Expert reveals benefits of simple pre-sleep routines

Certain behaviours leading up to bedtime significantly impact how well individuals sleep. While seemingly obvious, many continue to indulge in habits that actively work against restful periods.

Unless these patterns are rectified, people may find themselves repeatedly checking the clock in frustration. It is a common misconception that sleep drifts in the moment eyes close; in reality, it is a complex biological process influenced by every action taken in the preceding hours.

To understand which bedtime mistakes to avoid, Dr Chirag Tandon, director of internal medicine, ShardaCare-Healthcity, explained that the sixty minutes before heading to bed are extremely valuable.

“What you do sixty minutes before bed matters. It will make your night either really restorative or merely a period of hours lying down.”

1. Using phone as a ‘sleep aid’

The most common issue involves using digital devices to relax. “The most common thing I hear from patients is: ‘I just scroll for a bit to relax before sleeping.’"

However, the doctor notes, "It is a perfectly natural habit - and one of the most unproductive things you can do to your sleep.”

• Blue light disturbs melatonin, the hormone telling the brain to sleep.
• Digital content keeps the mind in an alert, stimulated state.
• Screen use is “like pressing the accelerator just before you have to step on the brakes.”
• "Establish a screen time before bed at least forty-five minutes. Substitute that time with something that is truly low-stimulation, a physical book, light stretching, or just sitting quietly "

2. Eating too late or eating the wrong things

Late-night dining is a critical concern in sleep medicine. “In most families, the evening meal is at nine or ten in the evening - and that is without considering a dessert, a cup of chai, or a late-night snack. This timing is critical in terms of sleep medicine.”

• Heavy meals cause acid reflux and bloating.
• Alcohol decreases deep REM sleep. “A lot of individuals think that a nightcap will make them sleep. It does make them fall asleep more quickly, but it also has a huge impact on sleep architecture in the second half of the night, decreasing the deep, restorative REM sleep that the body most requires. You can even sleep at night and still wake up hollow.”
• "Strive to complete your final substantial meal at least two to three hours before sleep. When you are really hungry near bedtime, a little, light meal, a banana, a handful of nuts, warm milk, is much better than going to bed with a full stomach.”

3. Taking stress to bed with you

Unresolved thoughts can cause cortisol levels and heart rates to rise. “When the mind is stressed or anxious, the body reacts to it, cortisol levels go up, the heart rate goes up, the muscles are slightly tense.

All this does not go with a good sleep. You will fall asleep at length, perhaps, through sheer fatigue, but the sleep you will have will be light, broken, and unrestful.”

• Practice ten minutes of deliberate breathing.
• “Write about what is in your mind or make a list of three things that went well.”
• Take a warm shower to cool the body down.
• “When you are lying awake longer than twenty minutes, get up, do something quiet in low light, and come back when you are really sleepy.”

Please Note: This information is for educational purposes only and does not count as professional advice. Readers should always consult a qualified doctor regarding any questions about their health or a medical condition.