Life Shortening: 7 Sleep Habits That Threaten Longevity

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Generally, healthy aging and longevity cannot be achieved if you do not sleep well. And even such seemingly innocent habits as running before bedtime or falling asleep with the TV on can seriously endanger your health and shorten your life.

According to a scientific paper published in the journal Annals of Behavioral Medicine, even one bad night's sleep during the eight-day period of the experiment increased irritability, aggressiveness, feelings of loneliness in the participants of the study. In addition, they experienced problems with the gastrointestinal tract, upper respiratory tract, and also reported body aches.

What will happen to your body after years of poor sleep? The risk of dangerous chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease and depression increases. Experts identify seven bad habits that prevent you from getting enough sleep.

Alcohol before bed

A study published in JMIR Mental Health looked at how different levels of alcohol consumption can affect sleep quality. It turned out that more than two servings of alcohol for men and more than one serving for women, drunk at night, reduced the quality of sleep by 39%. At the same time, even a small amount of alcoholic beverages had a bad effect on sleep.

Sports at night

Getting a good workout is important, but it's best to avoid any strenuous workouts before bed. Vigorous activities, such as running, high-intensity interval training, or jumping rope, raise body temperature and stimulate the nervous system, which interferes with falling asleep.

Late falling asleep

If you often neglect the routine and fall asleep a few hours later than the time when you should already sleep, you are depriving yourself of quality sleep, especially if you have to wake up early. Lack of quality sleep leads to multiple health problems that threaten longevity, writes the Longevity portal.

Watching TV or using the phone before bed

Many people cannot fall asleep without watching TV or scrolling through the news feed on their favorite social networks. But you can't do that. Melatonin is a sleep hormone, and its production is influenced by light. Electronic devices mimic the light emitted by the sun, which affects the production of melatonin. As a result, the brain receives a signal that it is still possible to sleep. Scientists recommend going to sleep in the dark to reduce the risk of developing life-shortening chronic diseases.

Eating late

The body needs time to digest food. It's one thing to enjoy a hearty dinner, and another to eat a few minutes before bedtime. As a result, you may find that your body reacts to such a bad habit with heartburn.

Lack of or disturbed sleep schedule

If you stick to a consistent sleep schedule, you will it's easier to wake up and fall asleep. At the same time, you cannot violate it on weekends and holidays, no matter how much you want. Any disruption of the biological clock can cause problems.

Drinking coffee later

Coffee in moderation promotes longevity. But if you drink it in the evening or even at night, you can harm your sleep. Caffeine can stay in the body for six to eight hours. If you prepare an afternoon coffee, you run the risk that the caffeine will continue to stimulate the nervous system when it is not needed.