Daytime activities impact on sleep
29/09/2011
Being able to doze off in bed at night is as much about a person's daytime activities as their evening pursuits.
For example, failing to get enough exercise will make it difficult for the body to wind down, as will exercising too close to bedtime.
Watching TV or playing computer games in bed is often advised against, not least because the light produced by the screen inhibits the release of melatonin in the brain.
This is the hormone that regulates sleep and needs to be well balanced in order for the mind to switch off at the end of the day.
When it comes to getting into bed, the surroundings need to be just right, which involves regulating the temperature of the room and eliminating noise.
Mack Lipe, department director and instructor at Allegiance Health Sleep Health Centre, recently told mlive.com that good sleep hygiene is essential to a restful night.
Posted by Elizabeth Mewes
