1. Check your work email
We know how hard it is to resist the temptation to open our inbox when we see a new email notification. Part of us doesn’t want to think about work problems outside the office, but another part of us cannot help yet be curious or feel guilty to let our colleagues down.
We suggest that no matter how curious or anxious you might feel about the subject of the email, resist the temptation to open it. If it is not something that can or should be solved at that moment, then it’s not worth your peace of mind. Remember, if you disconnect in your free time, then you’ll be a reenergized and thus better professional during your work hours.
2. Drink lots of water
Drinking the right amount of water during the day is essential, but there are optimum and ill-advised hours to do so. One of the latter is before we go to bed as we may feel bloated or will need to get up often at night to relieve ourselves. To ensure a good night’s sleep without interruptions, avoid drinking water right before bedtime.
3. Exercise
Like drinking water, exercise is also essential for our health and well-being. But exercising before falling asleep is a bad idea. You may think that your exercising will exhaust you, enabling you to sleep, but in fact, you will be more awake as the movement stimulates your mind and body with chemicals.
4. Use technology
Smartphones seem like a necessary evil, but remember, these devices are a source of artificial light that greatly affect the body’s melatonin production schedule and natural circadian rhythms.
It’s also necessary to admit our addictions to these items. Technology at just an arm’s length away has become our main source of entertainment but also a distraction. When we hear a notification, it’s nearly impossible for us not to check and satisfy our impulse.
Ideally, you should stop using electronic devices at least two hours before bed. Also, don’t forget to silence notifications. This way your phone won’t light up and wake you before your alarm.
5. Drink alcohol
If you are someone who likes to have a glass of wine for dinner, then what time you have dinner matters more than for others. If you are going to drink wine during your meal, try to plan accordingly in order to avoid drinking alcohol at least three hours before bedtime.
Even if you think it helps you relax or makes you tired, it’s a false expectation. The sugars in wine will reanimate your mind during the night and make it impossible to get truly restful sleep.
6. Argue
If you live with your family or a partner, you know that sometimes fights start when we least expect it and at the worst timing. When we’re tired after a long day, we forget that we are more sensitive and the same happens to our partner. This fatigue might lead to a fight before going to bed over something you ordinarily would be calm or rational.
If you can sense an impending argument, try to avoid it by asking to put off that conversation until morning. An argument before bedtime will guarantee of an awful night of sleep.
7. Work
Establishing boundaries between our office and our home is needed for maintaining healthy relationships amongst our long-term commitments. Sometimes, taking work home with you is unavoidable – maybe a big presentation is due the next day or you’re catching up after a few days of being sick. You could even be trying to learn a new skill for your career or be a remote worker entirely.
Even in these cases, create a workspace away from your bed and don’t work too close to bedtime. If you want to be better at any of these tasks and goals, then you need to turn off and recharge.
8. Have caffeine
We all know the effect of caffeine on our bodies and minds. If in the morning this effect is in our favor, then before bed is extremely harmful. If you like to have coffee after dinner, be sure to check the time first. If you habitually eat late then try to give it up in this case for a good night’s sleep.
And don’t forget what other items have caffeine, like chocolate and certain teas. Test out which items have the most effect on you and act accordingly.
9. Eat
Good eating habits aren’t just for your health or losing weight – they play a role in how well you sleep at night. For that reason, be smart about what you eat and drink and when you do it. For example, eat dinner as early in the evening as possible and avoid heavy, rich or sugary foods and refined carbs such as white bread, white rice, and pasta.
Even something light will still trigger your metabolism, take you out of ketosis, and induce digestion. All of these systems will impact the quality of your sleep.
10. Watch a scary movie
Watching movies at home can be a great way to relax. But if you’re going to watch a movie during the workweek when good rest is needed to wake up early, then you’ll have to be selective about your choice of films.
Very heavy dramas, movies that you can relate to which lead to complicated thoughts, and above all, horror movies, are the kind of movies you should avoid watching before bed. Horror movies will provoke nervous stimulation and may linger in your mind after you turn off the movie, leading to insomnia or nightmares. If you’re going to see a movie after dinner, choose a light-hearted and enjoyable one.
SEE ALSO: 20 Ways To Relax In Less Than 5 Minutes

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