Most people do not get enough sleep regularly. If you are in this group of people, creating a bedtime routine is one of the things that will help you enjoy better sleep. Through having a bedtime routine, this simple lifestyle change will you relax both your mind and body before you sleep. Bedtime routines are best done an hour to sleep time and they include mostly calming activities like reading, journaling, and meditating. When you start following one, you establish a habit that helps your brain recognize when it is your time to sleep. It has many positive impacts on your overall well-being and below is how you can create an effective bedtime routine.
Prep Your Bedroom
Since your bedroom is where you will be spending most of your time sleeping. It is vital to prep it and transform it into a sleep oasis. Create a ritual where you make your room cool, dark, and quiet. Set the thermostat at the ideal temperature for proper sleep. Pull down your black-out curtains and dim the lights. If you love aromatherapy, enjoy your favorite scent with your diffuser for instance a lavender scent. Finally, ensure that you have the best mattress, pillows, and beddings to sleep in as they will help you sleep fast due to the comfort. Plus, it helps when your brain sees your bed as a place to lay down and rest.
Have Bedtime Tea or a Light Snack
What do you eat before you head on to bed? If you have heavy drinking and heavy meals before bed. It will lead to indigestion, trips to the restroom in the middle of the night, and acid reflux. In your new bedtime routine, have a healthier option that is light to have before you go to bed such as yogurt or fruit. Choose foods that are high in melatonin such as grapes, nuts, oats, strawberries, and cherries. Non-caffeinated teas are also good such as lavender or chamomile teas to help calm your mind and induce sleep.
Practice Meditation
When you practice meditation like yoga and other forms. It will help improve your sleep quality. By adding meditation to your bedtime routine you will be able to manage your emotions and enable sleep onset instead of stressing why you are not sleeping. To practice this, you close your eyes and focus on positive thoughts and feelings. Other forms of meditation that you can try are deep breathing and visualization. To get others, search for them on YouTube or download smartphone apps to choose the one you prefer.
Take a Warm Shower
In the evening your body experiences hormonal changes and there is melatonin production to help you prepare for sleep. Plus, your body temperature drops in preparation for you to sleep. Also, having a warm bath in the evening as part of your routine will trigger a similar sleepy reaction to your body. Take your warm bath an hour before you go to sleep. How this works is that your body will heat up from the water and as the water evaporates it cools down quickly. Hence, it will create a sensation that makes you feel relaxed and tired.
Read a Book
One of the most common bedtime routines that begin in childhood is reading a good book. As parents read to their children as a routine during bedtime. Following the same habit as an adult is also a beneficial bedtime routine. However, stay away from the action and suspense, and other exciting genres. Choose a book that does not excite your mind and helps you feel sleepy.
Listen to Music
Almost 60% of people listen to music to help them sleep. However, the genre is not of importance as long as you find it relaxing. The best way to enjoy this is to close your eyes listening to the music and allow it to distract you from the days’ worries and calm you down. If you do not fancy listening to music, opt for more ambient sounds like pink or white noise. They not only help you improve sleep quality but help you to fall asleep faster by masking other sounds.
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