Bad Bedroom Habits That Can Disrupt Your Sleep and Health

It's hard to imagine that we spend one-third of our lives asleep and cut off from the rest of the world. The human body requires consistent rest in order to function properly, with the bedroom being the only guaranteed place where that can happen. It stands to reason that any disruptions in the bedroom can drastically impact your overall sleep quality and physical/mental health.

We all have habits and tendencies that are carried over to the bedroom, but many are not ideal. Some bedroom habits are disruptive to the sleep process and can even cause illness in select circumstances. Let's talk about which habits you should avoid carrying into the bedroom each night.

Watching TV                    

One of the favorite past-times of many, watching a bit of television right before bed seems harmless enough. What many do not know is how much that extra bit of television or computer browsing can impact our sleep cycles.

Best Mattress Brand reports that people who do not watch television get about 15 minutes more sleep each night than those who do. In addition to that, the bright lights and imagery produced by digital screens stimulates our senses and counteracts the body's natural belief that it is time to fall asleep. This can keep you awake for far longer than you might realize.

Eating in Bed

The bedroom is arguably the most comfortable room in the house: a no-judgment zone for us to escape the daily criticisms of life. All too often, we like to eat while laying down – perhaps while watching television or browsing the web. Unfortunately, this is a bad habit that needs to stop.

For starters, eating in bed is unsanitary. All of those crumbs and pieces of food you think you're not dropping in the bed can work their way in between the sheets and into the mattress. This creates the condition for bed bugs (which carry diseases), odors and more. It's also important to note that even the smallest disruptions, such as crumbs, can keep your body subconsciously alert while you're trying to sleep. Although, you can always contact a home cleaning service. 

Going to Bed and Waking Up Irregularly

Every person has their own circadian rhythms. We're not all the same, but our bodies do prefer a regular sleep cycle when possible. All too often, many people are loose with the times when they go to bed and wake up.

This can wreak havoc on our bodies and our ability to obtain a good night's sleep. Because of this, you should always strive to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day – even on weekends. Even a small amount of deviation from this trend can lead to less optimal sleep outcomes. Even if you do not feel tired some nights, laying down at the same time will help minimise any disruptions.

Even if you think you're sleeping well, there's a good chance that you're disrupting your sleep cycle with one or more of these bad habits. Whether you're watching TV or browsing content, going to bed at different hours or eating after laying down, these are terrible habits that you should abandon as soon as possible.