Ten bad sleeping habits

Curling up: Did you know that sleeping all curled up is not good for your back? This could result in back pain. The best way to fall asleep is on your back, flat out, with maybe a pillow under your knees to flex your lower back.


Having pets sleep in your bed: Animal hair can trigger off asthma and other allergy attacks, so it is advisable to keep your furry friends out of your bed. Even children's stuffed toys can be carriers of dust mites. And that is something you need to watch out for.


Sleeping face down: Sleeping face down can wake you up in just a little while because of the distrupted nocturnal breathing that this can result in. You will not be able to breathe properly when sleeping face down and this will wake you up.


Dropping off in your make up: Apart from producing dark circles around your eyes, eye make up can irritate your eyes while you sleep. Besides having make up on for long periods of time can produce dermatitis. So before you hit the hay, even if you are bone tired, take a coupleof minutes to completely remove all traces of make up from your face and neck.


Sleeping in a cold room: With the air conditioner on full blast and you feeling absolutely cold, you could curl up in a bad posture while sleeping. And this is bad for your spine. So sleep in a comfortable temperature, and set the timer on in your air conditioner before it gets too cold for you.


Putting flowers in your bedroom: Fresh flowers and their sweet scents are great to have in your room. But not while you sleep and in your bed room. Flowers have pollen that could trigger off an allergy attack in allergy-prone folks. Sunflowers are the worst offenders. If you still insist on flowers, have some low fragrance types that can minimise allergy attacks.


Sleeping with a bedside lamp on: Deep sleep can come only when you are sleeping in total darkness. So it might be a good idea to stop being afraid of the boogie man lurking in the shadows and sleep well. But if you are used to sleeping with the light on, gradually dim it, or your sleep can get completely disrupted!


Cleaning your bedroom: Many disinfectants have chemicals that can irritate your skin,nose, throat and lungs when you sleep. So avoid cleaning your room in the evening, but give it a once-over in the morning.


Staying in a freshly painted room: Paints and varnishes also have chemicals that can irritate the system. So, if your have got your room painted, sleep somewhere else for about 3 weeks and then come in to inhabit the place after all the dust and chemicals have settled.


Lying in: We all love to sleep and given the chance we will sleep a lot longer than we need to. And this can leave you feeling groggy and tired and not at your best. So, get just your requried number of hours of sleep and wake up bright and alert to face the challenges of a new day. And did you know that a woman needs 15 minutes more sleep than a man does? So, now you know what to tell him when he asks for coffee or breakfast in bed!