Sleep Sabotage

Don’t sabotage your sleep

It’s after midnight. The house is dark and quiet but you are wide awake, playing one more video game, watching one more episode, or reading one more chapter — with no thoughts for that 6:30 a.m. alarm that’s going to go off all too soon.

Extending playtime into the wee hours is a form of sleep sabotage — also called revenge bedtime procrastination. It feels like fun now, but you might regret it tomorrow when you feel groggy and grumpy from a lack of sleep.

Too much to do, no time for fun

According to The Sleep Foundation, people with high stress jobs and long work days often miss out on entertainment. Determined to catch up with videos or social feeds, they stay up late and sacrifice sleep time.

Revenge bedtime procrastination stories started appearing in online publications in 2020. They reported on people in China who worked from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week. They were sacrificing sleep to try and find some personal time, and also gain a sense of control over their daytime life. Of course, they ended up not getting enough sleep and suffering because of it.

If you are a “night owl” you may have an evening chronotype, a body clock that makes you more productive at night, and have to deal with a job schedule designed for early birds. Or, your self-control may be lower at the end of the day, so you ignore that inner voice saying, “go to bed already.”

The right amount of shut eye

Sleep procrastination doesn’t change the fact that most adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night. Staying up late occasionally isn’t dangerous, but too much can lead to sleep deprivation and affect your mental and physical health. 

TruLabs SLEEP is formulated to help you sleep through the night and wake up refreshed. Getting enough sleep is critical for optimal functioning, keeping you alert, productive, and motivated during the day. Quality sleep supports clear thinking, a healthy heart, and can even lower your risk of depression and diabetes. 

Turn out the lights

Crawling into bed on time doesn’t count if you bring along a book or tablet. It’s not the scary video or the self-righteous social posts that will keep you up, but the exposure to light. 

According to Harvard Health Publishing, any light exposure late at night will interfere with your production of melatonin, the hormone that ramps up at night to make you feel sleepy. Blue wave lengths — the kind emitted by all our screens — are the worst.

Being outdoors in bright sunlight during the day, on the other hand, will boost your melatonin levels. 

This is why TruLabs SLEEP has melatonin to supplement your own levels. It also contains magnesium, since low levels are associated with poor sleep. We include valerian and passionflower, two natural, plant-based sleep aids, to promote relaxation and sleep. 

If you have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep, drink SLEEP 15 minutes before going to bed and make it part of your sleep hygiene routine.

Create healthy sleep habits

To avoid sabotaging your sleep:

• Go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends.
• Avoid electronic devices, TV, and bright lights for at least 30 minutes before bedtime.
• Don’t have caffeine in the evening or consume alcohol or a large meal late at night.
• Make your bedroom dark and quiet and at a comfortable, cool temperature.

Source

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-hygiene/revenge-bedtime-procrastination

Disclaimer: The information provided in these blog posts is not intended as medical advice. While this post may include links to TruLabs products, it may also contain external links to websites or articles. Please note that the inclusion of these links does not necessarily signify endorsement of any specific product or website by TruLabs.