Sleep

Are you one of the 65% of Americans who encounter sleep problems? Sleep is essential to fight off sickness, decrease risk for obesity as well as depression; it is also an important time for your body to rest and recover from the day’s activities.

Here are six bedtime habits that are ruining your sleep.

1. Reading books in bed. It is okay to read before bedtime, just take it out of the room or bed.
2. Working on computer before bed. The brightness from the screen stimulates your brain, so keep it simple and keep it off.
3. Buying cheap or incorrect mattress and pillow. Choose the correct firmness in mattress and pillows.
4. Using bright alarm clocks: cover the alarm clock or buy a small traveling clock. The light emulating from the clock can distract you. “If I go to sleep right now, I’ll get 5 hours and 32 minutes of sleep before I need to wake up.”
5. Counting sheep: if you have been in bed trying to go to sleep for 30 minutes, get up, find something mundane to do, and you’ll find yourself crawling back into bed.
6. Exercising late at night. An intense workout raises your body temperature and boosts your energy level, making it hard to calm down and go to sleep at bedtime. Try to keep workouts at least three hours before bedtime.