Failing to fall asleep at night? 5 habits that may be keeping you from enjoying quality shut-eye time

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

fall asleep? Trying to enjoy quality shut-eye time at the end of a long, hard day, but just can’t seem to? Blame your daily habits says Dr Karan Rajan. The doctor, who is associated with the British National Health Service, has underlined some bad daily habits which may be causing us to become insomniacs, in a recent video on TikTok. Here are the following habits that are making you feel more sleepless.

Although it can be tempting to grab a cup of chocolate, or some of your favourite munchies, just before hitting the sheets, Dr. Rajan says that eating before bedtime can lead to disrupted sleep as it causes indigestion. “It takes 90 minutes for 50% of your stomach to empty into the small intestines, so the more full your stomach is, the higher chance of acid reflux,” he told in the video. Go to sleep at least two hours after dinner.

Thinking of having a sip of water before bed? Think again. According to Dr. Rajan, the body increases the production of the hormone ADH during sleep, which “retains water and suppresses your need to pee. So the more water you drink before sleep, the more you feel like going to the bathroom. This can interfere with sleep.

The temperature of our rooms and beds can interfere with our sleeping experience. In the video, he showed that peak body temperature is manifested at 7:00 pm, after which it drops. However, if the bed or the room is too warm, this may hinder this process.

Alcohol can really do a number on the quality of your sleep warns Rajan. Alcohol interferes with our REM sleep — the stage where dreams occur. Alcohol can make us doze off fast, but also makes us