Late evening is meant to be a time of relaxation, when the effort should be to invite a good night‘s rest. But some things we do can interfere with that simple goal, making us sleep uneasy and wake up tired.
Try to stay away from these five hurdles to good sleep, and you will wake up refreshed!
Big meals: This is an obvious one, but really hard to avoid, especially if you have had a long working day. Late evening is the time when you want to kick off your shoes, bond with family and settle down for a leisurely, hearty meal. But remember, this is also the time when your digestive system wants to wind down and take some rest. Loading it with too much food is like asking a candle to burn a casserole. Defeat this enemy by enjoying meals that are both tasty and light. Here is a good bank of ideas.
Scary books and violent movies: Those warnings on book blurbs about how they could make you stay up all night…take them seriously if you want to sleep well. Other than compelling you to keep turning the pages, a crime thriller or scary book/movie can give you nightmares and stimulate the frontal cortex of the brain, thus interfering with sleep. Beat back this enemy by curling up a with a book of positive thoughts, a story with a happy ending, or better still, no reading–just cuddling up!
Sugary foods: A pre-bedtime Date Milk Shake or a few raisins or cherries are excellent for your health. But if you eat a huge chunk of chocolate cake, your blood sugar levels could go rocketing, thus disturbing your sleep and making you feel uncomfortable, say experts. Conquer this craving by enjoying fresh fruit, a light clafoutis or compote after dinner.
Hot baths: If you take a hot water bath and then climb straight into bed, you are likely to stare at the ceiling rather than drift off to sleep. That’s because hot water raises body temperature, while at night your body actually starts cooling down in preparation for rest. Solution: If you must have a hot bath, make sure you take it at least a couple of hours before sleeping.