Avoid Bad Habits for Better Sleep: 10 Evening Routine Tips

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Struggling to sleep, a woman feels frustrated in bed. — iStock.com/KatarzynaBialasiewicz

Are you tired of waking up feeling unproductive and unmotivated? Do you wish you could start each day with energy and focus? You’re not alone. In this article, we’ll delve into 10 evening routine habits to avoid for better sleep.

Despite our efforts for quality sleep, certain habits can throw us off. Establishing a solid evening routine is key to a good night’s sleep that paves the way for a successful day ahead.

We’ll discuss the basics of sleep and its importance, along with 10 habits to steer clear of in your evening routine. Changing these habits has been shown to set the stage for a better day. By cultivating healthier bedtime routines, you can enhance sleep quality, reduce stress, and boost overall well-being.

Ready to begin?

Why Quality Sleep Matters
Final Thoughts

Why Quality Sleep Matters

Let’s be honest. Life today is filled with stress, and most of us juggle too much with too little time. Consequently, we often neglect sleep, either by staying up too late, getting insufficient rest, or not sleeping at all. This leads us to underestimate the crucial role of sleep in our lives.

Firstly, sleep is vital for building and maintaining brain pathways, and supporting learning, memory, focus, and quick thinking. Secondly, sleep keeps our brain active, aiding nerve cell communication and toxin removal accumulated during wakefulness.

Moreover, sleep influences various body functions, including the brain, heart, lungs, metabolism, immune system, mood, and disease resilience. Quality sleep is essential for overall well-being and optimal mind-body performance.

Did You Know?

Establishing better sleep habits by avoiding bad ones is linked to enhanced well-being and life satisfaction. Discover more benefits of daily routines in this article.
Individuals who engage in physical activity typically experience better sleep quality and require less sleep than those leading sedentary lifestyles.
While it’s common knowledge that mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, and stress can disrupt sleep, the reverse can also be true. Sleep disturbances may contribute to mental health issues.

Here are 10 evening routine habits to avoid for improved sleep:

1. Reserve Your Bed for Sleep Only

Many use their beds for activities other than sleep, like eating, watching TV, or scrolling through their phones. However, the primary purpose of our beds should be for sleep (and intimacy). We must avoid these bad habits to get better sleep.

Research shows that engaging in non-sleep activities in bed can harm sleep quality. It’s important to condition your mind to link your bedroom with sleep. Consistently using it for other tasks confuses your mind, affecting sleep quality and making it harder to fall asleep.

To avoid non-sleep activities in bed, try these tips:

Don’t use your bed in the evenings for activities like watching TV, eating, or using electronics.
Change into pajamas when you’re ready to sleep, not before.
Train your mind to associate your bed with sleep, and refrain from other activities in bed.

2. Avoid Going to Bed Thirsty

Did you know that when you feel thirsty, you’re already dehydrated? This is noticeable during the day but less so when asleep. So make sure to stay hydrated by drinking enough water daily.

A 2023 pilot study shows hydration affects sleep. Drinking ample water can enhance sleep quality, benefiting muscle and tissue recovery. Proper hydration supports recovery from physical stress.

Water is vital for our bodies, promoting cell health, aiding digestion, and regulating temperature. Dehydration symptoms include dry mouth, skin, fatigue, and dizziness. Severe dehydration can lead to faintness, rapid breathing, and shock.

It’s crucial to drink plenty of water daily. Women are advised to have around 8 cups, and men about 10 cups.

Tips for staying hydrated during sleep:

Drink water at least an hour before bed.
Time your evening water intake to avoid disrupting sleep with bathroom trips.
Stick to water; avoid sugary or caffeinated drinks that hinder falling asleep.

3. Don’t Go to Bed Angry, Stressed or Worried

Life can get messy, and tough news or an argument with your partner can wreck your sleep. Stress is a major culprit for sleep troubles. The more stressed you are, the worse you sleep.

A woman is struggling to fall asleep because she went to bed angry and upset with her partner, neglecting the importance of resolving conflicts for a better night's rest. — iStock.com/stockphotodirectors

Thinking about problems or feeling work or money stress before bed can amp up your alertness, making it hard to relax and get a night’s rest. Make sure you avoid these bad habits for better sleep. To reduce stress in your life, check out this article on incorporating daily routines for a calmer you.

To ease worries and stress at bedtime:

Try resolving issues before hitting the bed.
Write down your thoughts and feelings in a journal. It helps unload emotions, reducing stress.
Step back from your emotions and analyze the situation logically for clarity.

4. Maintain a Consistent Bedtime Schedule

It’s common to have irregular sleep patterns when we’re young, but as we age, a consistent sleep routine becomes crucial for managing daily stress. Research shows that maintaining regular bedtime and wake-up times is key to quality sleep.

As we get older it often means less sleep, a trend also observed in high-income countries due to factors like heavy workloads, long hours, poor diet, stress, and excessive screen time. We need to avoid these bad habits to attain better sleep. To combat this, it’s vital to establish strict bedtime habits, limit screen use, and achieve a healthy work-life balance.

Here are some tips to establish a healthy sleep routine:

Choose a bedtime that lets you get at least 7 hours of sleep, if possible.
Stick to this bedtime consistently, including on weekends.
Allocate a minimum of 2 hours before bed to relax and unwind in the evenings.

5. Avoid Alcohol and Caffeine Before Bed

General advice recommends avoiding alcohol and caffeine before sleep. Excessive alcohol intake before bedtime can disrupt sleep, yet a study reveals that drinking to aid sleep may lengthen sleep duration. Nonetheless, relying on alcohol to sleep is not a healthy practice and can contribute to skin aging.

Regarding caffeine, its consumption can impact sleep, with half of a 9 a.m. cup of coffee still affecting the system after 6 hours.

Here are some tips to avoid alcohol and caffeine before sleep:

Limit alcohol consumption to 1-2 glasses during social events.
Avoid mixing different types of alcohol.
Maintain hydration by drinking at least 1 glass of water per alcoholic drink.
Schedule caffeine intake strategically.
Refrain from consuming coffee at least 6 hours before bedtime.

6. Avoid Heavy Meals Before Bedtime

To improve your sleep quality, focus on your diet before bedtime. Heavy meals at night can lead to discomfort and disrupt your sleep. Instead of going to bed hungry, opt for a light, sugar-free snack to satisfy your hunger without causing digestive issues.

I maintain a regular eating schedule, fueling up with healthy foods every 3-4 hours to keep my energy levels stable. By avoiding extremes of hunger or fullness at bedtime, I ensure a better night’s sleep. This is an easy bad habit to break and ensures that I get better sleep. If you’re not already eating regularly, consider establishing a routine for consistent nourishment.

Here are some tips to avoid heavy meals before bed:

Stick to a regular eating schedule every 3-4 hours.
Have your last meal 2-3 hours before going to sleep.
Choose a light snack like almonds if you’re hungry.
Take a brief walk after your final meal to aid digestion and promote better sleep.

Learn more: 9 Sustainable Weight Loss Habits That Will Change Your Life»

7. Don’t Use Electronics Before Bedtime

In today’s fast-paced digital world, disconnecting from technology can be tough, especially before bedtime. Excessive screen time at night can harm your sleep quality and well-being.

A woman is reading on her screen in bed before going to sleep, a bad habit she finds difficult to avoid, which is likely to disrupt her sleep. — iStock.com/MergeIdea

To counter this, aim for more natural light during the day to reduce the negative impact of artificial light from devices at night. This can help maintain a regular sleep schedule by minimizing delays in falling asleep due to nighttime device use.

For better sleep and relaxation, try turning off screens an hour before bed. This break from technology lets your mind relax, promoting a more restful sleep experience.

Here are some tips to reduce electronic use:

Turn off your TV and all your electronic devices at least 1 hour before bedtime.
Consider reading a book instead of using electronics.
Journal your thoughts before bed for improved sleep quality.

8. Unwind Before Bed for Better Sleep

Modern life can be super stressful, always on the go without a break. This constant hustle leaves many folks exhausted, lacking the rest they truly need. We all need rest, right? So, after a hard day’s work, tackling chores like cooking, cleaning, and laundry before crashing can mess with your sleep.

When we’ve been on the move all day, it’s tough for our bodies to relax quickly. That’s why planning our evenings to unwind is key.

Tips to Unwind Before Bed:

Set a start time to unwind and stick to it.
Skip tough tasks before bed.
Sip calming green tea or soak in a hot bath to wind down.
Dim the lights to signal bedtime.
Try a relaxing facial massage in your skincare routine.

In the evening, a woman reads a book in bed to relax and improve her sleep.

9. Avoid Sleeping in a Bright Bedroom

When setting up your bedroom for sleep, remember to darken your room. Your bedroom should be completely dark for optimal rest, so ensure it’s pitch black.

Also, prioritize clean and cozy bed linens – switch them weekly for a comfortable night’s sleep. Dim the lights in your home to signal bedtime, as bright lights can hinder falling asleep.

Tips to maintain a dark bedroom:

Use blackout curtains or blinds.
Consider an eye mask for added darkness.

10. Don’t Sleep in a Stuffy Bedroom

Ensure your bedroom is well-ventilated by opening the window for 20 minutes to let in fresh air. This helps you sleep better.

Tips to maintain a ventilated bedroom:

Open your bedroom window at least 20 minutes before bedtime.
If your bedroom is naturally very stuffy, turn on the ceiling fan. (If you don’t have a ceiling fan, consider investing in one).

Final Thoughts

Getting a good night’s rest is crucial for overall health and well-being. So avoid certain bad habits before bedtime to create an environment that promotes relaxation and better quality sleep.

Remember to set aside time to unwind before bed, avoid stimulating tasks, and prioritize a dark and well-ventilated bedroom for optimal rest. Sweet dreams!

Common Questions About Sleep

What is REM and non-REM sleep?

Sleep consists of two main types:

Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep
Non-REM sleep

Throughout the night, you cycle through these stages multiple times, with longer REM periods occurring towards morning. The first 3 stages are non-REM sleep, where you first transition from being awake to asleep, then begin to sleep lightly before you eventually fall into important deep sleep. The third stage happens in longer periods in the first half of the night. About 90 minutes after falling asleep, you enter REM sleep. This is where most dreaming occurs.

What is the Circadian Rhythm and Homeostasis?

They are your internal biological mechanisms that work together to regulate when you're awake and asleep.

Your sleep is influenced by your body's internal clock, the circadian rhythm, set to roughly a 24-hour day. If your sleep doesn't match this clock, falling asleep becomes harder, and the quality of sleep decreases. Even a small difference in timing can disrupt your sleep, especially if it conflicts with your body's natural release of the sleep hormone melatonin. Light exposure also plays a role; it helps reset your internal clock. Irregular sleep schedules with significant changes in sleep times can make your internal clock less stable from day to day.
Homeostasis, on the other hand, keeps track of your need for sleep. As you stay awake, the sleep drive gets stronger, reminding your body to sleep. After sleep deprivation, it makes you sleep longer and more deeply.

How much sleep should you get?

Sleep needs are unique for each person and it tends to change with age. Adults generally require 7-9 hours. Many studies have confirmed that we tend to sleep less and wake up earlier as we get older. Furthermore, people who live in high-income countries also sleep fewer hours. This may be due to:

Overuse of electronic devices
Heavy workloads
Long work hours
Poor diets
Daily stress

Why do we dream?

Dreaming is a common experience.

Most people spend around 2 hours each night dreaming, even though we might not remember most of it.
While dreams can happen throughout the sleep stages, they're most vivid during REM sleep.
No one really knows why we dream, but it's believed to assist in processing emotions. This means that our feelings may be more important than the dreams themselves.

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Malin

Malin, co-founder of Courier Mind, is passionate about personal growth and mindset. With a focus on self-discovery and goal-setting, she creates content that inspires confidence, balance, and growth for the mind and spirit.

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