You are wrong and you don’t even know it. A new Consumer Reports survey of more than 26,000 found that 60 percent of people have trouble either falling or staying asleep, or they wake up exhausted. Nearly half cited work-related stress as the main reason for staring at the ceiling. Sound familiar?
Here are four unsuspecting culprits disrupting your sound sleep—and how to fight back. (Did you know that every night, you could be inhaling harmful chemicals while you sleep)
1. Heat Wave:
If it takes you hours to doze off and you wake up in a pool of sweat, you are too hot to reach deep sleep. “We have our most intensive dream sleep in the very early hours of the morning when our core body temperature is at its lowest,” says Michael Decker, Ph.D., spokesman for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
Do not have an AC? Jump in a hot shower for 15 to 20 minutes. Get this: Even if it is hot out, stepping out of a warm shower will cause your body temp to drop almost immediately.
2. Not Enough Light:
Seeing bright light throughout the day stimulates the suprachiasmatic nucleus in your brain, which wakes you up. But if you don’t get enough daylight, it never becomes fully aroused. The result? You spend the day in a state of sleepiness, making it more difficult to fall asleep.
3. Late-Night Cravings:
If you are craving for a late night meal, opt for a few light carbs, like a slice of bread or crackers, rather than high-protein meals. Protein-packed foods require a lot of breakdown, which creates body heat. The heat keeps your core body temperature heightened and tells your brain you’re not ready to hit the sack yet, Decker adds.
4. Evening Exercise:
If you are a nighttime gym-goer, we have good news: A post-dinner workout could lead to the restorative slumber you need to stay healthy—as long as you don’t overdo it, says Decker. Studies have shown an increase in slow-wave sleep following exercise.
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