The worst things to do when trying to fall asleep include activities that many mistake as helpful. When you know you have to wake up early, you’ll want to drift off as quickly as possible. Sometimes it can be a chore to turn your mind off and let sleep find you. To save you some trouble, here are the worst things to do when trying to fall asleep.
Most people keep their phones beside them at night. When you’re laying in bed, unable to keep your eyes closed, you might reach for your cell to text one of your friends. But by the time they text back, you might already be dozing off. The beep from the message can cause you to wake up again. One of the worst things to do when trying to fall asleep is contacting your friends. If you get a good conversation going, you’ll never want to get to bed.
Reading before bed can be helpful, depending on which book you read. If you’re reading something that’s hard to put down, then process will make you end up losing even more sleep. Don’t read anything incredible unless you have the willpower to stop after a set amount of chapters or when you feel sleepy. Otherwise, you might be up all night trying to finish the book off. So be careful what and when you pick up a book.
Turning on the TV can help you drift off, especially if there’s an infomercial or a show you’ve seen a million times on. But if there’s a horror movie on, you should change the channel. Even something slightly scary can seem more terrifying in the dark of night. You don’t want to keep yourself awake by listening to every little noise and worrying about a burglar entering the house. So skip the scariness.
When you have to get up at a certain time, it’s hard to stop yourself from counting down the hours until you have to wake up. But when you keep track of the seconds, you make yourself worry more than you should. You need to be relaxed in order to fall asleep. There’s no need to worry more than you should. So avoid looking at the clock and keep those eyes closed!
A rumbling stomach isn’t fun. It can keep you awake and make you feel uncomfortable. You never want to go to bed on an empty stomach, but it’s not wise to eat when you’re trying to fall asleep. Eating junk food before bed can reduce the quality and length of your sleep. Try to eat a few hours before bed instead of snacking right before your head hits the pillow.
This isn’t an excuse to stop working out. Exercise is healthy, but you should try to avoid doing it right before bed. Instead of making you tired, it might just stimulate your mind and body. You don’t want to end up more alert than before your routine. Instead, work out a few hours earlier than your bedtime.
If you know you have a big day ahead of you, don’t waste sleep time listing all of the things you have to do. If your mind is racing, you won’t be able to fall asleep. It’s best to wait until morning to think of all the chores you need completed. You’ll be more awake and able to focus clearly. So why worry?
Try to avoid these activities when you’re trying to get some rest. What do you do when you’re trying to fall asleep? Do you have any tips?