Are You Making These 4 Common Sleep Mistakes?

Getting good sleep can be tricky. There are a lot of factors that can affect how well and how long you sleep each night—and whether you wake up feeling refreshed or groggy.

You’re probably already aware of some of the basics of promoting healthy sleep, such as not playing on your phone before bed and finding the right mattress. But many of the biggest sleeping mistakes people make are ones they don’t even realize are a problem! Let’s take a look at some of those slumber blunders, so you can be sure to avoid them.

1) Hanging out in bed.

The only thing you should be doing in bed (besides sex) is sleeping. Your mind and body need to see this space as one to wind down in for the night. If you get in the habit of doing other activities in your sleep space, such as working or eating meals, your body will start getting used to being awake there and it will be more difficult to fall asleep at night.

2) Choosing the wrong bedtime snack.

Eating or drinking the wrong thing too close to when you go to sleep can impair your nightly cycle. Foods that contain ingredients that stimulate your body, such as caffeine or sugar, can block your body’s sleep-inducing chemicals and have you up for hours. Alcohol is also something to avoid too close to bedtime, as it puts your brain right into a deep sleep and throws off your other sleep stages.

3) Not sticking to a regular sleep schedule.

An inconsistent sleep schedule puts your internal clock all out of whack. Going to bed at 10pm four nights a week and 1am the other three, for example, messes with your circadian rhythms and makes it difficult for you to get solid sleep any night. Try to go to bed and wake up around the same time every night/day and get the same amount of sleep each night (aim for 7-9 hours).

4) Staying active right up until you go to sleep.

You need to unwind physically and mentally to prepare yourself for a good night’s sleep. Your brain activity, heartrate, body temperature, and cortisol (stress hormone) production all have to decrease before you can fall asleep. To help do this faster and more effectively, you should avoid bringing electronics, work, and other stimulating activities to bed. Instead, try to stick to a routine that relaxes you, such as taking a warm bath, reading a book, or spending a few minutes stretching.

At Replacement Mattress, we’re dedicated to ensuring you can get good sleep no matter where you are. That’s why we manufacture comfortable, durable, and affordable mattresses for your RV, boat, truck, and sofa bed, so you can wake up feeling refreshed even when you’re away from home.

For more information about our customizable mattress options, give us a call at 888-889-2812 today!