Creating a Nighttime Routine to Sleep Better
Welcome! I’m so happy you are here and wanting to learn more about creating a nighttime routine that will allow you to sleep better. Sometimes it is hard to relax before bed when you are stressed or experiencing anxiety, but there are things you can do before bed to help you sleep. We all live busy, hectic lives and although it would be amazing to be like Bewitch and twitch our nose and go from busy to sound asleep just like that, unfortunately our brains don’t work that way. We need a period in between to help our mind and body go from active to relaxed and today we are going to talk about what we can do in that in between period so that when our head hits the pillow, we fall asleep with ease! So let’s get into it and talk about ways to relax before bed.
Activity #1 in your nighttime routine to sleep better
Turn off your gadgets. I have mentioned this before and I will continue to mention it because it is the hardest one to do so we need to practice. The key is to do this gradually. First try eliminating one gadget at a time. Maybe you start with TV and then eventually add your phone. Also play around with the timing. First maybe you stop using them 30 min before bed and then you move to an hour.
Activity #2 in your nighttime routine to sleep better
Restorative yoga is my absolute favorite. It is a great way to relax and also move your body a little. If you are not familiar with this type of yoga, it is a very gentle type of yoga that goes at a slow pace and uses props to support and relax you. It is heavenly! Also, it keeps you away from your devices!
My favorite pose is supported fish because it helps to open up your chest, an area that is especially helpful to those of us who sit a lot at our desk and tend to hunch forward. You can find very detailed instructions on various yoga websites, but the basics are to get a bolster (or you can roll a blanket) and place a yoga bolster lengthwise behind your back, keeping the bolster close to—but not touching—your sacrum. Your spine should be parallel to, and your head fully supported by, the bolster as you slowly lay back. Lay your arms out on each side in a relaxed “T” position—palms up. You can put pillows or blankets under you arms for additional support. Breathe and enjoy!
Activity #3 in your nighttime routine to sleep better
Have a cup of tea. Tea can be so relaxing and comes in so many great flavors. This is a great time to get in your cup of green tea. Green tea is full of antioxidants that could help prevent some cancers and can improve brain health as well as protect the brain from aging. We are all busy so I love when I can multi-task. Having some tea to relax me that is also helping the health of my future self is a win-win for me! Just make sure you don’t accidentally grab the caffeinated kind or you might find yourself more awake than sleepy!
Activity #4 in your nighttime routine to sleep better
Read a book. After looking at your computer and phone all day I find it to be a nice change of pace to actually read a book. Find a type of genre you like and that will put you in a good mood before you drift off. We live in a society where we consume a lot of information so it is nice to give your brain a break and just read for fun! Also, when you read your brain is working to understand what you are reading and your eyes get tired so that is why reading can help you fall asleep!
Activity #5 in your nighttime routine to sleep better
Use the power of scent. Different scents can help us to relax. There are many different brands out there to try that you can spray in your room or on your pillow before you go to bed. My favorite is lavender. Lavender is known to increase relaxation and calm and reduce anxiety that in turn helps you sleep better. Rose is another scent that can help you sleep better and studies have also shown that it might improve your memory and learning as well.
Getting a better night’s sleep is not out of the question for you. I invite you to experiment with some of these activities for a little bit of time and see what happens. If you would like some additional techniques that are short and easy to do, but will help you get into a state of calm and peace quickly, then please click the link below. Wishing you a restful night’s sleep!