There’s no need to wonder what the secret is that everyone else has in their life when it comes to relaxing and unwinding during the night after your manic days. It all basically boils down to owning your own, smart routine come bedtime; and we’re going to talk you through the best additions to this routine.
What you choose to do in the evening will influence how good your sleep is that evening, including the quality, depth and length. This impacts on mood and energy when you wake the following day as well, so it’s well worth setting up well for success instead of failure in the sleep department.
If you’re hoping that you can get away with those late nights and fridge-raiding sessions now that you aren’t a student, then think again because this will have negative connotations for you and your sound slumber. Don’t fret though!
Here are six super tips to help complete the ideal night-time ritual that will have you sleeping like you could only have ever dreamed of before, all through these simple, yet effective pointers.
Let’s have a look and see what you need to do to achieve this…
1. Forward Planning
As we mentioned in the introduction, night owls never prosper, so think about staying in tune with your very own natural body clock. Be resourceful and productive while you’re feeling full of energy the most in the evening-time which will prep you for the next day.
It’s the little things, such as knowing what you’re going to wear the next day, having your bag and lunch all ready to go when you’re heading for the door in the morning and ensuring your gym kit isn’t still in the wash basket awaiting a wash!
Do whatever you can to reduce the time it takes to make breakfast; whether that’s leaving the bowl and spoon out or having the pan clean and ready for your morning omelette.
It’s just half an hour of forward thinking that will reduce stress for the following day ahead.
2. Time to Switch Off
Make the last hour to an hour and a half prior to your bedtime a totally tech-free time. This is arguably the hardest thing for us all to do these days thanks to the appeal of staying connected, but this one’s a vital one.
The blue light you might unwittingly be seeing from the screens of your devices is blocking the melatonin in your brain from working its sleep-inducing magic at the crucial time, which is not good.
It’s so easy to check another app, and then another after thinking that you’d just quickly check the one and it snowballs into a full-on social media sesh that you can’t recover from. Put the phones, tablets and TV on standby and feel the benefits of the change you make!
3. Declutter
If you’re stressed out then have you taken a look around your home to see how organised everything is? Essentially, mess triggers stress. Studies have established that visual untidiness, such as dirty dishes and piles of clothes, etc. prevents our ability to focus, which results in a weary/drained kind of feeling.
To overcome this, and stay relaxed after your busy day, stay on top of the dishes, don’t slack on the recycling and rubbish and don’t let your clothes pile up in the corner. By keeping your bits and pieces in their rightful place you can look forward to a calming effect as a reward!
4. Stay Cool
During the autumn and winter months, when the evenings are slightly chillier, you could feel the temptation to whack the heating up, however, you will get much better sleep if you hang fire. Keep your bedroom temperature between 60 to 68 Fahrenheit for prime sleeping conditions.
This will allow your body’s core temperature to drop and kickstart the sleep process while in this temperature range.
You can find discussions on the main Sleep Advisor website about staying cool during the warmer months too. They suggest thinking about switching to a summer quilt and having a fan in your room to provide a cooler environment for sleep.
5. Put the Kettle On
Opting for tasty, soothing decaffeinated herbal teas along the lines of passion flower and chamomile will provide you with a well-deserved calming effect for mind and body.
If you do this regularly, your brain will associate the process of making a hot beverage with the winding down process associated with going to bed to sleep, which will help you to relax.
6. Don’t Be a Fridge Raider!
If you reach for the cookie jar or the other sugary treats that you might find occupying the fridge, it’s important not to be tempted to do so at night. This is because they will do a really good job at waking you up at the wrong time; when you’re looking to unwind before bed.
It doesn’t end with the sleepless nights either, as you’re much more likely to gain weight if you fridge raid before bedtime. If you’re suffering from proper tummy rumbles and you have to have something then go for some almonds or whole grain crackers. These types of snacks contain tryptophan, which has sleep-inducing properties and will help you feel nicely relaxed at the right time.
I hope you find some of these tips helpful! Have a fabulous and relaxing weekend, everyone!
This guest post is in collaboration with Sarah Cummings.
No comments:
Post a Comment