Five Common Morning Habits that Spoil Your Sleep

There are several factors that contribute to a person’s ability to get enough rest, from work schedules and family to healthy sleep.

In this article, we will introduce the top five common mistakes most people make in the morning that affect their ability to sleep.

Top five common mistakes most people make in the morning

1. Consuming Too Much Caffeine

Consuming large amounts of caffeine in the morning can ruin your entire sleep program. Healthy adults in general can safely consume up to 400 milligrams of caffeine per day. That's roughly four cups of brewed coffee or two cans of energy drink, if that's your preference.

I know that the amount of caffeine in energy drinks varies from one drink to another and that there are serious concerns about its potential effect on the body. The effects generally begin within 15 minutes and reach their zenith almost an hour later, and according to the Cleveland Clinic, “After six hours of caffeine consumption, about half of the amount remains in your body, and it can take up to 10 hours for caffeine to clear up completely from your blood."

This means that you can have a few cups of coffee in the morning and it will last until dinner time. Some people are especially sensitive to caffeine. So try as much as possible to reduce your caffeine intake to see how it affects your ability to get enough sleep.

2. Waking up at completely different times every day

Getting up late is undoubtedly a wonderful thing, but it ruins your daily sleep program. Most sleep experts suggest setting a specific time to wake up and sticking to it, even on holidays.

For example, if you get extra sleep on the day off, you may not feel tired again until later than usual, which means you've messed up your sleep schedule, and you'll likely be very tired when you wake up early for work the next day.

In addition, an irregular sleep schedule can increase the risk of what experts call "jet lag," essentially a natural discrepancy between your body's natural sleep schedule (i.e., circadian rhythm) and your social schedule, which constantly interrupts your sleep and is associated with health problems such as increased inflammation and an increased risk of depression.

There is a benefit in investing weekends to make up for the sleep you missed on working days, especially if you have a significant lack of sleep hours, but try as much as possible not to get used to this matter.

3. Lack of exposure to natural light

Sleep is governed by circadian rhythms, which in turn influence everything from hormone regulation to body temperature and the sun's cycle. Your body clock, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is most sensitive to light, starting two hours before your usual bedtime and continuing throughout the night until about an hour before your usual waking time.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “exposure to light at these times will affect when your body naturally feels sleepy and is ready to sleep.” So, exposing yourself to lots of bright light in the morning can help make your bedtime earlier. You are likely to feel drowsy and get ready for bed in the evening.

4. Not preparing a to-do list

Creating a to-do list is one of the most powerful things you can do to stay on track throughout the day and can be an effective way to combat the anxiety that often comes at bedtime and makes falling asleep difficult.

To-do lists are not all the same, but writing one is a good idea in and of itself. When you are trying to manage and mentally shape your to-do list, you are likely to forget some items. So write it down on paper, in your notes, or on your phone; it gives you something tangible to come back to when you feel like your mind is tired.

Also, make sure you make your to-do list realistic, and try to focus on three to five things you can actually accomplish; as experts say, it's a plan, not a wish list.

5. Excessive mobile phone use

Holding your phone and checking it as soon as you wake up means that you allow someone else to dictate to you what's on your mind.

This can set the course for the rest of your day until bedtime. If we wake up and check our phone and find an email from our boss saying, “We should talk,” or a client saying, “Hey, can I call you later?” then we move straight from a state of calm to a state of panic and tension. As the heart beats faster, it may be very difficult to return to a state of calm.

So do yourself a favor and set the course for your day with an alarm clock instead of relying on your phone to wake you up, and do your best to stay away from the phone by the time you wake up and before you go to bed.