Most of us know that experts stress the importance of a bedtime routine for children. Bedtime routines have the benefit of laying the foundation for memory and other cognitive skills, in addition to improving mood and regulating stress levels. Did you know that children aren’t the only ones who benefit from bedtime routines?
Unfortunately, as we get older and pick up adult responsibilities, we nearly always abandon the good habits we had as kids related to bedtime. Some abandon these habits in college where it isn’t considered “cool” to go to bed at a decent hour. Some abandon the habits due to working a demanding job with long hours, or even multiple jobs. And often, long after the original reason for abandoning our good sleep habits is gone, we keep the new behavior, even when it’s not serving us well.
But there is good news. It turns out we can actually train our brains to recognize when it’s time for bed. This is one of the easiest things you can do in the short-term to reinstate better quality sleep. All it takes is a little self-discipline and consistency to reap the rewards of improved ZZZ’s. A night time routine needn’t be lengthy-the quality of activity is more important than the length of the routine. Read on for some noteworthy ideas for nighttime routines:
1. Drink a warm beverage, such as warm milk or an herbal tea such as chamomile.
2.Consider having a warm bath at night. This actually has the effect of raising the blood to the surface of the skin which creates a cooling effect, perfect for bed.
2. Don’t forget to include dental hygiene. Night time teeth brushing is not only aligned with your dentist’s recommendations, it can also serve to cue your brain for bed.
4. Incorporate meditation-the benefits of meditation are immense. There are several different types of meditation you can try, and all have the benefit of helping you find inner peace and a quiet mind.
5. Read a relaxing story. Just be sure and keep lights away from your eyes so as not to interfere with the natural Melatonin production happening within your body.
6. Journal-log your most prominent thoughts from the day, or consider keeping a gratitude journal and logging things for which you are grateful at the end of the day. This practice has the added benefit of helping you shift focus away from things which went wrong for the day, and showing gratitude for whatever went well.
7. Make a to-do list filled with things you need to do the next day. Getting it all out on paper externalizes the list, freeing you to think of other things.
8. Engage in some relaxing activities which are not overly stimulating, such as yoga, cross word puzzles, etc.
9. If you have bright lighting in your home or if you have a bedtime routine which includes television or exposure to electronics, dim the lighting near bedtime, or invest in blue light blocking glasses to help mitigate the effects of light on natural Melatonin production.