What Do You Do Wrong Every Night According To Science? | DEBUNKED

Summary

This video from the Debunked series explores scientific insights on optimizing sleep quality. It highlights the benefits of daytime exercise for better sleep, cautions against exercising too close to bedtime due to stimulating endorphins, and emphasizes the importance of perceived fitness. It also advises against late-night eating and drinking, discusses the impact of showering on sleep, and suggests maintaining a cool bedroom temperature. Additionally, it covers the effects of pillow density and sleeping positions on comfort, and warns about the disruptive influence of screen light on melatonin production, advocating for a device-free wind-down period before sleep.

Takeaways

• 🏃‍♂️ Regular exercise during the day can help you fall asleep faster and improve sleep quality, contrary to exercising right before bed which can have a stimulating effect.
• 🤔 The perception of one's own fitness level and activity can significantly impact sleep quality, rather than the actual amount of exercise performed.
• 🍽 Eating and drinking late at night can disrupt sleep by increasing metabolism and suppressing melatonin, the body's sleep hormone.
• 🚫 Alcohol, despite initially aiding sleep, can lead to fragmented sleep as the body metabolizes it, disrupting the sleep cycle.
• 🛁 Taking a lukewarm shower before bed can help cool down the body, signaling it's time to sleep and promoting better sleep quality.
• 🌡 The ideal bedroom temperature for sleep is between 15.5 to 19.5 degrees Celsius, with a sweet spot around 18.3 degrees Celsius.
• 🛌 Choosing the right pillow and maintaining a neutral spine position can alleviate neck and back pain, improving sleep comfort.
• 📵 Exposure to blue light from screens before bed can suppress melatonin production, disrupting the natural sleep cycle.
• 🛌 Side sleepers can benefit from placing a firm pillow between their knees to maintain proper spine alignment and reduce back and hip pain.
• 🛋 Stomach sleepers may find relief by using a thin, soft pillow or no pillow at all to prevent neck hyperextension.
• 🌙 Establishing a consistent bedtime routine that includes activities like a pre-bedtime shower and avoiding late-night snacks can significantly enhance sleep quality.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of the video 'Debunked'?

The main purpose of the video 'Debunked' is to distinguish between truths and myths, and facts and misconceptions about practices that affect sleep quality.

Why is exercise during the day beneficial for sleep?

Exercise during the day is beneficial for sleep because it helps individuals fall asleep faster and improves the quality of sleep, as supported by various studies and experts.

What is the recommended minimum duration of exercise to prevent common sleeping complaints like sleep apnea?

Engaging in just 10 minutes of exercise has been shown to help prevent common sleeping complaints like sleep apnea.

Why is exercising too close to bedtime not recommended?

Exercising too close to bedtime is not recommended because it fills the body with stimulating endorphins and raises body temperature, both of which can interfere with falling asleep.

What did Swiss researchers find about the correlation between actual exercise and sleep quality?

Swiss researchers found no real correlation between the actual amount of exercise and sleep quality. Instead, perceived fitness level and degree of activity were linked to high-quality sleep.

How does the timing of eating and drinking before bed affect sleep?

Eating and drinking too close to bedtime can increase metabolism, force the body to work on digestion, and suppress melatonin production, all of which can disrupt sleep.

What is the role of body temperature in the sleep cycle?

Body temperature plays a critical role in the sleep cycle as it naturally dips before bedtime to induce drowsiness and rises again in the early morning to promote wakefulness.

Why is taking a warm shower before bed suggested to improve sleep quality?

Taking a warm shower before bed is suggested to improve sleep quality because the subsequent cooling effect after the shower helps to lower body temperature, signaling the body that it's time to sleep.

What is the recommended bedroom temperature range for optimal sleep?

The recommended bedroom temperature range for optimal sleep is between 15.5 to 19.5 degrees Celsius, or about 60 to 67 degrees Fahrenheit.

How can the choice of pillow and sleeping position affect sleep quality?

The choice of pillow and sleeping position can affect sleep quality by either providing proper support to the neck and spine or causing misalignment, which can lead to discomfort and pain.

What impact do screens and devices have on sleep before bed?

Screens and devices can disrupt sleep by stimulating the brain, holding attention when relaxation is needed, and emitting blue light that suppresses melatonin production.

What is the suggested time frame to avoid using devices before bed to improve sleep?

It is suggested to avoid using phones, tablets, and laptops for at least an hour before bedtime to allow for proper winding down and to prevent interference with the sleep cycle.

Outlines

00:00

🏃‍♂️ Exercise and Sleep

This paragraph discusses the importance of exercise for a good night's sleep. It highlights that a lack of physical activity can prevent restful sleep, with about 48% of people not exercising at all. Studies show that exercise during the day helps you fall asleep faster and improves sleep quality. However, exercising too close to bedtime can be counterproductive due to stimulating endorphins and raised body temperature. Interestingly, perceived fitness level also plays a crucial role in sleep quality.

05:00

🍔 Eating and Drinking Before Bed

This paragraph addresses how eating and drinking before bedtime can negatively affect sleep. Consuming food and drink late at night increases metabolism and prevents the body from relaxing, with foods high in carbs and sugars being particularly disruptive. It also mentions that alcohol and excessive water intake can disturb sleep. Medical professionals recommend avoiding eating and drinking up to three hours before bed to improve sleep quality.

10:01

🚿 Showering and Sleep

This paragraph suggests that showering at night can improve sleep quality. Body temperature plays a significant role in sleep, and cooling down before bed encourages good sleep. Taking a warm shower helps as the evaporation of water from the skin cools the body. It is recommended to shower an hour and a half before bed. This routine not only aids sleep but also ensures cleaner bedding.

🌡️ Bedroom Temperature

This paragraph emphasizes the importance of maintaining an optimal bedroom temperature for good sleep. The recommended temperature range is between 15.5 to 19.5 degrees Celsius (60 to 67 degrees Fahrenheit), with a sweet spot around 18.3 degrees Celsius (65 degrees Fahrenheit). Cooler temperatures are preferred as they align with the body's natural cooling process during sleep.

🛏️ Pillow and Sleep Positions

This paragraph discusses the impact of pillow density and sleep positions on sleep quality. It explains how improper neck alignment due to unsuitable pillows can cause neck pain. It also advises against sleeping on the stomach and recommends using a second pillow between the legs for side sleepers to maintain spinal alignment.

📱 Screens Before Bed

This paragraph highlights how using smart devices before bed can disrupt sleep. The light from these devices suppresses melatonin production, particularly blue light, which mimics daylight. While dimming screens or using blue light filters can help, avoiding devices entirely for at least an hour before bed is the best practice. This allows the brain to wind down and prepare for sleep.

Keywords

💡Exercise

Exercise is a physical activity that helps improve health and well-being. In the context of the video, it is highlighted as a factor that can significantly improve sleep quality. Studies mentioned in the script show that those who exercise report better sleep than those who remain sedentary, and even a short 10-minute workout can help prevent common sleeping complaints like sleep apnea.

💡Sleep Quality

Sleep quality refers to how well an individual sleeps, including factors like the ability to fall asleep, the depth of sleep, and waking up feeling refreshed. The video emphasizes that exercise, perceived fitness level, and certain lifestyle habits can greatly affect sleep quality. For instance, the script notes that exercise helps people fall asleep faster and that the perception of one's fitness level is linked to better sleep.

💡Endorphins

Endorphins are hormones produced in the brain that act as natural painkillers and create feelings of pleasure and well-being. The script points out that exercising close to bedtime can lead to an increase in stimulating endorphins, which can interfere with the ability to fall asleep due to their energizing effects.

💡Melatonin

Melatonin is a hormone that regulates the sleep-wake cycle. The video explains that food intake, particularly high in carbs and sugars, can suppress melatonin's effects, impairing sleep. Additionally, the script mentions that blue light from screens can inhibit melatonin production, disrupting the sleep cycle.

💡Perceived Fitness Level

Perceived fitness level is an individual's own assessment of their physical fitness. The Swiss researchers in the video found a correlation between perceived fitness and sleep quality, rather than the actual amount of exercise performed. People who felt fit and active reported better sleep, indicating the importance of self-perception in relation to sleep.

💡Eating and Drinking Before Bed

The act of consuming food and beverages before bedtime is discussed in the script as a common habit that can negatively affect sleep. Eating late can increase metabolism and digestion efforts when the body should be relaxing, while drinking alcohol or even water can disrupt sleep due to its diuretic effects and impact on the sleep cycle.

💡Showering

Showering, particularly the timing of it, is presented as an important factor for sleep hygiene. The script suggests that taking a warm shower before bed can help lower body temperature and encourage melatonin production, which aids in falling asleep. It is recommended to shower at least an hour and a half before sleeping to benefit from this effect.

💡Body Temperature

Body temperature plays a crucial role in the sleep cycle, as it naturally decreases towards bedtime to induce drowsiness. The video explains that activities such as exercising or taking a warm shower can influence body temperature, either positively or negatively, affecting the ability to fall asleep and the overall sleep quality.

💡Bedroom Temperature

The script highlights the importance of maintaining an optimal bedroom temperature for sleep. It suggests that a cooler bedroom environment, between 15.5 to 19.5 degrees Celsius, is conducive to better sleep. This is because a cooler temperature aligns with the body's natural cooling process as part of the Circadian Rhythm.

💡Sleep Position

Sleep position is how an individual's body is positioned during sleep. The video discusses the impact of sleep position on the spine and neck, suggesting that side sleepers should use a pillow between their legs for proper alignment, while stomach sleepers may benefit from a thin pillow or no pillow at all to avoid neck hyperextension.

💡Blue Light

Blue light is a high-energy visible light with wavelengths between approximately 445 and 480 nanometers. The script explains that exposure to blue light, especially from screens of smart devices, can suppress melatonin production and disrupt the sleep cycle by mimicking daylight and tricking the brain into a state of wakefulness.

Highlights

Exercise during the day helps you fall asleep faster and improves sleep quality.

48% of people do not exercise, which may contribute to poor sleep.

Even 10 minutes of exercise can help prevent common sleeping complaints like sleep apnea.

Exercising too close to bedtime can lead to increased endorphins and body temperature, hindering sleep.

Perceived fitness level and activity, rather than actual exercise amount, affect sleep quality.

Eating and drinking late in the evening can disrupt sleep due to increased metabolism and digestion.

Alcohol consumption before bed can lead to fragmented sleep and reduced restorative sleep.

Drinking too much water before bed can also disrupt sleep due to increased need for bathroom visits.

Showering at night can improve sleep quality by helping to lower body temperature before sleep.

The ideal time to shower before bed is an hour and a half to allow for cooling down.

Maintaining a cooler bedroom temperature, between 15.5 to 19.5 degrees Celsius, is optimal for sleep.

Pillow density and sleep position significantly affect neck alignment and comfort.

Stomach sleeping with a firm pillow can hyperextend the neck, causing discomfort.

Using a thin soft pillow or no pillow at all is recommended for stomach sleepers.

Sleeping on your back with a firm pillow can cause the head to push forward, misaligning the neck.

Using a second pillow between the legs when side sleeping can help align the spine and pelvis.

Smart device use before bed can suppress melatonin production and disrupt the sleep cycle.

Blue light from devices mimics daylight, tricking the brain into thinking it should be awake.

Avoiding screen use at least an hour before bed can help improve sleep quality.

Transcripts

It’s the end of a long day of being a  productive member of society and now  

you can’t wait to take a load off and relax  for a few hours before eventually turning in.

But hang on… you might be going about it  all wrong! Because, according to science,  

there’s a whole range of things that you  might be doing that can cause you more harm  

than good. And hey; who doesn’t want a  scientifically optimised night? I know I do.

I’m Stu, this is Debunked, and we’re  here to sort the truths from the myths,  

and the facts from the misconceptions.

This video has been made with the support of Fabulous.

While it is generally true that exercise  is good for you, many people underestimate  

the extent to which a lack of physical  activity can prevent a good night’s sleep

and around 48% of you say you DO NOT  

exercise. If you find you’re suffering  from poor sleep this could be the answer.

Numerous studies and investigations  have shown that exercise during the  

day helps you to fall asleep faster and  improves the quality of your slumber.

In his best selling book, author David K.  Randall noted studies which demonstrate that:

“THOSE WHO EXERCISED REPORTED A BETTER QUALITY  OF SLEEP THAN THOSE WHO REMAINED SEDENTARY”,

while Charlene Gamaldo, M.D., medical  director of Johns Hopkins Center for Sleep  

at Howard County General Hospital, states

“WE HAVE SOLID EVIDENCE THAT EXERCISE DOES,  

IN FACT, HELP YOU FALL ASLEEP MORE  QUICKLY AND IMPROVES SLEEP QUALITY”.

Indeed, it has even been shown that  engaging in just 10 minutes of exercise

helps to prevent some common  sleeping complaints like sleep apnea.

But, if you’re like me, and appreciate the idea  of exercise but often don’t have time to do it,  

you might try to squeeze in  that 10 minute bout of exercise  

just before you head off to the land of nod.

Around a third of you who do partake in exercise  

are doing this and unfortunately  this turns out to be a big no no!

You see, if you work out in the  couple of hours leading up to bed,  

you fill yourself with stimulating  endorphins and raise your body temperature,

neither of which are things you want just  before you settle down for some shut eye.

It’s worth pointing out, however, that the  reason why exercise improves your sleep  

isn’t as obvious as you may have assumed, as it  isn’t solely a matter of tiring yourself out.

In 2010, Swiss researchers surveyed  hundreds of college students about  

their sleeping habits and fitness level,

asking them to record not only how much  they exercised and how well they slept,

but also to state how physically  fit they believed themselves to be.

Interestingly, the researchers found  no real correlation between the actual  

amount of exercise the subjects  did and how well they slept.

Rather, what did appear to be  linked to high-quality shut-eye was  

actually one’s perceived fitness  level and degree of activity.

Indeed, many of those who  engaged in lots of exercise yet  

considered themselves to be physically  unfit reported having poor sleep.

As such, the researchers concluded that  what affected sleep quality the most was  

not whether these students were actually  particularly physically fit or active,  

but the extent to which they believed they were.

Participants who felt fit and active  reported better sleep, while those  

who felt more sedentary reported poorer sleep,  prompting the lead researcher to state sagely:

“WHAT PEOPLE THINK IS MORE  IMPORTANT THAN WHAT THEY DO.”

So yeah… it is generally a good idea to  work-out if you want better sleep, but not  

too late and make sure you also believe in your  work-out too. Turns out that’s pretty crucial.

EATING AND DRINKING BEFORE BED

Another huge contributor to subpar sleep  is everyone’s favorite oral activity…

that’s right!

Eating and drinking! As it turns  out, ingesting copious amounts of  

food and drink in the late evening isn’t  particularly conducive to restful sleep.

My apologies to all those habitual late-diners  over in Spain, but science is not on your side.

Yep, gorging on your evening meal too close to  bedtime means increasing your metabolism and  

forcing your body to work on breaking down food,  when it should really be focusing on relaxing,

trying to fall asleep, and manifesting  

vivid nighttime hallucinations that  you’ll struggle to recall upon waking.

This is especially true of foods that are high in  carbs and sugars, which are extra tough to digest.

Food in your stomach also  triggers the release of insulin…

. …which suppresses  

the effects of the body’s sleep hormone  melatonin, further impairing your sleep.

Not only that, eating too much before  bed also increases the risk of acid  

reflux and indigestion, which as you can  imagine are not particularly soothing.

Now perhaps some of you so-and-sos  think you’re off the hook,  

since the only thing you consume  around bedtime is good ol’ booze,  

just as God intended. Alcohol actually  helps you get to sleep anyways, doesn’t it?

Ehhh… not really. While alcoholic beverages  may indeed help you to drop off sooner,  

as your body begins to break down  that delicious pre-slumber G&T,  

the alcohol in your bloodstream makes  you more likely to briefly wake up,  

once again impeding your sleep cycle  and making your sleep less restorative.

Frankly, even drinking too much water can be  sleep-disruptive; not for any specific chemical  

reason but purely because it fills up your bladder  and makes you need to get up to go drain the tank.

As a result, medical professionals, sleep experts,  

and dieticians generally recommend not eating  or drinking up to 3 hours before you go to bed.

Hey… don’t shoot the messenger.

WHEN SHOULD YOU SHOWER?!

Another hidden consideration in the fight  against substandard slumber involves hygiene,  

specifically showers; the general  consensus on showering appears to  

be heavily biased in favor of pro-morning showers,

but what if I told you that showering at night  might be best for honing your sleep quality?

As it happens, temperature is one of the  biggest factors in play when it comes to  

first-rate snoozing. Having a chill  bod is very important in this regard,  

as body temperature is critical to the  smooth operation of your sleep cycle.

Towards the end of the day, in the  hours immediately before bedtime,  

your core body temperature dips, making you  drowsy and signaling that it’s time to turn in.

As you sleep, your body slowly cools even  further, reaching its nadir around 5 o’  

clock in the morning. At this point,  your body temperature rises again,  

encouraging mental alertness and  physical activity upon waking up.

So cooling yourself down pre-bedtime is  actually a grand way to encourage good sleep,  

and a great way to do this  is to take a warm shower.

This might sound counterintuitive,  

but as long as your shower isn’t too  hot and you aren’t in for too long,

When you leave the shower water  will then evaporate from your skin,  

working under the same principle as sweat  transferring heat away from you body.  

This relative cooling effect will  get your body in the mood to snooze.

Hormonally, the after-shower cool-down  encourages melatonin production,  

working with your natural circadian  rhythm, rather than against it.  

The trick is having time to cool down enough  before bed, so make sure to give yourself  

an hour and a half between showering and bed  to reap the benefits of a night-time shower.

Showering pre- rather than post-sleep  also has the added benefit of washing  

all the day’s dirt and grime, as  well as allergens like pollen,  

off of your body before you get  into bed, leading to cleaner  

and more comfortable bedding. Yep, a pre-bedtime  shower might be just what the doctor ordered.

While habits like these are hard to  break, Fabulous is a tool that helps  

you brush off the bad habits and usher  good healthy ones into your daily life.

It uses behavioral science to introduce habits  to improve your life over all and achieve goals  

that you would otherwise just put off or delay  because of a lack of motivation or importance.

After researching this video I added  habits into my Evening Routine using  

Fabulous that would counteract  everything I was doing wrong…

…and introduce rituals that complement my  natural circadian rhythm and aid with my sleep.

I’ve stopped snacking after 8pm and

have set up a Melatonin alarm at  9pm that encourages me to help my  

body's natural melatonin production, like  having a nice lukewarm shower around 9pm.

My new routine has also helped me  break another bad habit that we are all  

guilty of, and I’ll talk about that next!

Start building your ideal daily  routine, by visiting thefab.co/debunked2 

The first 500 people who click on the  link will get 25% OFF on Fabulous Premium

Now let’s see what else you’re doing every  night that you really shouldn’t be doing!

GETTING ALL WARM AND COZY

Well, now that you’re actually ready to get  in bed, temperature is more crucial than ever.

Having already cooled your body temperature to  an agreeable level with our lukewarm shower,  

don’t undo all that work by having  a toasty ambient temperature in your  

bedroom while you're snuggled  under a thick puffy duvet.

As we’ve discovered, as part of  your natural Circadian Rhythm,  

your body cools down towards the end of the  day in order to prepare you for sleep. Ergo,  

messing with your body’s ability to cool itself  at night can wreak sheer havoc on your sleep,

So, exactly how hot or cold  should your bedroom be at night?

Well, while opinions on what constitutes  the perfect nighttime temperature  

do differ slightly from expert to expert,  generally-speaking, you want to keep your  

bedroom somewhere between 15.5 to 19.5 degrees  Celsius, or about 60 to 67 degrees Fahrenheit.

An often quoted sweet-spot appears to  be a sensible 18.3 degrees Celsius,  

or roughly 65 degrees Fahrenheit.

While being too cold can  obviously affect sleep-quality,  

lower temperatures don’t seem to disrupt  your sleep cycle to the same extent  

that higher temperatures do. So yeah…  crack open a window, remember to switch  

to lighter bedding during the summer, and of  course, turn down the bloomin’ thermostat.

POSITIONS AND PILLOWS!

Now that we’ve taken away the  coziness of a nice warm bed,  

I’m afraid that another supposed creature  comfort is next on the list to be struck off.

So, what’s so bad about lovely comfy pillows?

Well it’s all to do with the  density of your pillow and  

how that aligns with the position you sleep in.

If your neck is bent in any sort of  position for an extended period of time  

you’re likely to experience some neck pain

So for example, if you sleep on a nice  soft pillow, but you're a side sleeper,  

then you're not likely to be getting  the correct support under your neck,  

meaning your head will need to extend  sideways to rest on the pillow.

If you have a firm pillow and sleep on your back,  

the opposite occurs and the pillow will push  your head forward, again misaligning your neck.

If you’re a Stomach Sleeper however,  

you might want to reassess your  sleeping position altogether.

"If you're on your stomach with your head to the  side, you're sleeping in a full rotation position,  

and that can become painful,"

On top of that, if you sleep on  your stomach with a firm pillow,  

it will push your head back,  hyperextending your neck.

So if you find you are only  able to sleep on your stomach  

then get yourself a nice thin soft  pillow, or even have no pillow at all!

Unless you’re suffering  from any medical conditions,  

then sleeping on your back is  considered the best sleep position,

but a 2012 national sleep survey across  the US, found that most people sleep on  

their side, followed by 16% on their  stomach and only 10% on their backs.

But, whether you’re a back sleeper or a  side sleeper expert advice remains the same…

"Try to get the spine in a  relatively straight position.”

If you're a side sleeper, this means using  a second pillow between your legs to help  

naturally align your spine and pelvis. This  should ideally be a relatively firm pillow  

placed between your knees, that elevates your  upper thigh in order to keep your hip neutral.

Research has shown that this can  offer a whole host of benefits,  

and can alleviate back and hip pain.

SCREENS BEFORE BED

The modern era has normalized near constant  use of our smart devices, especially phones,

and surprise surprise, it could  be messing up your beauty sleep.

These addictive gadgets disrupt sleep in  a number of ways, firstly just by engaging  

your mind and holding your attention when  you should be trying to mentally relax. 

Using phones and tablets right  before bed stimulates your brain,  

which keeps you awake longer  and messes up your sleep cycle.

However, the sleep-impairing effect of  

smart-devices isn’t just a  matter of pure distraction.

Turns out that exposing yourself to  the light emitted from these devices  

is yet another suppressor of our old  friend, the sleep hormone melatonin.

This is particularly true of light found at the  short-wavelength portion of the visible spectrum,  

between approximately 445 and 480 nanometers,  which you and I will recognise simply as  

‘blue’. This is because bright,  blue-ish light mimics daylight,

which fools the brain into thinking you  should be up and about and doing stuff,  

when really you should be unconscious.

Not cool, blue light. Not cool.

Now, many people - perhaps even people  currently watching videos about things  

that wreck your sleep - might think they can  get around this effect with applications that  

dim the light on your device’s screen  or specifically filter out blue light,  

but turns out that’s not  really that much of a solution.

According to The Sleepyhead Clinic,  

a sleep disorder organization lead by  sleep scientist Stephanie Romiszewski,

…although these apps may somewhat reduce  the sleep-sapping effects of your devices,  

ultimately any amount of light, no matter  how dim, inhibits melatonin production.

As a result, many experts generally  recommend that you avoid using phones,  

tablets and laptops entirely for  at least an hour before bedtime,

so that you can properly wind down a little  before sleep and you're not inadvertently  

tricking your own brain into thinking  it’s the middle of the chuffing day.

If this video has inspired you  to make changes to your daily  

routine that can improve your slumber and  generally make the most of your day then  

visit Fabulous.com/debunked where you can build  your own personal ideal daily routine for free,  

and if you like that, you can use our exclusive  discount to access features on Fabulous Premium.