Throughout our lives, we’re told just how important getting a good night’s sleep is, yet sometimes we don’t realize it until we face the consequences of not getting enough of it due to our nighttime habits.
Health experts have been stressing for years that a lack of good, quality sleep can easily age you ‘faster,’ as sleep affects all of our primary bodily functions, from our memory to how clear our skin is. If you’re worried about anti-aging, then aside from a healthy diet and good skincare routine, you should also be considering your nighttime routine, which can affect your sleep. Using information from health experts, we’re listing four nighttime habits that might secretly be aging you faster than you think. Read more about them below.
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1. Having Inconsistent Wake-Up And Sleep Times
Some adults don't have as consistent a wake-up time or bedtime, and might not have had a set one since they've been in school. They might be a stay-at-home parent, retired, or have flexible work hours. However, no matter what the situation is, health experts stress that having more consistent, set times for getting up and going to bed every day can help improve sleep quality and, furthermore, prevent rapid aging.
"The body works really well when your circadian rhythm is stable throughout the week," explains Physiotherapist and content creator Will Harlow in his video, 'Poor Sleep Ages You Faster.' "So, here's my advice - set a consistent sleep time and set a consistent wake-up time, and even stick to it on weekends. It could make a massive difference to your health."
2. Consuming Caffeine Too Close To Bedtime
Sometimes, when we're out at a dinner or enjoying time at a friend's house, we might get offered a cup of coffee or a cappuccino to top off a big meal. While it might give you a boost for the ride home, health experts would advise against it, as drinking coffee too close to bedtime is an easy way to lose sleep.
"Caffeine consumption can make you fall asleep later, sleep less hours overall, and make your sleep feel less restful," wrote experts at the Sleep Foundation. "It can also reduce the amount of deep, slow-wave sleep you get, which is a critical stage of sleep for feeling refreshed the next day."
3. Eating Too Close To Bedtime
While some people can't seem to get through their routines without a nighttime snack, more health experts are beginning to speak out on avoiding eating too close to bedtime, as not only can it affect your digestive system, but it can also lead you to a disruptive evening instead of sound sleep.
"When we eat food, especially late at night, that food can almost sit on your stomach," explains Harlow in his video. "Digestion is a process that requires the heart rate to increase. It basically ramps up the body's systems, exactly the opposite of what we want when we're trying to settle everything down to go to sleep. So, if you eat too close to the time when you fall asleep, your sleep will almost certainly be disturbed and you'll get less deep sleep as a result."
4. 'Doomscrolling' In Bed
One of today's most popular yet also most harmful bedtime rituals is scrolling on your phone before bed. Although it can be entertaining and tempting, being on your screens before trying to fall asleep, and looking at content that might stress you out or further spike your cortisol, is an easy way to not only age yourself faster, but wreck your sleep habits.
"Many people look at their phone just before bedtime," wrote experts for University Hospitals. "Any type of late-night media scrolling or video streaming – not just doomscrolling – can overstimulate the brain to prevent quality sleep. Too much time spent doomscrolling can increase levels of the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline, which leads to increased stress and mental and physical fatigue."
