Consistent, predictable bedtime rituals are important before going to bed every night. This will help your body to relax, unwind and prepare for rest. If you need some help implementing a bedtime ritual that works, continue reading for some tips below.
Turn down the lights
Exposure to light causes your body to produce hormones that increase alertness, while darkness does the opposite. Turn off the TV and computer screens at least an hour before bedtime, and draw the shades.
Slow down
Many individuals find that exercising late in the day disrupts their sleep. Devote your evenings to gentler activities, such as knitting or reading to your kids.
Have a snack or treat
Certain foods and beverages promote sleep. Eat a light snack with protein and healthy carbohydrates, like an unsweetened whole-grain cereal with milk. Treat yourself to a cup of chamomile tea. Avoid caffeine and alcohol close to bedtime.
Apply a fragrance
Lavender is an age-old remedy for insomnia. Keep a lavender plant on your nightstand. Sprinkle a few drops of lavender oil on a cotton ball and slip it inside your pillowcase. Vanilla has similar effects.
Give yourself a massage
Indulge in a self-massage. Use one foot to rub the other. Soak your hands in warm water. Gently rub each finger from the base to the tip. Move your thumb in circles on the palm of the opposite hand.
Warm-up
Raising your body temperature induces drowsiness. Take a hot bubble bath or slip underneath a heavy blanket.
Get into position
Sleep positions can work for or against you. If lying on your stomach is causing back troubles, place yourself on your back as soon as you get into bed. It will gradually become automatic.
Treat aches and pains
It's hard to relax when your feet or shoulders are sore. Cover achy areas with a heating pad or hot water bottle.
Block out noise
Intrusive noises are everywhere, from car alarms in the city to crickets in the country. Turn on a fan or listen to a white noise machine to help you block out the noise.
Sleep is crucial to your health. It affects us physically, emotionally, how we fight illness, and build immunity, as well as affecting our metabolism. For these reasons, having a great bedtime routine is very important to obtain and maintain good sleep.