Six Things You Definitely Want to Avoid Before Bedtime

How are you doing between the sheets these days? Are you getting a solid seven to nine every night? You really should be getting that much or more. We all should.

I’m talking sleep, of course.

When you don’t get seven to nine hours of uninterrupted sleep each night, you’re setting yourself up for trouble. Mistakes on the job, weight gain, a cranky mood, and potentially life-threatening accidents can all be the outcome of not getting enough shut-eye.

Sleep is as essential to a healthy lifestyle as eating right and staying active. Here are six things you definitely want to avoid before bedtime — plus my suggestions of what you might replace them with for a better outcome in the sack.

1. Work: Slaving away right up until the time you retire makes it hard to unwind. It’s impossible to drift off to dreamland when your mind is restlessly preoccupied with assignments and deadlines. Try and set a strict start and stop time for work. Listen to music, escape into a favorite TV show, or prepare a nourishing meal when you get home — and leave work at the office.

2. Screen Time: Don’t bring technology into the bedroom. Smartphones, tablets, and laptops provide an endless stream of stimulation — bright lights, sounds, emails, texts, notifications, the interwebz (hello: porn!) — that will only distract you from falling asleep. Instead, ditch the electronics and take your favorite “honey” to bed. And if he’s not available, most guys find the dog or the cat to be just as cuddly.

3. Chowing Down: Don’t sock away a heavy meal before bedtime. A gastroenterologist client of mine says that eating within three hours of going to bed is directly correlated with the risk of acid reflux. In addition, eating heavily — or even grazing — before you hit the hay can lead to weight-gain. Big time. Rather than succumbing to the munchies before retiring, try taking a relaxing swim or walk. The activity will both tire you and get you away from those calorie-dense temptations calling your name from the kitchen.

4. Boozing It Up: Keep alcohol consumption to a minimum. A glass of wine or a cocktail before heading to bed may relax you initially, but it can interfere with other aspects of your rest. Alcohol is a diuretic, which means it will have you getting up frequently during the night to hit the loo. Also, it has been reported that alcohol raises blood pressure and interferes with the deep REM sleep you need to feel refreshed the next day. Instead of a drink, add a nice hot bath or shower to your bedtime ritual.

5. Scary Stuff: A sure way to ruin a night’s sleep is to wake up with nightmares, so don’t give them a head start. Scary movies can be fun, but disturbing images and violence can wreak havoc with healthy dreams and sound sleep. The same is true with watching the news too late and too close to bedtime. Instead listen to calming music or try meditation.

6. Drama: Avoid conflict before bedtime. Arguing with someone you care about can trigger your body’s fight-or-flight response, releasing a cascade of hormones (including adrenaline and cortisol) into your bloodstream and elevating both your blood pressure and your blood sugar. None of these reactions is conducive to getting a good night’s rest — quite the opposite, in fact. Save your bedroom for making love, not war!

source https://hotspotsmagazine.com/2018/07/17/six-things-you-definitely-want-to-avoid-before-bedtime/