Myths That Affect Your Sleep

Getting a good, undisturbed sleep every night is crucial in terms of general health and wellbeing. Whilst there are a number of reasons as to why you are struggling to get to sleep or stay asleep, there are also a few myths out there which aren’t as detrimental as we all think.

sleeping girl

Myths vs the truth 

Exercising at night will keep you awake 

Many people believe that exercising just before you go to bed will keep you up and active, however, hitting the gym or going for a jog a few hours before you sleep won’t prevent you from getting to sleep. 

Alcohol puts you to sleep quicker

As alcohol is a sedative, this can initially help to put you to sleep, however it also comes with negative sleep effects. Drinking alcohol close to your bedtime can result in restlessness and disturbed hours. 

Adults need 5 hours of sleep

It’s recommended that adults should get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep a night. This time scale ensures their mind and body has had a re set, and ready for the upcoming day.

Catching up on loss of sleep

Thinking you can catch up on your sleep on the weekends and have a well deserved lie in from the working week is a common thought. The truth is, if you have a poor sleeping schedule or experience disturbed sleep, it will become harder to recover the longer it goes on. 

Background noise 

Many people believe having background noise or a TV on in the distance helps them to sleep, but this is a huge myth when it comes to night time truths. Artificial light from tv, computer or phone screens has the potential to suppress melatonin and results in a disturbed sleep. 

Sleeping anywhere is not a good thing 

Being able to drift off no matter where you are or what time it is isn’t a sign of a good sleeper, in fact it could be a sign of a sleeping problem if you’re feeling tired all the time. This outlook on sleeping can easily lead to excessive daytime resting and could even be a sign of insomnia or sleep apnea. 

night time exercise

Food myths and sleep

You gain more weight by eating late : For many years, there have been comments on how eating late at night can affect weight gain. The truth is that no matter what time of day it is, meals and snacks will affect your weight the same way. Although it’s not recommended to eat a large meal late at night, having snacks is not much harm.

Cheese : Cheese actually has no impact on your sleeping abilities. There are, however, some links between cheese and dreams in which your dream can become more vivid and active.

Slower metabolism : There’s been many comments to suggest that our digestion systems slow down before we sleep, but studies show that our metabolism actually works just as fast whether you are awake or asleep. This means your late night snack will still get to where it needs to be.

night time snack

Improving sleep with Optml

Investing in a beneficial supplement formula can help improve wellness from the inside out, working to promote a better night’s sleep and give you plenty of energy during the day time.

Optml welcomes a two-step formula consisting of Rise, to assist you during your daily life, along with Rest, which introduces a positive night’s sleep. Packed with natural, botanical ingredients such as Vitamin C, chamomile flower, lavender flower and ashwagandha root extract, your body gets the support it needs in a simple form. Optml’s rise and rest formula is ideal for those looking to get a balanced lifestyle and improve their genereal health.

Try Optml today and discover the benefits of increased energy, a better mood and a peaceful night’s sleep!