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Quality sleep is essential for optimal health and happiness.
What we often fail to take into consideration is that a great night's sleep starts with a great nighttime routine.
Establishing a nighttime routine will provide your body and mind the ideal conditions required to wind down before bed.
If you want to have a productive day that starts with a powerful morning routine, its essential to develop a nighttime routine that allows you to wake up early feeling refreshed and ready to take on the challenges ahead.
Once I established a plan for a powerful morning routine, I knew the nighttime routine would have to follow.
Now the hour or two before I go to bed is a massive piece of the puzzle that allows me get to sleep at a decent time, so I can rise early and have a super productive morning and enjoy the rest of my day.
I honestly never realized I could be such a disciplined morning person, but it has been the most significant adjustment I've ever made in my life.
It wasn't easy breaking old habits and shifting my identity from a night owl to an early bird, but after a few weeks of consistency, the new me was here to stay.
Now I look forward to my nighttime and morning routines because they allow me to be so much more productive with my time.
There are countless benefits to establishing both a nighttime and morning routine.
Here are 10 tips for a fabulous nighttime routine, that will provide you with better quality sleep naturally and allow you to wake up feeling refreshed.
AVOID TELEVISION BEFORE BED
I understand this might be difficult, but it’s time to ditch the late-night TV.
I used to look forward to watching my favorite shows around 9 pm after I would put my kids to bed, but those days are long gone because I value my early mornings so much more.
Now, if I have a free hour during the day, I will catch up on a show, but at night I would much rather be in bed with a good book winding down for a great night's sleep.
Do yourself a favor and do not watch TV up until the last second before you go to bed, and please, for the love of all things sacred, do not leave the TV on while you are sleeping.
I think it's best not to have a TV in your room at all to avoid the temptation of watching late-night TV.
At the very least, turn the TV off a minimum of one hour before falling asleep.
AVOID USING YOUR PHONE
Similar to the TV's effects, the blue light emitted from your phone suppresses the secretion of melatonin, the hormone that influences circadian rhythms.
While this is true of all light, blue light is even more harmful at suppressing melatonin and impacting sleep.
If you are exposing yourself to the blue light from your phone before bed, your body assumes it is day time and is not preparing your brain for sleep.
Experts suggest not using your phone inside the two hour window before falling asleep.
Of course, there are alternatives for blocking the blue light through apps and glasses, but I still think it's best to avoid any electronic devices during this time and enjoy a book before falling asleep.
OPTIMIZE YOUR SLEEPING ENVIRONMENT
Setting yourself up for a great night's sleep involves considering all the factors of your sleeping environment.
Make sure the temperature is nice and cool. The optimal temperature for sleeping conditions is between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit.
Also, it's essential to keep your room as dark as possible. Use blackout curtains or consider sleeping with an eye mask to avoid exposure to light that may disrupt your sleep.
SOUND MACHINE/WHITE NOISE
Consider the impact noise from outside your window may have in disrupting your sleep.
If you don't use a fan in your room, you might enjoy the sounds of the ocean or something similar that is soothing from a sound machine.
There is a great free app called Rain Rain that provides hundreds of different sounds to help you relax and drown out any other noises that may be distracting. I find this helps my kids sleep better too.
AVOID CAFFEINE
Studies suggest it's best to avoid caffeine at least six hours before falling asleep.
Caffeine stimulates the nervous system making it difficult for your body to prepare for sleep, especially if you are sensitive to caffeine.
Make it a rule of thumb to avoid caffeine after 3 pm.
AVOID ALCOHOL
Alcohol can sometimes feel like a relaxing way to unwind and prepare for sleep, but it actually has the opposite effect and negatively impacts melatonin production, disrupting sleep patterns.
Alcohol consumption also interferes with REM sleep, which is the more mentally restorative portion of sleep, so it’s best to limit your intake prior to bed.
READ A BOOK
Why not use the time before bed to catch up on some great reading material?
This is a great way to schedule in your reading while allowing your body time to unwind and prepare for sleep.
Studies show that reading slows down breathing and allows your muscles to relax, making this the perfect activity to naturally relieve stress before falling asleep.
One study found that reading for as little as 6 minutes is effective at reducing stress levels by 60% while relaxing muscle tension and calming the mind.
RELATED: 7 MUST READ BOOKS FOR PERSONAL GROWTH
USE LAVENDER ESSENTIAL OILS
You may already be familiar with the effects lavender provides as a natural alternative for relaxing the body and relieving stress.
Studies show that lavender reduces blood pressure, heart rate, and respiratory rate while inducing a calming effect on the brain and body.
Placing a few drops of of essential oil in a diffuser or a little bit on your neck, wrists, or pillow is an excellent tip for a restful night's sleep.
DO A BRAIN DUMP
Leave a notepad next to your bed for jotting down notes.
If you find yourself worrying or anticipating the day ahead you can quickly jot down everything you need to do and release any feelings of tension.
Writing all those tasks and ideas out on paper, will allow your mind to relax and prepare for sleep.
consistency is key
Consistency is a critical element in establishing your nighttime routine. I start my routine at the same time every night and go to bed at the same time, even on weekends.
This consistency has trained my brain and body to expect sleep and to begin winding down at the appropriate time.
I can then wake up at the same time every day, feeling energized and ready to start my morning routine.
I hope you enjoyed these sleep tips for getting a great night's rest and establishing a nighttime routine that works for you, so you can naturally get the quality sleep you need and deserve.
Implementing even a few of these tips will provide the environment you need to get the beauty sleep you are desperately craving.
Creating a consistent nighttime routine will allow you to wake up feeling energized and ready to take on the day.
Have these tips been helpful? Share in the comments below.
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