Everyone knows that creating a good morning routine is essential to setting yourself up for a positive and productive day, but have you been paying enough attention to your night-time ritual?
In today’s fast-paced world, switching off and winding down has become increasingly difficult to do. However, with surveys showing that up to 30% of adults in the UK get less than 7 hours sleep a night, implementing a good night-time routine is now more important than ever.
Follow these 5 tips to create a relaxing bedtime ritual to help you wind down and improve the quality of your sleep…
1. Set the mood
Set up your environment for sleep success as the first step on your bedtime routine. Dim the lights and keep the room dark to signal to your body that it’s time to sleep. Alongside light, a cool bedroom temperature aids sleep, so turn down the temp as you start preparing for bed.
Top Tip:
If you can’t control the temperature in your room, invest in some cotton bedding instead which will help keep you cooler at night.
2. Turn off your screens
Exposing yourself to the ‘blue light’ emitted for electronic screens can have a significant negative effect on sleep by suppressing the secretion of melatonin, the sleep hormone. Try turning off your screens at least an hour before bed and plug your phone in away from your bed to reduce the temptation to check it before you sleep.
Top Tip:
Pick up a good book or magazine as an alternative activity to technology. Reading before sleep can help you switch off and relax your brain.
3. Practise mindfulness
Practising a form of mindfulness before sleep can help you wind down and reduce your stress level. Guided meditation and journaling can both be used before bed-time to calm your mind and reduce anxiety, allowing you to get to sleep without the days worries on your mind!
Top Tip:
If meditating to unwind, light some candles and find some meditation music to help build an atmosphere that helps you focus on relaxing and being mindful.
4. Hydrate yourself
Although not something that is specific to your bedtime routine, hydrating both at night and throughout the day is essential to preventing night-time issues such as leg cramps and a dry throat, both of which can disrupt your sleeping pattern. Try drinking a glass of water an hour before you go to sleep.
Top Tip:
On top of drinking lots of water, drink other hydrating beverages such as PRESS’s Daily Celery Juice during the day, which adds some delicious variety while helping to keep you hydrated for a good nights’ sleep.
5. Stay on schedule
Try keeping to roughly the same bedtime every night. Creating a regular sleep schedule is, according to scientists, essential for setting your body’s internal clock. By going to sleep around the same time every night, your body will get into a routine, enabling you to fall asleep quicker and more easily.
Top Tip:
Try not to get into bed too long before you plan to actually go to sleep or spend too much time in bed during the day. This helps your brain associate your bedroom and bed with sleeping activities.
