Sleep: The holiday practices that are ‘major sleep disruptors’ – expert on what to do
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“While holidays are great for changing your perspective in your waking life, it’s not great for your sleep life,” said Hope Bastine, expert for sleep technology firm Simba. “Good quality sleep favours the familiar and routine. Going to bed and waking up at the same time and place makes us feel safe and calm, which is just the tonic for a restorative slumber.”
However, swapping your home bedroom for an exotic hotel isn’t the only sleep disruptor as the change in your diet could also be taxing.
When you have paid for an all-inclusive package, it makes complete sense that you want to go all out.
Between tropical drinks and never-ending buffet, the temptations are too good to be true.
But the expert warned that having one too many drinks, eating too close to your bedtime and indulging in bigger portions might rob you of a good night’s sleep.
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Bastine said: “If you’re anything like me, part of the joy of holidays is trying out new dishes and cultural delicacies.
“But changing when we eat, what we eat and how much we consume has a knock-on effect on our inner balance.
“We tend to drink more alcohol, eat saltier and stimulant sugary foods while away.
“While salty foods hold water, alcohol and caffeine are diuretics, and sugary foods spike and crash our sugar levels.
“This sets us up on a cycle of bloating, moodiness, thirstiness, and needing to go to the bathroom too often at night – disrupting our sleep ability and quality.
It’s no secret that alcohol might make you sleepy but it also disturbs your sleep quality.
“It blocks our ability to get into that deep restorative sleep, making us feel unrested,” the expert said.
If you want to tap into that all-inclusive package and enjoy the drinks you paid for, the expert recommended opting for “heavier and boozier” lunches in the afternoon instead of late-night drinking sessions.
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Bastine added: “Try to stop drinking two to three hours before bedtime and ensure you refuel your electrolytes.
“Alcohol strips the body of essential nutrients like magnesium, potassium, and vitamin B.”
Another “sleep disruptor” is eating heavy and rich meals too close to bedtime.
The expert advises having that big meal two to three hours before you call it a day.
She said: “Overeating can give us acid reflux, indigestion and pain – which is not enjoyable.
“Plus, if we lie down after a really heavy and rich meal the hydrochloric acid that breaks down the food pushes up to the oesophagus causing us to feel heartburn.
“This pain is a major sleep disruptor and we’ll end up tossing and turning all night.”
However, if you can’t resist the never-ending choice of different snacks and foods, she recommended opting for “lighter, smaller and less rich” meals before bed.
While there might be some things out of your control during your break, following these rules could help your sleep.
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