What Netflix Won’t Tell You: How Sleep Hygiene Can Change Your Life

“A good laugh and a long sleep are the two best cures for anything.” But sleep isn’t just about hours; it’s about quality. Sleeping because you need to and to restore yourself are two different things. To close your eyes to reset your mind and to re-energize your body is a task. That’s why sleep hygiene matters. As simple as it sounds, good sleep practices can change how we feel, think, and live. Wondering how? Let’s figure it out.

Why a Healthy Sleep Routine Matters?

Netflix CEO Reed Hastings said during a 2017 interview that Netflix’s biggest competitor is sleep. He explained that the company’s model is designed to win against sleep and other leisure activities.

And it is true! Every midnight episode costs you mood, memory, metabolism, and overall health. Thankfully, you can take control. But why? Do you wonder too why it matters anyway? You can always sleep during the day. What’s so special about night sleep? And why do sleep hygiene habits matter? Let’s decode this.

• To regulate hormones, digestion, temperature, and energy cycles.
• To boost immunity against infections.
• To prevent overeating and keep metabolism steady.
• To promote glowing skin and the healing process.
• To reduce irritability, anxiety, and stress.
• For better concentration, faster problem-solving, and improved decision-making.

What is Sleep Hygiene?

The collection of good sleep practices is called sleep hygiene. They help when you feel sleeping is a task. Besides, these habits make it easier to fall asleep, stay asleep, and wake up refreshed, just like a baby’s lullaby. The plus side? It recovers fatigue, refreshes the mind, and promotes long-term healthy habits. 

Sleep hygiene is not a one-night job; it is an art of creating a routine where your brain gets the signal to wind down and repair.  

Benefits of Sleep Hygiene

The benefits of sleep hygiene are enormous. A healthy sleep routine boosts recovery, focus, creativity, and mood. Here’s a deeper look. 

1. Sharper Mental Focus 

Quality sleep strengthens connections and organizes the information in the brain. This results in cognitive enhancement and improves efficiency. Otherwise, you tend to forget things, lose track of details, and make careless mistakes.

2. Mood Balance 

Have you ever noticed how little things irritate you after having a short night? That’s because sleep regulates mood. Poor sleep messes with happy hormones like serotonin and dopamine. While a good sleep keeps them in balance, lowering irritability and making you emotionally stable.

3. Physical Health 

Deep sleep supports muscle repair, regulates appetite, and strengthens the immune system. On the other hand, long-term poor sleep is linked to obesity, diabetes, heart issues, and mental health issues as well.

4. Radiant Skin

While sleeping, the blood flow to the skin increases. That’s where the repair starts. Eventually, consistent and quality rest helps you achieve your skin goals: acne-free, radiant, and bouncy. 

5. More Energy During the Day

Some facts need no science. For instance, life feels easier when you’re well-rested. A deep sleep will boost your energy, keep your relationships happy, give more time to your hobbies, and to yourself.

Sleep Hygiene Tips and Habits

If you want the benefits of good sleep, you would need to set a few rules to make bedtime seamless. Here are some sleep hygiene habits that are favorable for the human body. 

1. Consistency

Train your body’s internal clock to shut down and restart daily. To do so, go to bed daily and wake up at the same time, even on weekends.

2. Fixed Routine

Try to stick to your routine. Before bed, read a book, listen to calming music, stretch, or simply do deep breathing exercises. This will eventually give signals to your brain to wind down.

3. Right Environment

Did you notice how it’s hard to fall asleep in a room full of lights or noise? This is because cool, dark, and quiet rooms promote deeper sleep. So, remember to blackout curtains, shut down all sounds, and keep the air circulating. 

4. Limit Screen Time

Shut off your mobile phone or any screen at least 30-60 minutes before bed. This allows your brain and eyes to relax. If you must use them, ensure to enable the blue light filter or wear blue-light blocking glasses. 

5. No Caffeine

Make sure to take no caffeine after 6 PM or after sunset. The reason is that it increases alertness, making it hard to fall asleep and stay asleep.

6. Food Preferences

Avoid heavy meals, alcohol, and smoking before sleeping. However, don’t go to bed on an empty stomach either. Choose a light dinner or snack if you’re hungry at night.

7. Physical Activity

A good workout pushes your body towards the resting phase. Although an intense workout close to bedtime can be overstimulating sometimes. 

As simple as the good sleep practices sound, they might be hard to follow for some individuals. But with consistency, they can keep you young, active, and mindful.

Sleeping Mistakes You’re Making

Studies suggest that 1 in 3 adults globally experience insomnia or difficulty falling asleep. However, not everyone has a medical condition. Some are just under the influence of their regular habits that disrupt the body’s natural rhythms. For instance:

• Overthinking: We all know how the mind races as soon as we lie down. Once you have a routine, the brain will get trained to shut down at the right time.
• Scrolling: Do not use your bed to work or scroll. This way, the cognitive functions associate bed with rest, making it harder to fall asleep.
• Evening Drinks: Caffeine, alcohol, or sodas taken in the evening might still be in your system at midnight, hampering your sleep schedule.
• Overdoing Naps: Take only a 20-30 minute nap during the day. Longer than that, you start to slip into deep sleep, which makes nighttime sleep hard.
• Light Exposure: Exposing yourself to too much artificial light at night or not getting enough natural light in the morning both mess with your circadian rhythm.

But there’s good news! You can correct all these with the right sleep hygiene habits.

Takeaway

So next time you’re tempted to hit “Next Episode,” remember this: no show is as rewarding as waking up genuinely refreshed. 

A good sleep is not just an 8-hour nap. It’s about building a healthy sleep routine to let your mind and body relax. The result may not be immediate, but eventually it will result in mood stability, a sharper mind, strong immunity, and more energy. So, next time you hit ‘next episode’ on Netflix, remember it costs you your overall health.