Having a morning routine is something many people have been perfecting in recent years, but what about a nighttime routine? How you end your day can be just as important as how you start it. At night, you are looking for habits that help you to wind down from the day and get restful to have a good night’s sleep. Here are some things to consider adding to your nighttime routine.
1. Wind Down an Hour Early
This is really important and something many people forget to do. If you notice that when you get into bed, you struggle with sleeping, it might be that you are not getting your body and mind enough time to relax. You can’t expect to go from boundless energy to being able to sleep in a matter of minutes. I remember as a child, we would clean up after dinner, and then it was story time. The idea was to get the children in my family younger than me to quiet down and start getting ready for bed. Taking a warm bath before bedtime was always my favorite time, it was the only time I was truly alone! 😉
As you begin to put together a nighttime routine, consider starting this routine at least an hour before you plan to go to sleep. This can be with any relaxing activities that make you feel more restful and less stressed.
2. Read a Relaxing Book or Write in Your Journal
When it comes to relaxing activities before bed, it doesn’t get much better than reading. You can read on the couch, while sitting at a desk, or in bed. Reading often makes people feel sleepy, so it is great to do during your night routine. However, be careful about the genre of book you choose at night, as you don’t want to still be reading suspense at 3am.
Instead of reading, you can also choose to write in a journal at night. This will help your mind relax as you write about your day, your thoughts, or just set your intentions. You can use the journal for gratitude or simply following a journal prompt.
3. Turn Off Your Electronics
During your nighttime routine, turn off any electronics you don’t absolutely need to be using. Have a specific time at night when you turn off your phone or turn off notifications, when you close the laptop, and turn off the TV. These distractions are likely keeping you from being able to sleep at a good time, even if it seems like they aren’t getting in the way of sleep. Get out of the habit of having to use them until you fall asleep.
I have my own phone set up so that I will receive no notifications or phone calls past 11 pm to 9 pm the next day. It drives me nuts at times that my husband doesn’t have it setup, so I hear the notifications beeps late at night.
4. Practice Gratitude
Even if you don’t want to do actually journaling, you can get a notebook for writing down what you are grateful for each evening. This is a wonderful practice to add to your daily routine, and nighttime tends to be the best time to do it. It is when you can reflect on your day, and anything or anyone you feel appreciation for. From that morning cup of coffee to someone holding a door open for you, there is always something to be grateful for.
5. Set Intentions for the Next Day
Lastly, take a few minutes to set intentions for the next day. It doesn’t have to be written down, though if you have a planner, that can be a great tool. Just sit and reflect on what you need to do the following day, create a plan or to-do list, and do any prep that needs to be done before you go to bed.
Using these simple tips can help you clean your mind for the next day, and help you get a full night’s sleep! What do you do to get ready for bed?
