Your life is busy, right? Sometimes it doesn’t feel like there are enough hours in the day to get everything done. Being pulled in a thousand different directions with work and family can be exhausting. That’s why getting a good night’s sleep is so important.
Many people suffer from a lack of sleep. This lack of solid rest can impact your life in more ways than you might imagine. After all, when your battery gets low, it becomes harder and harder to focus or perform at your best.
This article takes a look at some helpful tips for creating a night routine that will result in the best sleep possible. Keep reading to better understand what it takes to wake up in the morning ready to make the most of your day!
The Importance of a Night Routine
Waking up in the morning and feeling rested and full of energy rarely happens by accident. Sure, some people are blessed with wiring that requires minimal sleep, and they pop out of bed every day feeling like a million bucks. But let’s be honest, those people are exceptions to the rule and the rest of us hate them (just kidding…kinda).
For most of us, a lack of good, restful sleep can easily make the difference between an energetic and productive day, or a day where we barely make it to 5 o’clock still on our feet with our eyes open.
The trick to waking up energized is to prepare yourself for sleep. This is something many people don’t understand. But prepping for bed requires deliberateness. You have to be disciplined enough to start winding down and preparing for sleep long before your body touches your mattress.
Developing a healthy night routine should be as much a priority as any other part of your life. After all, it will make you a better spouse, parent, and employee.
Components of the Ultimate Night Routine
So what are the components of a healthy night routine? Let’s take at a few things that highly successful people do each night for making the most of each day.
Limit Your Caffeine Intake
It’s important to remember that your night routine doesn’t start at night. You should actually begin prepping for sleep early in the afternoon. This means ending your caffeine intake no later than 4:00pm.
Millions of people start their day with coffee. And many of them continue to consume coffee late into the workday. But this habit isn’t beneficial to a peaceful sleep. Not only could it keep you up later, but it can also prevent the mind and body from being able to fully relax.
Keep in mind that coffee typically stays in the system for around six hours. Thus it’s a good idea to switch to tea in the afternoon or evening so that you’re not jittery come bedtime.
Leave Work at Work
For many people, this can be more difficult than limiting caffeine.
There is tremendous value in learning to establish a cut-off point for the workday and leaving the office behind at 5 o’clock. The simple truth is that the brain needs a break.
Many of us keep thinking about work demands long after we’ve gone home to be with family. This is another bad habit that needs to be tweaked.
As mobile devices have become a part of the fabric of our lives, this has made it increasingly difficult to establish boundaries between work and home life. We recommend establishing a cut-off time each evening for work-related phone calls and email.
Enjoy Downtime for Yourself
Our daily lives place plenty of demands on us. We have family and work responsibilities, making it all too easy to rush from one thing to another.
The problem with this is that you have needs too. Perhaps you love to read, or enjoy watching an episode of your favorite show each night. Or this could be time spent in a warm bath away from the demands and noise of the outside world.
Having a meditation practice is a great way to center yourself and recharge. This allows your thoughts to settle, calming your mind and helping your body to relax. In fact, meditating before bed is one of the most effective ways to encourage restful sleep.
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Put Down Your Mobile Devices
Another valuable practice is to step away from screens at least an hour before bed.
This includes TV and all mobile devices. Because screens are exhausting. The blue light produced from electronic devices interferes with the production of hormones necessary for a deep, restful sleep.
Rather than relaxing in front of your television, we recommend lighting a candle and spending an hour reading a relaxing novel in a comfy chair.
Eat Something Healthy for Dinner
Having a healthy meal for dinner isn’t always easy. After all, you’re tired from a long day, so meals tend to be something quick and easy.
And yet it’s important to remember that the fuel we provide our bodies will produce specific results. Stay away from fried, fatty, or processed foods. The key is to offer your body foods that it can easily digest.
Try to eat dinner a couple of hours before you go to bed. And resist the temptation to overeat or to snack late at night.
It’s also wise to go ahead and prepare lunches for the next day during dinner so that you have one less thing to think about in the morning.
Tidy Up the House
Going to bed with the house picked up and organized settles the mind. A chaotic environment creates a chaotic inner world, and that’s toxic to your sleep.
It only takes a few minutes to put everything in order, and then you’ll be able to take a deep breath, relax, and go to sleep knowing you’ll be waking up to a clean house.
Drink Plenty of Water
It’s no secret that staying hydrated is good for both your mental and physical well-being. It also plays a significant roll in achieving restful sleep.
Get in the habit of drinking plenty of water during the day to combat feeling sluggish and tired, and then drink it during the evening to prepare your body for bed.
Avoid Drinking Alcohol
This is another one that can be challenging for many people. Especially when you want to take the edge off after a long day at work. Or perhaps you’re going out with friends and would enjoy a few drinks as a social lubricant.
We suggest taking it easy on the alcohol intake. You might feel like it’s helping you relax, but alcohol consumption will also likely result in less restful sleep.
If your goal is sleep that replenishes your mind and body and prepares you for tomorrow, the simple truth is that alcohol isn’t your friend. Thus it’s a good idea to limit booze before bed, or better yet just skip it altogether.
Practice Yoga
Few things are as healthy for your mind and body as yoga. It activates your parasympathetic nervous system, which in turn helps you to relax.
Yoga before bed is especially beneficial for people who spend much of their days seated at a desk or driving. Practicing a few poses will not only help you get nice and relaxed, you’ll also feel amazing in the morning!
Plan Your Day at Night
Taking a few minutes to plan tomorrow’s schedule before bed is a good way to help your mind relax. This helps your mind feel organized, like tidying up the house, it allows you sleep knowing that your world is in order.
Have a Nightly Hygiene Regimen
Spend time in the bathroom taking care of your hygiene. Perhaps take a hot shower or wash your face, brush your teeth, floss, and take your vitamins or health supplements.
Set Your Clock at the Same Time
The mind and body respond best to consistency. Going to bed at the same time every night allows your biological clock to get into a rhythm so that it always knows what to expect and will begin to respond automatically.
You’ll discover that consistency going to bed at the same time makes it easier to fall asleep. The key is to train your subconscious that this is what you do at this time of night.
Once your subconscious is on a schedule, falling asleep and waking up becomes natural and easy, and you’ll find yourself pleasantly surprised by just how rested you feel in the morning and throughout the day.
The Quality of Your Night Routine Dictates the Quality of Your Sleep
Facts are facts, and there’s no denying how important your night routine is for achieving restful sleep. In fact, it’s hard to put a price on the value of good sleep.
So take the time to establish some healthy night routine habits, and you just might be surprised how you wake up smiling!
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