pressure levels, and much more. Be sure that you are not committing any of these sleep mistakes.
Raising Body Temperature:
In order to get to sleep most effectively, the internal body temperature must drop slightly. Unfortunately, many people engage in practices that can have the opposite effect. For example, taking a hot shower before going to sleep could mean that it takes a good 2 hours to fall asleep. Also, you should avoid working out or doing strenuous physical activity for at least 3 or 4 hours before sleeping. This waiting period is due to the fact that it can take a long time to cool down from exercise.
Too Much Nighttime Protein:
In fact, it is generally not a good idea to eat anything for about 3 hours or so before bed. However, eating protein beforehand is even worse. This reaction is due to the fact that most protein is converted into the neurotransmitter Dopamine which actually makes you feel more aroused instead of sleepy. If you must eat something it would be far better to use a high carbohydrate snack like honey and hazelnuts.
Let in the Sun:
The body needs to be exposed to the natural daily cycle of light and dark, night and sun. Seeing the sunlight triggers a chemical reaction in the brain that actually helps wake you up. So make sure to keep the curtains open to let in the light. Even just 15 minutes of natural sunlight in the morning can help to reset your internal clock and will keep you feeling rested all day long.
Inconsistent Wakeup Times:
In order to really feel well rested at all times, it is important to wake at the same time every day. Do not continue to hit the snooze button, since this does nothing for you (you need to get sleep in at least 10- to 15-minute blocks for them to be effective). Also, research has shown that those who wake up at the same time every day will also fall asleep more regularly and wake feeling more refreshed.
So, by paying attention to and avoiding these critical sleep mistakes you are likely to see a significant improvement. You will get to sleep much faster and wake more refreshed. This improvement is certainly an excellent start to a number of beneficial health changes.
