Tired of feeling tired? Tempted to press that snooze button just one more time? Is your skin looking dull?
If you answered yes to one or all these question then you should keep reading…
Sleep is a necessity for the body but it is often overlooked by our busy lifestyle. Your body needs adequate rest in order to reset and rejuvenate. It’s not called beauty sleep for nothing. Sleep does more for your body that you realize and the moments before you jump into your bed can determine whether you will have the rest you need or not. Here are my 7 habits that I highly recommend to break.
1. Not Removing Makeup: This is the number one habit we all have been guilty of *raises hand* It is so important to remove your makeup and wash your face before bed. Throughout the day all kinds of dirt and grime builds up on your face making it the prime environment for bacteria to fester. When you sleep your pores relax and open up letting all that dirt into your skin. So just take a few minutes to cleanse and moisturize your face. You’ll see less breakouts and more evenly toned skin over time once you break this habit.
2. Staying Up Too Late: Studies show that the hours before midnight are far more valuable for rejuvenating the body than after midnight. Lack of sleep will result in red eyes in the morning, irritability, inflammation and increased stress. those 2-3 up later can lead to puffiness, uneven skin tone, bags under your eyes, increased appetite throughout the day and more problems that will lead you to look for solutions on how to get rid of them, when sleep can easily solve these issues. Try to get into bed around the same time preferably around 10pm to get your body into a routine, I’m sure we all know the recommended hours of sleep is about 8hrs.
3. Not Switching Your Pillowcase Often: Between your face and your hair, there are a lot of oils and bacteria that can gather up on your pillowcases. When we think aSwitch out your pillowcase for a clean one about once a week to minimize the bacteria that your face sleeps on each night.
4. Eating large amounts of food late at night: It takes several hours to digest food and even longer late at night when your body begins to slow down. Have you found that after eating late at night your body feels quite sluggish and tired? You may be sound asleep but your body is still working hard to continue digesting the food you enjoyed, resulting in that sluggish feeling. Try applying the famous saying, ‘Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper.” This principle will definitely allow your body to function properly and at its optimum.
5. Avoid stressing before bedtime: Your bedroom should be your escape from the rest of the world. Bringing your laptop and other work-related tasks will make it hard for you to sleep because you haven’t given your mind a chance to wind down and relax. Plus, glowing screen simulates your brain making it harder to fall asleep. Create a routine before bedtime and keep your room for sleep and relaxation. Change your bright light bulbs, you can even light a few candles (my personal favorite), keep your room cool and make sure your bed and pillows are comfortable and provide good support.
6. Skip the Nightcap: Having an alcoholic drink regardless of the amount may relax you for a short while but it deprives you of the needed REM sleep, keeping you in the lighter stages of sleep. Alcohol can also disrupt your sleep as the effects begin to wear off.
7. Working out late: Regular workouts can help you sleep better and reduce stress levels. I am all for working out, but I discovered that exercising within 3 to 4 hours before bedtime made me more awake than tired. This is because when you exercise your body releases chemicals called endorphins which stimulate you brain and muscles- which is the complete opposite of what you want before bedtime. Try to exercise early in the morning or late afternoon to stimulate your body so you have a good night’s rest, or if you want to workout in the evening go for a light exercise like yoga, stretching or go for a walk.
What’s your bedtime routine?
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