Bad Sleep Habits That Could be Affecting Your Sleep

There’s nothing more frustrating than tossing and turning, and unfortunately, your bad sleep habits could be responsible.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), around a third of all adults in the United States don’t get enough sleep on a regular basis, and there are approximately 40 million Americans living with a sleep disorder. If you are having trouble sleeping, the first place you should go is to your doctor to rule out sleep apnea or another sleep disorder. The answer may lie in something as simple as a used BIPAP or CPAP machine from CPAP Liquidators. Regardless of whether you have a sleep disorder or not, your sleep hygiene matters, and bad sleep habits could rob you of your sleep. Here are a few bad sleep habits that could be keeping you up at night:

#1. Your sleep schedule is not consistent.

Many people go to bed at around the same time through the week, but when Friday hits, they end up staying out all night and sleeping the day away Saturday morning. While weekends are a great time to go out with friends and catch up on rest, you should do your best to keep your sleep schedule consistent. Drastic shifts in your sleep schedule can actually disrupt your circadian rhythm.

#2. You go to bed too early.

Many people with sleep trouble end up making this mistake. Going to bed early may give you more time to sleep, but if you go to bed before your body is really ready, you won’t sleep well, and you may wake up in the middle of the night.

#3. You enjoy a nightcap.

Don’t get us wrong, nightcaps are great for actually dozing off, but the benefits stop there. Alcohol disrupts sleep, and if you drink it before bed, you are likely to wake up feeling restless long before morning. If you want to drink alcohol, try to do so at least two hours before you plan to go to bed.

#4. You work out at night.

If you want to sleep better at night, regular workouts are a must, but if you work out too close to bedtime, it can have the opposite effect. Exercising can give you adrenaline and energy; two things that aren’t very helpful when you’re trying to sleep. Try not to work out within three to four hours of going to bed.

#5. You keep an eye on the time.

Watching the clock is one of the worst things you can do when you’re having trouble sleeping. When your time to sleep gets smaller and smaller, it can make you feel anxious, releasing hormones that make you feel more alert.

Stay tuned for our next blog to learn about more bad sleep habits that could be disrupting your sleep.