Routines are important for the body to create habits that promote optimal health and self-care practices. The most important routine is at night time as your body prepares to rest for the day.
Sleep and bedtime habits have a huge effect on your mental sharpness, emotional well-being and energy levels leading into the next day. While sleep seems natural, sometimes a little extra planning could make all the difference.
Below, are a few good habits that you could add into your night routine:
Sleep Tracker
Before embarking on this journey, it might be helpful to create a sleep tracker or sleep diary. A few basic things to include are:
- The total sleep time that tracks the amount of hours you slept
- The sleep time frame. Perhaps you sleep better between 9 PM - 5 AM or 11 PM - 7 AM. Track that.
- Sleep quality. Do you feel well-rested when you wake up or low-energy?
- Things that might have affected your sleep. This could be anxiety, nightmares or a barking dog.
As you get into the swing of a new night routine, it is good to see the progress you have made or what might need work.
Electronics off at least an hour before bed
If you are a worker by day and do not get much time on your phone, it probably seems natural to unwind in bed scrolling through your phone - but it should not be. While smartphones are entertaining and keep us plugged in with the world and our friends, your brain needs to unplug at some point. Checking your phone in bed stimulates the brain and activates it.
Science has also shown that the blue light from the screen suppresses melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that controls your sleep-wake cycle. Low levels of it could result in a disrupted sleep pattern or fits of insomnia.
Set boundaries with your electronics!
The bedroom is for sleep only!
Our bedroom is a safe space. From taking phone calls to watching TV or catching up on work in bed, there is no better place to find peace and comfort. But, there is.
As working from home becomes a common practice, it might seem so convenient and comfortable to reply to emails from bed. However, over time, your brain and body will get used to this and associate your bed with work and emails.
Keep your bed sacred and use it for sleep. It will make a good night's rest much more enjoyable knowing that you did not spend the previous hours of the day taking conference calls or building spreadsheets.
In conclusion:
Your sleep is important. It affects your overall well-being and happiness so treat it with care and kindness. Most importantly, establish a comfortable night routine that works for you so that your body knows when it is time to begin shutting down.
