Introduction

If you’re struggling to get a good night’s sleep, it might be time to kick some of your nasty sleep habits.

The Doctor’s Tips

The doctor has identified daily habits that can ruin your sleep.

Dr. Karan Raj, an NHS surgeon and lecturer at the University of Sunderland, shared his tips with his 5.1 million TikTok followers. So, for those who need a good night’s sleep, here are 4 things he says you should avoid before bed.

Eat two hours before bed

Bad news for those who snack in the middle of the night, as an expert advises waiting at least two hours before going to bed after a hearty meal.

“It takes 90 minutes for 50% of your stomach to empty into your small intestine. So the fuller your stomach, the more likely you are to develop acid reflux, which can obviously damage your sleep. Ideally, wait two to three hours after a large meal before going to bed,” explained Dr. Raj.

Drink water before bed

Drinking water before bed can be an obvious habit to break in order to increase the amount of time you need to urinate during the night.

Raj explained, “When you sleep, your body increases its production of ADH, so it retains water and reduces your need to urinate. If you drink a lot of water before bed, it can block the production of ADH, so you pee and wake up, and that ruins your sleep the most.”

Sleep in a hot room

Trying to sleep through the summer can be an impossible task. While the days are long, the nights can be unbearable and your body may sweat a lot.

And high temperatures can upset the balance of sleep.

“Our body temperature peaks around 7 p.m. After this point, our body temperature drops, we feel more sleepy and melatonin production increases,” explained Raj.

“Our bodies need to cool down in order to fall asleep faster,” he added.

So, dark, quiet and cozy bedrooms are synonymous with good sleep.

Caffeine intake

Most people welcome caffeine as a useful stimulant that makes you feel more alert. However, drinking coffee in the afternoon or evening can disrupt your sleep.

The maximum effect of caffeine appears an hour after we drink it, at which point it reaches its peak in our blood. After that, depending on the person’s metabolic rate, it can take up to eight hours before it leaves the body.

And for those who want to restore their sleep, Raj advises avoiding caffeine in the afternoon.

The older we get, the longer it takes caffeine to leave our body due to a lower metabolism.

So, for those who are struggling to get a good night’s sleep, it might be time to ditch your afternoon coffee.

Source

Source: Daily Mail