If you calculate 8 hours of sleep per day, you will spend one-third of your life in bed, so getting good sleep is very important! When asked about the secret to his longevity, Mr. Zhang Xueliang, who lived to be over 100 years old, replied: "I don't have any special secrets to longevity, I just know how to sleep and can sleep well." In one sentence, he revealed the true essence of health: sufficient, high-quality sleep is better than taking supplements!
Doing these 10 things while sleeping is particularly harmful
① Sleeping with the TV on—Affects fertility
According to a study published in the US magazine "Shape," it was found that when mice are exposed to artificial light at night, their chances of pregnancy decrease by 10%. This is because melatonin, which aids sleep, also affects fertility. Sleeping with the TV on, the screen's brightness can disrupt melatonin secretion. It is recommended to turn off all electronic devices an hour before bedtime.
② Sleeping in thick pajamas—Affects metabolism
Compared to thin pajamas, thick pajamas are relatively less soft, increasing pressure and friction on the skin. During sleep, thick pajamas wrapped around the body can more hinder blood circulation and skin metabolism on the body's surface, reducing the heat obtained, and you may not feel warmer. On the contrary, thinner, softer pajamas allow your body's surface to better generate and release heat, improving sleep quality.
③ Sleeping with wet hair—Triggers headaches
If you don't dry your hair thoroughly, leaving a lot of moisture on the scalp, especially in winter when the temperature at night is low, going straight to bed is the easiest way to get sick. You may feel numbness in a local area of the scalp during the night, accompanied by a dull, persistent pain. By the next morning, you may experience unexplained headaches or dizziness.
④ Children sleeping with the light on—Precocious puberty
Excessive light is one of the important causes inducing precocious puberty in children, because light affects the normal function of the pineal gland, an endocrine organ in the brain. The pineal gland is responsible for secreting melatonin. Disrupted melatonin secretion can lead to premature secretion of follicle-stimulating hormone, which in turn can lead to precocious puberty.
⑤ Sleeping drunk—Harms the heart
A German expert observed the dangers of drinking before bed for 15 years and found that people who drink before bed can experience two episodes of apnea during sleep, each lasting about 10 seconds. These 10 seconds can cause two types of damage: recent damage to blood vessels, raising blood pressure; over time, high blood pressure can "implicate" the heart, leading to a faster heart rate, arrhythmia, and eventually heart disease.
⑥ Wearing a bra—Increases the risk of breast cancer
The Hawaii Institute of Civil Diseases in the US surveyed 5,000 women and found that women who wear bras for more than 12 hours a day have a 2.1 times higher risk of breast cancer than those who wear them for a short time or not at all. This may be due to the long-term compression of the breasts, obstructing lymphatic drainage, and causing harmful substances to remain in the breasts. So don't believe the myth that wearing a bra to bed beautifies the breasts; you might be increasing your risk of breast cancer.
⑦ Being too lazy to remove makeup—Long-term damage to your appearance
Don't be too lazy to remove makeup before bed. Residual makeup can clog pores, disrupt sweat gland secretion, and trigger acne, which is damaging to your complexion. Removing makeup and washing your face before bed not only eliminates the adverse effects of residual makeup on your facial skin but also helps you fall asleep more smoothly.
⑧ Using your phone—Poor mental state
According to Harvard University research, people who use tablets or other electronic devices to read before bed find it difficult to feel refreshed when they wake up. This may be because the blue light emitted by electronic products inhibits the secretion of melatonin, a hormone that controls the sleep-wake cycle.
⑨ Covering your head—Poor memory
"Qian Jin Yao Fang · Dao Lin Yang Xing" records, "In winter nights, do not cover your head, and you will live a long life," which means we should keep our breathing unobstructed and our brain well-oxygenated during sleep. Sleeping with your head covered restricts air circulation under the covers. With continuous breathing, the oxygen concentration under the covers will constantly decrease. Over time, not only will your mental state become cloudy and dizzy, but it will also affect the memory function of the brain.
⑩ Eating—Harms the stomach
Eating too late for dinner or having a late-night snack can activate the human digestive system and make you excited. If you suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease or heartburn, it becomes even more important not to eat or drink anything before bed, as this can worsen symptoms.