Happy & Healthy
What you better not do before diving into the bedroom
Sleep. We all need it, but we often get just a little too little. I mention Stranger Things (which the whole editorial team talks about, except for me, who is devoid of TV and Netflix. I read. Yes really, I read). But what is more important? That you can at least check off eight hours or that you get the quality your body deserves?
I would say: both. I myself am used to crawling under the covers at ten o'clock. No one touches my sacred eight (and preferably nine) hours of rest.
But to get the best hours of rest, there are a number of things you better avoid before seeking your warm nest. And that one of them is caffeine, I don't need to tell you. But what else do you need to know? For an optimal night of rest, you will avoid the following, and uhhh, as my BFF said: that phone can stay in the living room.
1. Avoid bright light, at least half an hour before going to bed. And by that, I also mean your iPad, laptop, and phone. They also need to be put aside. Light a candle and play some music. Much cozier and also super romantic: killing two birds with one stone. Your lover will be grateful. But why? Every five minutes in bright light suppresses your melatonin level. And let's just say we need that melatonin to sleep well.
2. Get rid of those bloody series and violent movies. Watching this kind of nonsense makes it harder for you to fall asleep and stay asleep.
3. Exercising. Oops. Unless you are doing yoga or meditation, you should finish your workout at least two hours before going to bed. The adrenaline in your body causes ceiling-staring. We. Don't. Want.
4. Forcing yourself to stay awake. It has been proven that you naturally get tired between 10:45 PM and 11:00 PM. If you don't give in to your fatigue, cortisol kicks in. This makes it easy for you to stick to Instagram until 1:00 AM.
5. Stress. Recognizable for many. Stress keeps you awake, wakes you up, and makes you lie awake. Not nice. I can attest to this like no other. Especially in stressful periods, I know I need to schedule an extra yoga class to clear my head. If I don't do this, all the consequences follow for me.
And if it still doesn't work?
97, 98, 99, 100…
