10 Things That Prevent A Good Sleep

Getting a good night sleep is not always easy. I used to only end up having about 4-5 hours sleep a night which resulted in me feeling drained and tired. The next day would be unproductive and sometimes a complete waste of a day. It's not surprising as I was only having about half the recommended hours of sleep which is 7-8 hours a night.

Eventually I decided to look at my pre-bedtime routine. Something needed to change before I burnt myself out. Below are 10 things I changed to my pre-bedtime routine that help me sleep. I now sleep better, resulting in me waking up earlier and being more productive each day.

TELEVISION

I used to lie in bed and watch TV before I went to sleep. There has been plenty of research into the effects of TV and sleep. Not only do the sights and sounds stimulate the brain, but the light from the TV also affects your natural circadian rhythms, which are normally controlled by daylight. Turn off the TV!

LIGHT

Whether its light from your TV or light from outside street lamps, being exposed to man-made light before bedtime can disrupt your circadian rhythm, which makes it difficult for your brain to understand when it should begin to wind down. Make sure you have thick curtains and turn off any electrical appliances such as your TV and computer.

MATTRESS

Remember that you spend 1/3 of your life in bed, so an investment in a quality mattress is a must. What people find comfortable can vary, so test out a few mattresses and find out what works for you.

EXERCISE

After a gym session I feel wide awake. This is because during exercise and shortly after, our bodies release stress hormones that help increase blood flow, boost our heart rate and raise our body temperature. This is to keep our muscles pumping. I used to go gym late at night thinking it would help me sleep better but in fact it was having the opposite affect. If you workout earlier in the day, the better nights sleep you will have. The best time to go to the gym is in the morning.

BLADDER

If you have a pint of water before you go to bed, be prepared to take a midnight trip to the toilet. To avoid this, keep your fluid intake to a minimum after about 6pm.

HUNGER

Trying to sleep on an empty stomach can be difficult. To avoid this have a medium sized dinner and then a snack before bedtime. I find a protein shake works well.

ALCOHOL

A small amount of alcohol before bedtime such as a small glass of wine or a bottle of beer can actually help you sleep better. However a lot of alcohol can actually disturb your sleep. This is because you awake from dreams more easily and get up regularly for trips to the toilet. This may lead to daytime fatigue and sleepiness. The best solution is to avoid alcohol all together before you go to bed.

STRESS

Stress and anxiety can have a major impact on your sleep. When you're in this state your mind races causing sleep disturbance. If you are having trouble with stress and sleep then the best way to minimise the effects is to deal with the stress itself. Make sure you wind down and relax a few hours before bedtime.

MOBILE

Make sure your phone is turned off before you go to bed. Any late night texts or calls can disturb your sleep, even if your mobile is on vibrate is enough to wake you up.

CAFFEINE

Most of you will know that caffeine will affect your sleep. To help avoid caffeine related sleep deprivation, try to avoid any caffeine after 12pm and stick to one caffeine related drink a day. This is because the half-life of caffeine is about six hours meaning if you consume a few large cups of coffee a day, you will still have large quantities of caffeine in your system before you go to bed.

Recommended books (downloadable pdfs):

Juggler - Tips To Street Approaches
C Kellogg - Unleashing The Secrets Of Success
Ken Lingu - How To Give A Good Massage

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