As with every habit, a bedtime routine helps you and your body take notice of what is about to happen next. By following a routine and performing the same actions night in and night out, your brain becomes aware that the actions you are performing are preludes to sleeping. A routine not only calms the mind but also eradicates any stress or anxiety during late nights, helping one fall asleep easily and more quickly as well. A consistent bedtime gets your body and mind ready for sleep every night. Try to have a certain time and stick to it.
You may even find yourself feeling sleepy as your set bedtime draws near. It doesn't matter if you are an early-to-bed type or one who stays up late. What matters most here is consistency. If you maintain that sleeping routine each night, you can prepare your body and mind for sleep. You may be tempted at bedtime to check your phone or computer or other devices, but this sort of activity stimulates the mind and can disrupt good sleep. Blue light emitted from these devices can trick the mind into thinking that it is daytime, and this arouses wakefulness instead of sleep. Set a cut-off time before bed when you switch off your electronic devices. Try to avoid your phone, computer, tablet, and even TV if you can.
Why Evening Routines Matter
Another way of preparing your mind for sleep every night is to spend some time listening to relaxing or soothing music. Music can be part of your bedtime routine, getting you in the mood for sleep. Be sure to listen to your sleep track before entering the bedroom. It is best not to conduct any activities in bed before sleep. Try to listen to your relaxing music track in another room for some time and then retire to the bedroom to sleep. Dinnertime can affect your sleep. Try not to eat anything several hours before bedtime as part of your routine. Food needs to be digested and the digestive process can keep you awake.
Also, try to avoid heavy meals for your dinner. Consume all your calories at breakfast and lunch and have a lighter meal for dinner. This habit can reduce the digestive process by having less in your stomach at bedtime and allowing more sound sleep. One of the best pre-sleep activities is journaling. Journaling can help get your mind organized before you go to bed. A lot of times people will go to bed and they will have racing thoughts or think about what happened during the day, and it will keep them awake. Journaling helps you let out those burning thoughts.
Crafting the Perfect Evening Routine
By putting them down on paper before bed, you will be more likely to sleep and stay asleep with a clear mind. While journaling allows you to process the activities of the day, a to-do list allows you to map out your day in advance. Oftentimes our busy lives can make us think about tomorrow's work. These racing thoughts can keep us up and even leave us too exhausted to complete those tasks the next day. It enables us to get ready and organize the events that will happen next so we do not stay in bed contemplating about them.
Although the concept of a cold shower feels like it would be a shock to the system before going to sleep, it actually has the opposite effect. A cold shower eliminates stress and reduces feelings of anxiety. When you have had a stressful day, that stress can carry over to bedtime and keep you lying awake with your mind racing and issues unresolved. A cold shower breaks up that stress and reduces those feelings of urgency. Climbing into a warm bed is a comforting and inviting experience that promotes sleep.
Foods and Drinks to Avoid Before Bed
Reducing the amount of light in your bedroom brings on sleep. Even a nightlight, as helpful as it is, can create glare that will keep you awake. Like electronics' blue light, artificial light stimulates the brain into thinking it's daylight and time to wake up. Try sleeping in a room that's close to complete darkness if you can. If you use a nightlight, try to place it where it will be very low and won't shine a light on you while you're trying to fall asleep. Another of the tried-and-true ways of calming the mind is meditation. Meditation, especially before bed, will clear your head of those racing thoughts or anxious feelings that may keep you from sleeping.
Meditation techniques also relax the body, which brings on sleeping that is relaxed. Meditation is not hard to learn and does not take a lot of training. There are many different ways to meditate, and you can try something that takes little time and can be a worthwhile enhancement to your sleep routine. Having a routine each and every night helps you create habits that enable your brain and body to know that it is time to unwind and get ready for bed and sleep. Night routines vary from person to person and can include reading a book, meditating, turning off your electronic devices, etc.
Conclusion
A bedtime routine enables you to follow a proper schedule for a better sleeping habit. By going to sleep at approximately the same time every night and by performing the same activities each night before sleeping, you are followed Your bedtime routine depends on when you decide you would like to go to sleep. You should start your bedtime routine roughly two to three hours before you decide on bedtime. But more time can be used preparing for sleep if needed. You can even establish a schedule that helps you stay on track. For example, if you go to bed at 10 pm you can follow this schedule.
While a bedtime routine is helpful for good sleep and can help with sleep apnea, it cannot prevent it. If you have sleep apnea, you may have to include CPAP therapy as part of your bedtime routine. Staying CPAP compliant along with a healthy sleep schedule can help reduce the instances of apneas throughout the night, so you sleep better. Sleep apnea however is probably not the result of a poor sleep schedule. You need to follow the recommendations from a doctor to curb the symptoms and improve sleep. Only a doctor can help you determine the severity of your sleep apnea and provide proper treatment.
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