I’m a big fan of sleeping. I’d almost call myself a pro. However, last year I constantly found myself taking 3 or 4-hour naps. Doing these would take huge chunks of time out of my day and I would always wake up feeling disoriented. The main reason I was taking these incredibly long naps was because I would never get an adequate sleep the night before.
I mainly blame that on the abundance of cooking/baking videos, Netflix’s “next episode in 30 seconds”, and my secret obsession with Candy Crush. After missing many episodes of “Friends”, I realized that it’s probably better to turn everything off before I hop into bed.
1. The Laugh Track Will Drive You Insane
The one thing that I hate while watching a sit com is the studio recorded laugh tracks that the show puts on every single joke made. Once someone brings it up its impossible to not hear it. It sometimes feels like it’s getting louder and louder as I try to fall asleep. Even if you turn the volume down where you can hardly hear the actors, the laugh track is incredibly loud.
2. It’s No Friend to Headaches
I personally do not drink the recommended amount of water every day, and in result to that I often get killer headaches. If you look at any screens or hear excessively loud noises, the headache is not going to leave any time soon. By turning off the TV before snuggling up in bed your head is able to recuperate from the day before and rejuvenate itself.
3. It Might Make You More Aggravated
I’ve always been a picky sleeper: I can’t sleep with hair touching my face, there has to be a cup of water next to the bed, I’m not a big cuddler, the list goes on. If any of these happen while I’m trying to fall asleep I get aggravated and agitated. The constant sounds of people talking and laughing do not make any of this better.
4. You Focus on the TV instead of Sleeping
Oftentimes, if I’m falling asleep to Friends, I am more inclined to keep watching instead of going to sleep because I don’t want to miss anything (even though I’m currently rewatching it for the third time). If you do this, time unfortunately passes and you’re left with sitting in the dark halfway though a season at 4 AM. It might seem like a good idea that night, but the next morning will not thank you.
5. It’ll Mess With Your Life Planning
Right before I go to sleep is the time where I start to think about my life and all of the what ifs and future planning. Most of the time it’s a blast because I can imagine whatever I want. However, if you’re watching TV, you immediately go from watching the show to sleeping/dreaming. It isn’t completely the worst but it’s also not the best. So by turning off all devices, you can start planning your future along with every little detail that probably won’t happen exactly the way you imagined it.
6. You’ll Never Be Fully Relaxed
With the multiple sounds and lights flashing in the background, falling asleep can become difficult and sometimes feel impossible. In order to fully relax, it’s best to just be able to have no distractions to get in your way of dreaming. By turning off all lights and laying in complete darkness, you are able to create a clean slate for a new day.
Overall, just know that it's better to power down then to binge watch your favorite TV show at 4AM. Sleep is what keeps your body moving, so treat it well. (P.S. I'm writing this as I watch Friends before I go to sleep)
