By Shawn Binder, Distractify , Thanks to Body Mind Soul Spirit

You would be shocked how many little things you do during the day that start to mess with your sleep. They may seem small and innocuous, but there could be a reason why no matter how hard you try you can’t seem to catch enough rest.

Sleep is the time of night where you subconsciously process whether or not to take down your rude coworker, and it is the time of night where we process the question: is he just not that into me? We dream multiple times a night, whether or not we remember them, because rest is when our brains and bodies repair the damage we’ve done to them throughout the day.

As a big proponent of sleep, I began investigating the small things I would do before bed that were potentially keeping me groggy throughout the day. Many seem obvious, while others not so much. Below are a few of the small things you don’t realize are messing with your sleep, because I want you to get the quality beauty sleep you deserve. You’re welcome.

Looking at Your Phone

According to Business Insider (and basically every health professional ever) looking at your phone before falling asleep is a big no. The science behind this is that the blue and white lights behind your screen keep your brain from releasing melatonin, which is a natural hormone meant to induce sleep. Although I thought I was unwinding by checking my Instagram feed before hitting the reset button on my day, little did I know I was robbing myself of valuable sleep.

Going to Sleep Too Early

It may seem ridiculous that going to bed too early could be a thing, but i’m here to tell you it is. Not every body needs the reported eight hours of sleep a night. For example, I feel most alert after 6 hours of sleep. But, the myth prevails and we all try to catch up on sleep and get in our full eight hours, completely unaware that we can be messing with our quality sleep. Yes, if you go to bed too early enjoy waking up every 3 hours and wondering why you’re still tired the next morning.

Drinking Anything but Water Past 7pm

This is a tricky one, but anything but water at night is screwing with your sleep. Most drinks have sugars and other chemicals in them meant to stimulate your body. If you’re ingesting these before bedtime, your body is trying to release melatonin and keep itself awake at the same time. If it sounds harsh it is because it is, and you’re keeping your body awake longer than it needs to be.

White Noise

Like I mentioned earlier, everyone is on a different sleep journey. While sleeping in total darkness may work for some, it actually can have the opposite effect for others. White noise allows some minds to wander and fall asleep.

If you’re the type of person who likes to have a fan on when you fall asleep, notice this about yourself. Determining which type of sleeper you are will have a huge impact on the quality of sleep you’re getting.

Falling Asleep With Your TV On

Much like your phone screen, your television releases those annoying blue and white lights that make it difficult for your brain to fall asleep. Furthermore, the flashing lights provide a distraction for your eyes, whether or not they’re closed.

If you’re leaving the sound on as well, keep in mind that your brain retains almost everything it hears, so you could be falling asleep with infomercials being branded into your brain.

Stress

The worst offender on this list may not be considered “small,” but you may not even know it is occurring. According to polls, money stress is the top thing people worry about before falling to sleep. Seeing as this is one of the most realistic and widely spread worry, many people report “thinking themselves awake,” by thinking about their bills/ student loans.

Before hitting the pillow, try meditating with a nice candle for five minutes. A recent study in the journal Sleep also found that the way people deal with their stress indicates how well they sleep, reporting that people who fixate on their problems had higher instances of insomnia than those who reframe their stress with humor or religion.