Checking your phone or worrying about unfinished business before bed can profoundly affect sleep. Find out why the pillow should only be used for sleeping.
Last update: December 23, 2021
Sleep is an absolutely essential physiological process to keep the body healthy. Sufficient and quality rest allows us to protect physical and mental health and to face the day adequately. For this we wish to remember a principle to always keep in mind: use the pillow only for sleeping.
Most people lie on their bed and check social networks until they feel sleepy. Perhaps review the day and remember pending activities for the next day. While it is the trend most people follow, it is not ideal and we explain why.
Why don't we just use the pillow for sleeping?
The healthiest and most logical thing would be to enter the bedroom with the sole intent of relaxing and gradually falling asleep. However, most of us brings to bed a multitude of worries, annoyances and anxieties.
We take advantage of these last minutes of the day to mentally review all those problems that disturb or stress us. Even if it's not good for us, we can't do without it. Why does this happen?
- During the night the external stimuli disappear. There are no sounds, people or obligations to distract us and we inevitably come face to face with our thoughts. If we have not learned to regulate them, it is likely that in the face of this external silence they overwhelm us.
- We think worrying is good. We believe that thinking about a problem will help us find a solution or that reviewing all our pending problems will not help us not forget to take care of them. In reality, this generally only increases our anxiety and impairs our rest.
- Precisely with the intention of freeing ourselves from this constant mental rumination, we use our electronic stimulation and distraction devices. However, checking social media or watching a movie while trying to sleep is not a good decision at all.
The consequences of not using the pillow just for sleeping
Maybe you think that using bedtime to think or worry isn't that bad. However, this has a significant impact on sleep, hence health.
Difficulty falling asleep
One of the main causes of insomnia is poor sleep hygiene. In order to rest, you have to go to bed with a calm mind and not excite it with the light of the screens or the sounds of the cell phone.
If putting worries aside is impossible, it will probably be difficult to sleep and despair will increase by the minute.
Poor quality and fragmented sleep
Going to bed in a state of anger, nervousness, frustration or anxiety will affect the quality of sleep. It is probable waking up several times due to restless rest.
Nightmares
The dreams we have at night are related to daytime experiences, thoughts and emotions. The last thought and emotion we hold back before falling asleep is likely to be transferred to the dream world.
Maintaining these habits, such as thinking too much before falling asleep, it can cause more nightmares and unpleasant dreams.
Poor performance
We cannot forget that the lack of rest impairs cognitive and executive functions and our mood. That way you sleep badly it will make us more irritable, sensitive or depressed during the day.
On top of that, it will damage memory, attention, concentration and reasoning. If this situation continues over time, we can develop health problems.
Use the pillow only for sleeping, worries can wait
We would like to remind you of the importance of taking care of your rest and of ensuring that the preceding moments are calm and peaceful and that they promote sleep. We postpone the pending work the next day to get closer to it
with a clear mind and renewed energy. Concerns are amplified at night and it is highly unlikely that adequate conclusions will be drawn. Instead, we prioritize rest and well-being.
