5 Things You Should Not Do To Achieve Better Sleep

Sleep is essential. With inadequate sleep, our mood, our weight, and our immune system get affected. However, for many people, getting adequate rest and completing eight hours of sleep, according to a survey from Better Sleep Council, is such a struggle.

The same survey also indicates that just a little over 50 percent of the respondents described their sleep as "poor" or "fair."

Doing something or not before bedtime surely matters. Our evening routine can affect our sleep, be it for better or worse.

Here, sleep experts share with Huffpost share what they do and don't do before going to bed. Even if these people seem to know almost everything about sleep, their sleep habits cannot still be considered "perfect."

But these are 5 of the effective "must-do" and "must-not-do" that can also help us achieve better sleep and improved health.

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According to experts, many people would give allow themselves 10 hours of sleep window although realistically, they are only asleep for six to eight hours.

1. Stop Working in Bed

Patel shared that many of their patients would allow themselves for 10 hours of sleep window although realistically, "We are only asleep for six to eight hours."

As we do more and more mentally-motivating activities in bed, Patel also said our brain is slowly developing a "psychological association of the bed, being a place to stay awake than sleep."

As a result, this can lead individuals to develop "sleep-onset insomnia." Since the house becomes our office, therefore, during these tough times, the expert recommends that we use our bed as a sanctuary-a place for relaxation.

2. Don't Exercise Late in the Day

Sleep medicine physician at Insomnia and Sleep Institute of Arizona, Stacy Gunn said, workout in the morning or during the daytime can contribute to improving symptoms of insomnia at night. However, exercising late in the day "can be counterproductive," she added.

A lot of people try to work out in the evening with an objective of "wearing themselves out," although, are inadvertently making it much more difficult for themselves to sleep soundly.

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3. No Caffeine Beyond 2 pm

Avoid consuming any caffeinated beverage beyond 2 p.m., said sleep medicine physician, Anupama Ramalingam, also from Insomnia Sleep Institute of Arizona.

Ramalingam added caffeinated drinks including coffee, iced tea, soda, energy drinks, and pre-workout beverages all function as a stimulant.

More so, caffeine is blocking adenosine receptors, and adenosine is playing a vital role in one's sleep homeostasis.

4. Avoid Using Electronic Gadgets

According to Anita Shelgikar, a neurology clinical associate professor and sleep medicine fellowship director at the University of Michigan, "In sleep and circadian science," they use the term 'zeitgeber,' or "time giver" when describing environmental hints that help entertain "to a 24-hour cycle."

5. Avoid Spending Long Hours Awake in Bed

Patel shared, a lot of their patients would give allow themselves for 10 hours of sleep window although realistically, "We are only asleep for six to eight hours."

Thus, the expert recommends that we don't spend long hours in bed than we really need. The medical director added that all the spare time spent awake in bed leads the brain to start developing a link that the bed is a place to be in, to stay awake and sleep.

However, this, in turn, can lead to interruption of sleep drive and therefore, lead to low sleep efficiency, not to mention, sleep quality.

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