This article is full of shit.
1. Who says bedtime is just for kids? Take extra care to maintain your sleep schedule, especially on the weekends. The body responds to routine. If your bedtime is sporadic—11 p.m. some nights, 1 a.m. others—your mind won't be properly prepared to snooze on the weekdays.
Who says bedtimes are just for kids? I fucking do. Back in high school, my parents used to make me go to bed sometime between 12-1 AM and you know what happened? I usually ended up laying in my bed for 3-4 hours completely fucking awake. As soon as I no longer had follow a bedtime and went to bed when I'm tired instead, I started getting more sleep than I did before. Not a good amount of sleep, but it was definitely an improvement.
2. Reading before bed is a habit for many. Problem is, your body has likely adapted to that routine—it won't go to sleep until you've logged a couple chapters. Retreat to a comfy couch or window nook instead for your literary fix. The bed should be off limits for anything other than sleep or sex.
My uncle just now woke up because of insomnia problems. What did he do to combat it? Read a little, then turn out the lights. About ten minutes later, I heard him snoring really loudly.
3. The brightness of your computer screen stimulates the brain. Plus, it's difficult for your mind to stop fretting about your digital to-do list, even after you've logged off. Avoid late-night surfing and shut down your computer. Give yourself time to wind down without any electronics.
Give my time to wind down without any electronics? Could you give suggestions on what the hell I could possibly do? One of my biggest issues in trying to fall asleep is shutting off my mind. If I am bored, my mind will not shut up.
4. A good mattress will cost you anywhere from $500 to more than $3,000. Consider it money well spent. A decent mattress—do your homework!—will give you a more restful sleep. The same is true for quality bedding and pillows. Opt for a soft pillow if you're a back or stomach sleeper. Buy a firmer pillow if you sleep on your side.
Only good advice in the whole article.
5. The looming glare of your alarm clock can be distracting when trying to sleep. The goal is to have as dark a room as possible. Block the bright numbers with a book or consider buying a small travel clock. Your cell phone alarm may also do the trick.
I like knowing what time it is at night when I'm trying to sleep. Sometimes I could be lying down for quite a while and might need to modify when I wake up or I simply just want to know how much of my time has been wasted and if it's worth continuing trying to sleep. For example, I got out of bed less than an hour ago because I couldn't fucking sleep and knowing how much time had passed made it more obvious to me I needed to get up.
6. When you just can't fall asleep, it's useless to stay in bed. If you've been trying to fall asleep for more than 30 minutes, the National Sleep Foundation suggests doing something mundane, like balancing a checkbook, reading or watching TV. An activity that demands marginal brainpower will lull your mind. Before you know it, you'll be crawling back into bed genuinely tired.
HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO COUNT MY SLEEP WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO LOOK AT AN ALARM CLOCK? My vision sucks and I cannot wear contacts while I sleep so it's important I'm able to see what fucking time it is. Also, it's very rare it takes me less than half an hour to go to sleep. Even on nights where I'm extremely tired and exhausted, it still usually takes me at least thirty minutes unless I'm insanely sleep deprived which I would be at a far more regular basis if I followed this shithole advice.
7. Daytime workouts will keep you invigorated for hours. That's why you don't want to exercise within three hours of hitting the sack. Intense physical activity raises your body temperature and pumps your energy level—both interrupt a calm transition into sleep.
Probably not the best to try going to bed shortly after working out. At the same time, hard work can be very tiring and actually improve sleep. Not sure if this advice is good or bad since I can't think of anytime I'm gone to bed shortly after working out.
Well, there you go folks. Yet another horrible article by MSN. Who the fuck hires these writers?
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What Does Your Space Say About You?
While this article is nowhere near as a bad as the last one, I hate how it portrays introverts in a very extreme light. Not all introverts are anti-social, people hating assholes. While that wasn't the exact message, they certainly implied introverts in the most negative light they could get away with. :|
-William
