During deep sleep, urine production slows; however, insufficient nighttime sleep can lead to excessive nocturnal urination, necessitating frequent bathroom visits.
Headaches
Headaches are a common occurrence among those who are sleep-deprived.
Weight Gain
Insufficient sleep may also lead to weight gain, as it often increases appetite, making one more likely to consume high-calorie foods.
Forgetfulness
The less one sleeps, the more prone they are to forgetfulness, and the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease in old age also increases.
If you're struggling to sleep, try this:
Massage the Shenmen acupoint before bed
Where is the Shenmen acupoint? It's located on the wrist. Notice the three horizontal creases on your wrist? The Shenmen point is at the second crease.
Each night before bed, locate this point and use the thumb of one hand to massage the Shenmen point on the other wrist about 30 times. Then switch hands and repeat the same motion 30 times. After a few days, you'll find you can sleep soundly without counting sheep.
Avoid tension before bedtime
Some people feel uneasy before sleep, especially after watching excessive or prolonged TV dramas. This prevents them from detaching from the plot, leading to racing thoughts.
Avoid violent or crime-solving dramas before bed. Also, minimize internet use—especially scrolling through social media feeds, browsing microblogs, or chatting on your phone.
And definitely skip long phone chats. Talking on the phone before bed keeps your mind tense, and even after hanging up, it takes time to calm down. Set a time limit for calls to avoid insomnia.
Don't sleep in your clothes.
Many people come home exhausted after a long day, collapse into bed without changing clothes or eating dinner—this is no good. Sleeping in clothes not only disrupts sleep quality;
even if you do fall asleep, the quality is poor. It also makes you more susceptible to colds, which can disrupt your daily life. To avoid catching a cold, wash up and change into comfortable pajamas before bed.
Eat dinner a bit earlier
Some people are so busy with work or other tasks that dinner doesn't happen until 8 or 9 PM, which is quite late.
Going to bed immediately after eating is unhealthy and hinders digestion. For better sleep, try moving dinner up to around 5 or 6 PM.
Also, avoid liquid foods like porridge for dinner, as they leave you famished before bed. Refrain from drinking water within two hours of sleep—excessive hydration leads to nighttime bathroom trips and restless sleep.