Evening Habits That Hurt Sleeping Hours

Melissa Martin, Staff Writer

Sleeping is one of the most important parts of your daily routine. Sometimes sleeping feels like it gets in the way of other important activities of your day or it’s just impossible to drift off to sleep. These evening routines might be a huge factor in affecting your sleep schedule.

 

Drinking a cup of coffee after dinner: Caffeine is a stimulant, which is why people rely on it to get their bodies moving during the early hours of the day. But for the same reason, it can also keep you up at night if you keep sipping too late in the afternoon, or after a big dinner. Caffeine’s effects on your body can last for hours after consumption, so for the best night’s sleep, you might want to cut out your caffeine intake several hours before bed.

 

Swiping through apps before hitting the pillow: Limiting your screen use is very important, so turn that phone off. Besides over stimulating your brain , screens emit blue light that can disrupt your sleep hormones. It is suggested that you power down all hand-held screens at least one hour before bed to give your brain a chance to settle down.

 

Doing an intense workout at night: Evening workouts are a common part of many people’s schedules, but engaging in a high-energy workout can also make it harder for you to relax afterward. It can also raise your body temperature, which can disrupt the body’s normal cooling process that occurs as bedtime approaches.

 

Eating your last meal before you go to bed: When you eat just before bed, you don’t give your body enough time to properly digest the food. When you lay down with a full stomach, it can cause acid reflux and digestive issues that can interfere with sleep patterns.