It’s Time For A Sleep Audit

Hey Y’all!

I was reading an article recently about sleep habits, and performing a sleep audit and while reading I noticed that I have SO many issues when it comes to sleep.

Here I was under the impression that I was getting a good sleep because I wasn’t waking up constantly throughout the night anymore.

Literally everything that helps encourage poor sleeping, I do.

Caffeine close to bed time, check! Endless scrolling while laying in bed, check! Eating right before bed, check! Netflix all night, check! Lights on while going to bed, check!

First things first, I need to knock it off with the screen time. I’m going to make one exception, my iPad for reading. Unpopular opinion but I don’t buy physical books I am very much an electronic reader. I am going to make sure that I wear my blue light glasses (they work do not at me) and on top of that I’m going to make sure that when I’m reading I read on nightmode!

Unfortunately I have now associated scrolling Instagram with falling asleep. Literally the worst habit I think I have picked up. Like yes it puts me to sleep but how beneficial is that for me. Quick answer, it isn’t. It’s time to start leaving my phone on my desk and far away from my bed.

Bad habit number two, when i fall asleep I sleep with a light on. This is a habit I have since I can remember. When I moved in with my partner about two years ago he was not into this so he shut it down lol

Since he’s been off work his bedtime is a few hours after mine meaning I get comfy and cozy in bed well before him. So here I am back at it again with the lights on while I fall asleep. I know this will get shutdown as soon as my partner goes back to work but why wait another two weeks, I might as well commit to myself to turn it off!

My afternoon pick-me up usually consists of caffeine. I have cut the coffee which I thought was a plus but then I replaced it with earl grey tea or chai tea which both have large amounts of caffeine in them. So obviously that’s not a better option. I plan to make a conscious effort to only have herbal teas after 2pm.

Some other things to look out for if you’re planning on doing a sleep audit is if you’re drinking alcohol close to bedtime. Are you working before you go to bed? What about other stressors, even something as small as checking the news, really anything getting you revved up (and yes that also means the true crime podcast you’re listening to as you fall asleep). Are you working out perhaps? Not a little stretching or passive workout I’m talking something that’s spiking your hart-rate.

Pay attention if you are doing these things within a few hours of you going to sleep.

Sleep is super important, this isn’t news. We all know how important not only the hours of sleep we get but the quality of sleep we get in those hours. If you wake up each morning and constantly want to hit the snooze button because you aren’t feeling rested I encourage you to look at your sleeping patterns and look into performing a sleep audit!

Let me know in the comments below if you are planning on adjusting your sleeping habits!