Getting to bed but still not sleeping well? If you think you’ve done X, Y, and Z and everything in between to get your sleep in order, now is the time to search for what might be getting in your way. Start paying close attention to what goes on around bedtime and notice how it affects the quality of your sleep. Still lost? Then check out this list of possible things that might be sabotaging you! 

Social Media and Technology 

Busted! Don’t think I’m not aware of those late-night social media binges. Catching up on Instagram? Scrolling through Facebook? Or checking out YouTube? I hate to break it to you, but the one thing between you and a good night’s rest is the tiny screen on your phone. Not only are you losing precious time for bed, but you’re also exposing yourself to artificial blue light. Blue light is notorious for disturbing sleep. Not just how long you sleep, but how well you do so. Believe it or not, it does so by interfering with your circadian rhythms (aka, internal alarm clock). When that happens, your body doesn’t know it’s time for bed. In natural sunlight and darkness, it knows when to either trigger or hold back on melatonin, the sleep hormone. During the day, melatonin stays low; at night, it starts to rise, helping you to literally prepare for sleep. But what happens if it’s exposed to so much light, real or fake? You guessed it- low melatonin. 

 Solution? Two things.

First, considering investing in blue light blocking glasses. I know you might have seen those biohackers on social media walking around with those orange goggles, but thankfully companies have gone a long way when it comes to design. Now, you can buy what at first glance seems like ordinary glasses but in reality, are powerful blue light blocking eyewear. (For more on blue light and the glasses I recommend, read this post.)

Second, at least an hour before bed, log out of social media and shut off all electronic devices (TV included). Yes, you can keep the lights on the house, but refrain from watching your favorite shows or getting lost on social media. Give your eyes a chance to rest and your body the signal that it needs to start winding down for the evening. 

Hidden Caffeine

Caffeine is an energizer, perfect for daytime, horrible for nighttime. Why? Starting in the mid to late afternoon, your body is preparing for the evening and, later on, sleep. However, in some cases, the sleep-disrupting effects of caffeine can linger as early as the morning. According to the National Sleep Foundation, caffeine can interfere with sleep up to 10-12 hours after it’s consumed. [1] While it all depends on the person and their body’s ability to process caffeine, there’s no denying its ability to keep you from catching those z’s. 

But let’s not throw the usual go-to when it comes to caffeine, coffee, under the bus. Other foods contain it-soda, tea (black, white, green or matcha, yerba mate), pre-workout supplements, “energy” supplements, and, yes, raw, dark chocolate. Pay attention and see if skipping that chocolate dessert or matcha latte makes a difference in your sleep.   

Eating Heavy, Late Dinners

Having a meal close to bedtime also keeps you from having a good, restful sleep. Why? Depending on the size and type of meal, your body will be focusing on digesting and not counting sheep. If it’s a very large or rich, hearty meal, then this will definitely be a problem. There are a few ways around this, though.

If you work a late-night job, went to a social outing, or had a long and busy day, try to keep the meal light and simple. Go for easy-to-digest foods like salads, soups, or smoothies. Or, stick to smaller portions. Remember, your body is ready to enter repair mode, not digest mode. You can certainly eat a heavy meal and hit the sack, but your body isn’t going to be as restful as it should be.   

Too Much Alcohol

You’d think that a glass of wine or a light beer would help you to relax and enter sleep easier, but it actually keeps you from having a true, deep sleep. Now, there’s a difference between having one drink and several drinks. Having more than one is already going to cause several problems (exercise recovery, metabolism, brain health, hormones), but the quality of your sleep is the main concern for today’s post. To truly enter those deep, restful stages of sleep, you have to ditch the alcohol. Otherwise, you’ll be robbing yourself of this opportunity and most likely running to the bathroom in the middle of the night (since you’ll be drinking plenty of water to prevent dehydration).

Mental Distractions

Whatever is going on inside your head could also be the culprit behind poor sleep. Whether that’s stress, anticipation, or overthinking, your mindset can make or break how quickly, as well as deeply, you rest. Ever get so excited about something that you almost couldn’t fall asleep? Or how about a tragedy that forced you to cry yourself to sleep? Even obsessing over today, tomorrow, or the past can distract you from the final task of the day: rest. If these thoughts are rooted in anxiety or stress, you’re releasing hormones that keep your body alert and awake such as cortisol and adrenaline. Both of which make it difficult for your body to stay relaxed and fall asleep. You’re also carrying around a lot of tension, creating a sort of mental “resistance” against sleep itself. So, even when you do manage to get some shut-eye, the rest of your body isn’t fully prepared to let go and start relaxing.

Here are some things that you can do. You can first try journaling around bedtime. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy. It could be your way of processing what went on during the day or just dumping everything that’s on your mind onto paper. There’s also guided meditation, which can help you to identify and let go of any stress or tension you may be holding onto. If you have a partner, ask for a late-night massage or cuddle session. Both of these trigger feel-good hormones like dopamine and serotonin, which not only combat stress but also get you ready for bed! 

 These are just some of the things that can be done in the evening to help you unwind. But if you’d like more tips on, check out this post here.

Over to You

And there you have it! A shortlist of possible culprits that might be sabotaging your sleep. Do any of these things affect you? How have you managed to deal with them, or how do you plan on fixing them? Share your top sleep tips down in the comments!

Sources:

[1] https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/features/food-sabotage-sleep#1