Is your sleep routine the reason you can’t sleep?
Nothing can be more frustrating than trying to go to bed early like a good boy or girl, only to toss and turn for hours before finally nodding off. Or, going to bed at a decent hour and still waking up feeling exhausted.
Why do these things happen? Is it your diet? Your workout routine? The truth of the matter is that we’re all still following a lot of misinformation about sleep and it could be damaging your health.
Here are 4 myths that are keeping us all up at night.
1. You Can Make Up the Sleep on the Weekend
If only the human body worked like your cell phone’s battery. But sadly, you cannot get 5 hours of sleep 5 nights a week, and then “make up for it” by getting 10 hours twice on the weekend.
You may feel a whole lot better after finally treating yourself, but the damage of running a sleep deficit during the week has been done. Your body needs a certain amount of sleep every night to restore and repair. The feeling you get from sleeping in on the weekend is pretty superficial—super-awesome, but still superficial.
2. You Need to Save Up For an Expensive Mattress in Order to Improve Your Sleep
You may be holding off on replacing your out-of-date mattress because you think you can’t afford one that is better than the slightly lumpy one you have now.
To be perfectly clear, you never want to go with a “cheap” mattress. But, you don’t have to break the bank to get a great mattress. In fact, you can save money and sleep better by buying a mattress online directly from the manufacturer.
There is no need to wait and sock away thousands of dollars before you can improve your sleeping foundation. You can skip the high prices at big box stores and major chains. Try having your next mattress delivered directly to your home, at a far better price than you will get anywhere else.
3. A Bit of Alcohol or Cannabis Can Help You Sleep
This one is very popular and can be a tough one to break.
The perception out there is that using alcohol or marijuana at the end of the day can help you unwind or calm your mind. And there are a few million people out there who are willing to testify that it works for them.
However, using either of these too much or too close to bedtime can actually hinder your body’s ability to enter the deep restorative REM sleep that you need every night.
Simply put, you may find it easier to sleep, but you won’t be sleeping as well.
4. Jetlag is the (Only) Reason You’re Tired
Anyone who travels a lot will tell you that getting quality sleep is a struggle.
Jet lag is often blamed for feelings of exhaustion while you’re away, but it’s not the only reason you’re so run down. Science proves that our brains are actually only half asleep when we’re in a place we don’t recognize as home.
The truth of the matter is that there are thousands of other reasons you’re having trouble sleeping. They can range from too much light in the room to napping for too long that afternoon. However, the 4 we’ve listed above are the most common and the most misunderstood.
Recognizing any of them now could help you rest easy knowing you now have a better bedtime routine.
