Don’t sabotage your snooze

Yeah, yeah, we all know how important getting a good night’s sleep is for pretty much everything—your mind, body, sex life. And there are well-established ways to ensure poor rest, like taking shots of espresso at night or hiring landscapers who use leaf-blowers at the crack of dawn. There are surprising ways, too, such as:

• Using an e-reader or smartphone: The blue light given off by electronic gadgets interrupts the production of melatonin, the chemical that tells your body it’s time to snooze. Avoid light-emitting tech at least an hour before bed.

• Not winding down: If your racing mind is keeping you awake, it’s probably because you didn’t take time to relax. Thirty minutes before hitting the sack, stay away from distracting activities like work you brought home or action-packed movies.

• Picking a fight: It’s hard to fall asleep when you’re ruminating about an argument you just had with your partner. If you sense a conflict brewing, sort it out or, you know, sleep on it.

Source: Health.com