Are you doing what's necessary to get a good night's sleep every night? Getting a good night's sleep can usually be determined the following morning depending on how positive you are and how refreshed you feel, though many Americans today consider anywhere between 7-9 hours of sleep optimal for their performance the following day. But whether you're a night owl or an early bird, there 
are certain habits you might be doing that can hinder your sleep patterns and keep you from achieving that coveted snooze.
At Neurology & Sleep Clinics of Chicago, S.C., you'll find all the answers you need for achieving the best sleep every night, as the trusted sleep experts on site make it their goal to put you to bed! They'll also provide you with preventive knowledge that takes into account some of our worst bedtime habits, including watching TV, doing cardio workouts, and checking your phone right before you're about to hit the hay.
One of the temptations many Americans face today involves their smartphones or other communication devices - but did you know that using many of your favorite electronic toys could be wrecking your sleep? Check out three reasons why using your iPad, high-tech phone, or any other electronic device before bed can set you up for a poor night's sleep below:
- They emit blue light - All electronics give off blue light, which is imperceptible to the naked eye but comes at a frequency that disrupts our body's ability to produce its natural sleep hormone, melatonin. That makes it more difficult for you to fall - and stay! - asleep.
- They disrupt your circadian rhythm - Your circadian rhythm is your body's natural cycle that keeps your conscious hours and your unconscious ones in rhythm, so you don't have to worry about being awake during sleeping hours or asleep during waking hours! But using an iPad or other electronic device at bedtime gets your circadian rhythm all out-of-whack, confusing your body about when it's time to sleep and when it's time to be awake.
- They make it difficult to relax - Your emails, missed texts, and Instagram notifications can wait until tomorrow - checking them just before you fall asleep only fills your head with unnecessary stimuli that distract you from achieving a full night's rest!
For more information on why avoiding electronics at bedtime can help you achieve a better sleep, give one of the trusted sleep experts at Neurology & Sleep Clinics of Chicago, S.C., a call today at (847) 929-4420 for full nighttime relief right here in Schaumburg, IL!
