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9 Things You Should Not Do Before Going to Bed

Puja More
The famous English dramatist Thomas Dekker has rightly said that, "Sleep is that golden chain that ties health and our bodies together." But that chain is breached by some unhealthy activities done by us before bedtime.
Me: I'll sleep by 10 today
Me at 3AM: Taking quiz 'What % potato are you?'

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Avoid workouts
Moderation in exercise is key for optimal health.
While going to sleep, our body temperature drops, which helps us in getting good sleep. But if we go through a vigorous workout within 3 hours of bedtime, the body temperature rises hindering our sleep.
Also, exercise releases certain chemicals in our body and brain (which includes adrenaline too), stopping us from falling asleep.

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Book lovers say 'just one more page,' then realize it's late and they need sleep.
Don't sit up reading too late
In this situation too, but they take time to fall asleep as the novel is still running in their head. Also, reading gross stories may cause nightmares, instead of sweet dreams, leading to bad sleep. It is advised to read a boring novel or a topic of less interest at night.

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Drinking fluids before bed disrupts sleep with bathroom trips.
Avoid fluids just before going to bed
Secondly, the Intake of fluids just before hitting the sack can affect your kidneys, bladder, and disturb the salt balance in our body. This is because our body is inactive when we sleep, thus no calories are burnt and no sweat is shed.

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Avoid laptops or phones in bed
Late-night screen time harms sleep and health.
Mobiles, laptops and TVs emit blue and white light. These lights prevents the release of a hormone called melatonin, which is released in the dark and signals to our body that it's the time to sleep .

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Avoid a hot/cold water shower
Showering before bed is a good idea, not bad!
But we should check on the water temperature. An excessively hot shower will make you sweaty, concussing your night. Too cold water is also not recommended as it will increase your body temperature. See to it that the water temperature is not too extreme.
Give the pets a different place to sleep
haring your bed with pets disrupts sleep and may lead to health issues.
Avoid going to bed angry after arguments.
Don't go to bed angry
One should be calm before going to bed to get a good sleep. Arguments disturb you mentally, and keeps you awake for long. The human body has a default mechanism of not sleeping in adverse situations, and an argument or fight can create such a situation.

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Have a light meal
Avoid heavy bedtime meals for better digestion.
Eating high-calorie foods before bed can also lead to weight gain. Eating processed or excessively salty foods can make you thirsty leading to excessive consumption of water, which has an ill effect too.
No Smoking
It's true that alcohol makes you sleepy, but that is only for the first half. It actually disturbs the sleep later.
You may experience frequent awakenings, nightmares, headache, sweats, restlessness, and many more aftereffects. Cigarettes contain nicotine which resists sleep. You may feel that a smoke relaxes you or calms you down, but it only makes it difficult for you to sleep peacefully.

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A famous Irish proverb aptly sums up the importance of good sleep, "A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor's book.' Ample sleep plays a crucial role in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
When you wake up after a good night's sleep, not only do you feel fresh, but enthusiastic, happy, and energetic. So, avoid sleep-hampering activities at night and get the best sleep to begin the next morning cheerfully.