Our sleep cycles are more delicate than you think. Just one little change in our plans and routines and our sleep can be greatly affected. While that may not seem too important to some, others know that a good night’s sleep can be the determining factor in a promotion, making smart decisions, and even losing weight. If you’re not sure what you could be doing that may be affecting your sleep cycle, check these out:
- Minty Fresh Breath: If you’re brushing with minty toothpaste, why not try to swap to a different flavor (like orange or strawberry). Studies have shown that peppermint helps to stimulate your brain. So that lingering peppermint taste and scent may actually be keeping you up at night. Swap to a different flavor (I suggest picking up a trail size first) to see if that may be making a difference in how well you sleep at night.
- Caffeine Rush! If you’re drinking something with caffeine after 5PM, you may be inadvertently keeping yourself up later than you need to. I know that during the day, it feels like you just can’t stay awake and as a result, you keep pumping your veins with more caffeine. However, that doesn’t mean that you should continue that habit into the afternoon and evening. Cut back on your caffeine intake if you know that you’re having issues sleeping.
- Are you reading the wrong things? When it comes to watching TV before bed, you’ve probably been told that, that’s a no-no. Well, it is. Your brain is being stimulated when it needs to wind down. However, the same thing happens if you read a good book right before bed. So instead of picking up that thriller or that tear-jerker (really anything that stirs your emotions in any way), grab some light reading instead.
- You think you’re superhuman. No matter what you think, you can’t actually function on only four hours of sleep every night. It’s not healthy. In fact, it’s quite harmful. If you’re running on just a few hours of sleep every night, it starts to alter your circadian rhythms (your sleep-wake routine).
- “Clean up your room!” I’m sure that nearly every child has heard this from a parent at least once in her life. While it was typically for aesthetic purposes (and possible safety or hazmat concerns), your parents were also inadvertently trying to get you to sleep on a regular cycle. Of course, they probably didn’t know that. Studies have shown that your mind picks up on the last images that it sees before it drifts off. So if your room is chaotic and cluttered, your dreams will follow suit.
- Don’t Sleep Around. You’re probably going to hate me for this but I’m telling you for your own good. Stop taking naps. They are bad for your health and your sleep cycle. If you need to hit the restart button, don’t nap for more than 15 minutes and don’t do it later than 5PM.
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