Drinking too much coffee can take a toll on the sleeping cycle
Most of us start our day with a cup of coffee to keep us going throughout the day, and we continue to fill ourselves with coffee just to make it through the day. Yet, we rarely stop to think the effect caffeine can have on our bodies. We forget that caffeine can also be found in other drinks we consume such as tea, soft drinks, and various sports drinks, thus we take more caffeine than necessary. The intake of too much caffeine can lead to sleepless nights, and furthermore, the more caffeine we consume, the more immune our bodies becomes to it.
Your lifestyle can influence your ability to sleep
You also need to be aware that certain habits can impair your ability to sleep well at night. If you stay up late staring at your smartphone or laptop, don’t be surprised if you find yourself rolling in your bed afterwards. Moreover, eating a large meal before you hit the sack can deprive you of sleep.
Say hello to sunlight and goodbye to insomnia
The negative effects of insomnia are numerous, from reducing performance at work or school, slower reaction times, which can be dangerous if you are driving, and in the longer run, it may lead to some serious health problems, such as high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity. Luckily for you, you don’t need to reach for the medications right away. There are many known benefits of the sunlight such as helping in building strong bones and healing skin conditions. It is also responsible for increasing the levels of serotonin, which is a hormone that can boost our mood. Also, the lack of sunlight may cause an imbalance in the hypothalamus, which is a gland responsible for regulating our sleep and energy levels. Our biological clocks are sensitive to changes in light, thus if you don’t have enough sunlight exposure during the day, you will feel tired. This is due to a hormone called melatonin, which is produced during the night when there is no light; it tells your body to calm down and go to sleep. Sunlight suppresses the production of this hormone during the day, and you feel energized as a result. However, if you miss out on sunlight because you wake up later in the day or work in a space with little natural light, you might feel depressed and constantly tired.
Embrace the sunlight
To make your biological clock function properly as to feel awake and ready to work during the day, and to sleep well during the night, try to soak up as much sunlight as possible. Get up 15 minutes earlier in the morning and do a few exercises in front of a window. Also, when working, if possible sit close to a source of natural sunlight. In case that’s not possible, use your lunch break to go and eat outside, instead of sitting at your desk. After work, walk a couple of blocks on your way home, while there is still sunlight. If you are meeting your friends, arrange it to be during the day and sit outside and enjoy the sunlight, rather than sitting in a stuffy bar in the evening. Featured photo credit: https://unsplash.com/ via unsplash.com
