How to Unwind Before Bedtime
Think for a minute about what your nightly bedtime routine looks like; not just prior to sleep, but from the moment you arrive home for the night. Do you have a pattern to your evening, such as relaxing in front of the TV before eating dinner or catching up on work while drinking some coffee? Many people do not realize that many of the activities they do leading up to bedtime may influence how well they sleep. Properly unwinding before bedtime will not only help you fall asleep, it will also help you wake up well rested. You want your mind and body to be slowly winding down, not becoming more active as it can throw off your sleep routine. Here are some tips on what you can do to wind down before bed:
Cut out the caffeine! If you find that you have trouble getting to sleep, you should stop ingesting caffeine by 2:00 PM. The effects of caffeine can stay in your system for hours, even if your energy boost was only temporary. Having an after dinner coffee may seem harmless, but the effects it has on your mind may make it exceptionally difficult to fall asleep. We want to relax our minds before bed, and caffeine will only make it more active.
Turn the TV off an hour before bed. In an ideal world, you would stop watching TV after you ate your dinner. Most modern electronics can stimulate the mind and body, making it increasingly difficult to fall asleep because your mind is processing the sounds and images that are being displayed. To properly wind down for bed, you need your mind to be relaxed. Read How to Relax Your Mind Before Bed for more information on how to mentally prepare for sleep.
Eat a hearty dinner. This does not mean you should eat whatever you want in large portions, but rather eat a decent size meal that is healthy for you. Eating too much can actually keep you awake during the night. Cooking can also help to relieve your mind, as it takes the focus away from any issues or problems you have brought home with you.
Tidy your room. Do some laundry, make your bed or just simply put dirty laundry in the hamper. Do not clean your bedroom before going to sleep. This can cause anxiety and stress, which may keep you from obtaining quality sleep. A chore as simple as doing laundry can be enough to make you toss and turn all night. A messy bedroom just doesn’t have the same feel as a clean one, so tidy up a few times a week when you get home. You’ll notice there is less stress when you get into bed in a clean room.
Read a book. Reading is a great way to unwind before going to bed. If you don’t have a book, try reading a magazine. Try to avoid reading a newspaper before bed. Bad or shocking news can awaken a sleepy mind or lead to poorer quality sleep.
Have a bedtime routine. Do you wash your face every night before bed? Do you brush your teeth? Of course you have some sort of routine, but make sure you keep it consistent. You should not being jumping up from the TV and diving into your bed expecting to get great sleep. Our mind and body likes to associate things together. If every night you read a chapter in a book wash your face and then brush your teeth, your body will begin to recognize those actions as a precursor for sleep. You will have trained your mind and body to know that these actions mean bedtime, so when you begin your routine, your body will begin to wind down.
It is important to wind down before bed every night. A busy mind can be trouble for both falling asleep and staying asleep. How do you unwind before bed? Do you have any nightly routines that have helped achieve a great night’s sleep? Tell us in the comments!
