When we talk about health and fitness sleep is often the last thing on our mind. When you are younger sleep feels like a waste of time and as you inch towards your 30s sleep becomes a much valued commodity. And once adult life takes over most of us struggle to doze off.
Having a pre-sleep or bedtime routine can help you fall asleep more easily and improve the quality of your sleep over time. Today I am sharing what features in a pre-sleep routine.
Your routine should include:
- A time to unplug:Choose a time to stop using and put away all electronics at least 30 minutes before bed.
- A time of preparation for the following day:While it may seem counterintuitive, if you get in the habit of preparing for the following day the night before, you can save time each day. Something as simple as picking out your clothing or packing your lunch can go a long way.
- A relaxing activity:Depending on your likes and interests, choose a relaxing activity. If you have a bit more time in the evenings, perhaps you want to spend 20 minutes stretching or take a warm bath. If your evenings are a bit more hectic, perhaps you want to sit and breathe deeply for a few minutes, engaging in mindfulness practice.
- A bedtime:Aim to go to bed at the same time each day (even on the weekends). This can help get your body in a good groove.
Your routine should be:
- Simple:Your routine doesn’t have to be elaborate, it just has to provide you with some structure and help you prepare yourself for bed.
- Realistic:If you go to bed at midnight every night, creating an 8pm bedtime is probably not realistic. The more doable your routine is, the more likely you are to do it and stick to it.
- Sustainable:It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, but it does have to be something you can stick to long-term.
- 9:30pm: Put away all electronics.
- 9:35pm: Pick out your clothing for the next day.
- 9:40pm: Do your PM skincare routine.
- 10:00pm: Tuck yourself in bed and prepare for a restful night’s sleep.