Myth no. 1 - If you are waking up during the night you are an insomniac.
Depends how often you wake up and how quickly you are able to fall back to sleep. It perfectly normal to wake up turn to other side and immediately fall asleep. That's not insomnia. It's the same story if you wake up to go to toilet or have a glass of water and subsequently fall asleep. However, if you wake up and can't fall asleep again for a long period of time, you actually might be suffering from insomnia.
Myth no. 2 - A good sleep is at least 8 hours a day.
For kids a sleep is the most important part of their life. They sleep at least 8 hours or more. As a person is getting older his needs change. An adult need to sleep around 7 hours older people even less. We should have in mind that the need for sleep is very individual. Some people its is argued that its about 2% need to sleep only 4 hours a day, on the other hand some of us need at least 9. (See my other article how to sleep the most effective way: https://steemit.com/life/@thiras/effective-sleep-how-to-do-it-less-is-more)
Myth no. 3 - the more you sleep the longer life you have.
This information is not correct. People who tends to sleep over 10 hours have generally shorter life then others. The reason behind such a long sleep might be a sleep apnea. It's a state when the patient does not breathe for a period up to 10 seconds, he subsequently realizes that and goes back to sleep. A fist signal might be snoring. Apnea is usually connected to cardiovascular problems.
Myth no. 4. - Who likes to sleep tends to be fat.
It is exactly the opposite, people who sleep a lot tends to be more fit, because during the sleep of adults the body tends to digest. Staying late and uneven distribution of sleep makes you feel more hungry. Shorter sleep also logically gives more time to eat :).
Myth no.5. - Sleep more today and less tomorrow.
It is not possible to sleep for the future. If you don't sleep during the week, you cannot make up for it during the weekend, period. Sleep deficit cannot be slept to. The more you will sleep the worse you will feel just wake up and go on.
Enough with myths what do I do wrong then?
- In the evening do not drink tea, coffee, coke or energy drinks (duh!). We all knows that caffeine helps to stay awake. How ever you might use coffee to conduct a power nap, wonder how to? See: https://steemit.com/life/@thiras/reboot-your-brain-in-15-minutes-productivity-enchanted-power-nap
- Alcohol makes you fall asleep but the quality of sleep is generally worse, so try not to drink before going to sleep.
- Do not eat hardly digestible plates 3 hours before going to sleep. Do not smoke. If you must smoke do not smoke at least an hour before going to sleep.
- If you can get out for a while before sleeping do it. A short walk helps you tremendously.
- Never work out 3-4 hours before sleep.
- It will wake up your organism, work out in the morning.
- Do not study, work, eat etc. in bed its mainly for sleep so leave that way.
- Most importantly make a routine when you go to sleep and when you wake up, KEEP THAT ROUTINE.