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The Perfect Night Routine

One-third of Americans don’t get enough sleep. If you’re one of them, creating a bedtime routine is one of the easiest steps you can take to enjoy better sleep. Your activities during the evening hours can have a big impact on your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep each night. Bedtime routines are a simple lifestyle change that can help your mind and body relax before bed. It's important to have a consistent nighttime routine in which you allow yourself at least an hour before bedtime to begin winding down. here are healthy nighttime habits that will help you get a good night's rest and will allow you to wake up feeling refreshed and ready to tackle each morning with ease.

 Set yourself up for success tomorrow

A bedtime routine that includes a few steps toward preparing for the next day can have several advantages. First, getting a head start on tomorrow’s to-do list gives you one (or two or three) fewer things to stress over as you try to fall asleep. Having less to do in the morning can help you feel less rushed, making it easier to set aside a few minutes for morning meditation or a mindful breakfast that’ll start your day off right.

Take care of morning chores

If you struggle to get started in the morning, ask yourself what usually holds you up. Maybe you spend a lot of time deciding on an outfit or never know where to find your keys. Perhaps you need a hearty breakfast to begin your morning but have to clear the sink of last night’s dishes first. Setting aside 15 to 30 minutes every evening to prepare for the next day can help prevent hectic mornings and promote peace of mind as you get into bed.To reduce bedtime stress and feel more relaxed in the morning, try taking care of these chores in the evening:

  • Make your lunch for work or school.
  • Gather your essentials — think keys, wallet, sunglasses — in one spot.
  • Wash the dishes.
  • Set out your clothes for tomorrow.

Create a bedtime playlist 

Music may be the last thing that comes to mind when creating a bedtime routine, but some research suggests that listening to relaxing music before bedtime may help you relax and sleep better. Just remember that keeping your sleep environment quiet is a foundational part of maintaining good sleep hygiene. So, try setting a sleep timer on your music so it won’t disrupt your rest later in the night. 

Research shows that music has potential benefits on physical, psychological, and emotional states, and its effects may extend to it being a helpful aid for better sleep. Music may reduce stress hormones, activate the body’s rest and recovery state, and release happy hormones, making it easy for your body to feel at rest and truly get into the sleep zone.  

62% of participants in a 2018 study reported that they listen to music for sleep. Some of the reasons they listened to music included: 

  • Music helps me clear my mind and fall asleep.
  • It helps with my mood before falling asleep, which I think is a major factor in my ability to fall asleep.
  • It works kind of like a lullaby if the music is right, it can get me into a lovely sleepy state that makes it easier for my body to relax into sleep.
  • Stops me from thinking about unpleasant things.

These responses show the different ways music caters to the specific needs of each individual in their quest to fall and stay asleep. 

Why Are Bedtime Routines Important?

Humans are creatures of habit. Like any other routine, bedtime routines establish habits that help our brains recognize when it’s time to sleep. By performing the same activities in the same order every night, your brain comes to see those activities as a precursor to sleep.

Bedtime routines also play an important role in reducing late-night stress and anxiety — the kind of worrisome thoughts that keep you up at night. Anxious thoughts and rumination activate your mind and sympathetic nervous system. Left unchecked, these thoughts can intensify and develop into insomnia. By following a bedtime routine, you can keep your mind focused on other tasks and encourage yourself to relax instead.

The importance of bedtime routines stems back as far as childhood. All on its own, a consistent bedtime routine has shown to relieve cranky infants and their parents, helping children fall asleep faster and wake up less frequently during the night.

One Hour Before Bed.

Step Away From the Screens

Cut off all screens at least 30 minutes before bed. The blue light from electronics interferes with the production of melatonin, a hormone necessary for restful sleep.

Read a Book

A better alternative to looking at your phone is to read a book. Reading can ease stress in the human body and calm your nerves.

 Reflect on Your Day

Consider what worked and didn’t work today. This helps you appreciate your accomplishments and shape a better tomorrow.

Start by acknowledging one or two things you wish you had done better. End your reflection by thinking of a few wins you had. Even if you had a bad day, make an effort to end by thinking about something good that happened.

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