Don’t Sleep On it: Fix Your Pre-slumber Habits for Better Rest

If you always wake up tired no matter how many hours you slept, then wake up and smell the roses: you’re sleeping wrong.

While we can’t always control the number of hours we have for sleep, we can help determine the quality of it. Here are the dos and don’ts for satisfying slumber.

Your brain secretes melatonin, a hormone which helps regulate your body’s natural sleep and wake cycle. When it’s dark, your brain secretes more melatonin, making your body sleepy in preparation for bed. This means that light makes you more alert.

The emission of blue light by smartphones, tablets, and TV inhibits melatonin production which keeps your body awake. So ditch the screens for at least an hour before bedtime. Those Facebook updates can wait till tomorrow!

Try not to eat a big meal past 7pm. Heavy meals take longer to digest, especially your rendangs and tom yams. Eating heavy and spicy meals may even result in heartburns which will keep you awake. Plus, eating too late also contributes to weight gain, so leave the platters for breakfast!

As with eating, don’t drink too much before bed as it might mean bonus mid-sleep trips to the loo. Specifically cut down on alcohol, caffeine and tea. Alcohol may make you feel sleepy at first, but after a few hours, it becomes a stimulant and can disrupt your sleep, affecting your sleep quality. Caffeine can stay in the body for up to 12 hours, so keep these stimulants away hours before hitting the sack.

Sorry pet lovers, but your furry friends have to stay off the mattress. Inviting your pet to bed can disrupt your sleep as your pet fidgets and snores. Leave the snoring and fidgeting to your human bed partner – the fewer bed occupants, the better.

Restricting your pet from the bed also means that you get to keep allergens like fur, dander, and pollen; and pests like fleas away.

Make it your goal to relax, not sleep. Don’t struggle to fall asleep if the Sandman hasn’t paid a visit. Struggling will only lead to frustration, making it even harder to fall asleep. If you haven’t found sleep in 15 minutes, get up and leave the room. Keep yourself occupied with a short, quiet activity such as reading or listening to (soft) music. When your eyelids start caving, tuck yourself in for perfect sleep.