# Improving Sleep: 6 Nighttime Habits to Eliminate for Better Rest
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Chapter 1: The Importance of Evening Routines
In today's fast-paced world, it seems that everyone is fixated on optimizing their mornings. Countless articles and books extol the virtues of rising early and establishing productive morning habits, like meditation. However, we often overlook the significance of our evening routines. A productive morning is often a reflection of the previous night’s choices. Neglecting proper evening practices can lead to subpar mornings.
To enhance your sleep and, in turn, your mornings, here are six habits to abandon at night.
Section 1.1: Inconsistent Bedtimes
It's not necessary to eliminate late nights altogether; some individuals thrive on them. Everyone has different rhythms—some prefer to rise at dawn, while others are night owls, working late into the night. However, if you generally aim to wake up at the same time daily, inconsistent bedtimes can lead to irregular sleep patterns, which are less than ideal.
To improve this, determine your sleep needs. You can use various apps to track your sleeping habits accurately. Once you know how much sleep you require, establish a consistent bedtime that suits you, and adhere to it.
So how do you ensure you hit the sack on time?
Avoid engaging in stimulating activities like working, socializing, or gaming right before bed. I often find myself delaying my bedtime while engrossed in a TV show or a video game, convincing myself I can sleep right after. However, I always have other tasks to complete, such as brushing my teeth and prepping for the next day, which inevitably pushes my bedtime later.
My solution is to allocate a dedicated half-hour for these evening routines. This is the time I stop whatever I'm doing and begin my wind-down process. Once I'm ready for bed, it's fine to engage in relaxing activities like reading or watching TV until it's time to sleep.
Section 1.2: Cutting Out Caffeine
It’s common knowledge that caffeine should be avoided close to bedtime, but you might also need to eliminate it in the late afternoon to improve your night’s rest. Drinking coffee or energy drinks right before sleep is obviously detrimental to sleep quality.
However, you may not realize that consuming caffeine as much as six hours prior to bedtime could affect your sleep. Individual tolerance varies; I can typically enjoy coffee or tea at 8 p.m. and still fall asleep by midnight without issues.
If you struggle with sleep quality or find yourself waking at night, consider reducing caffeine intake earlier in the day. If you miss your coffee, try switching to herbal tea in the evening, which is caffeine-free.
Chapter 2: Emotional Well-Being at Night
12 Things That STOP a Good Night's Sleep - YouTube
One rule I established for myself years ago has proven invaluable: never go to bed upset. As someone prone to getting emotionally stirred up, I make it a point to resolve conflicts before sleep. If I’m angry with someone, I prefer to address it, apologize if necessary, and cool down rather than harboring negative feelings.
Section 2.1: Avoiding Late-Night Workouts
In college, I enjoyed late-night workouts, often heading to the gym around 10 p.m. or later. This habit worked for me for a time, but for most, it can be counterproductive. Strenuous exercise raises your core body temperature, which can hinder your ability to fall asleep comfortably.
If you find that late workouts disrupt your sleep, consider shifting your exercise routine to earlier in the day. Gentle activities like yoga or stretching can be suitable even close to bedtime, as they don't significantly elevate body temperature.
Section 2.2: Tidying Up Before Bed
It's tempting to leave cleaning tasks for the morning, believing you’ll have more energy then. However, waking up to a mess can disrupt your morning flow and hamper productivity.
I’ve learned that this disarray can throw off my entire day. To combat this, I take time each night to tidy my space, ensuring everything is organized for the next day. This way, I can wake up and dive straight into my morning routine without any distractions.
How to Stop Waking Up in the Middle of the Night- 6 Ways to Beat Insomnia Without Medication - YouTube