Sleeping contributes a lot to our mood. If we are tired, we can’t concentrate, we are grumpy and we are miserable. If you are finding it hard to sleep, this could be a constant state of mind that you are trying to change. If this is the case, a bedtime routine can help us sleep and can improve our wellness. Focusing on sleeping, rather than the stressors around us, can help us relax and have a good sleep.
Rid Yourself of Technology in The Bedroom
Technology is taking over our lives. We use it everywhere we go and our minds need some time away from it to switch off. If you look at your phone before bed, your brain will be tricked into thinking it is daytime and it won’t produce the hormone melatonin, which is needed before we sleep to start to shut our bodies down. If this is something you are really struggling with, you can get melatonin supplements until your bedtime routine begins to work on its own and your body gets used to it.
Listen to Your Body
You do not need to live by what the experts say. Everyone is different and every night is different. Sometimes, we might be fine on six hours sleep; other times, we may want eight or nine hours to feel fully rested. This depends on the person and what the day has been like. If you usually go to bed at ten but you are falling asleep on the couch at nine, don’t let yourself fall asleep there; you will only wake up and break your sleeping pattern. If you are exhausted at nine, then go to bed at nine. Likewise, if you get into bed at your usual time and find yourself not tired, do something positive with your time. The longer you lay there staring at the ceiling wanting to sleep, the harder it will be. Have a book beside your bed, or a notepad if you enjoy writing or drawing. Just remember- no phones.
Have Something You Do Each Night
Having a routine that you do each night such as applying a certain moisturizer or having a bath or shower with certain bath scents can help tell your brain it is time to switch off. If you do the same thing each time before you are going to sleep, your brain will associate these sounds, smells, or actions with the fact you will soon be sleeping, and you may begin to be able to sleep better each night. Lack of sleep can cause things such as dark eyelids and, therefore, the more we begin to fix our sleeping pattern, the better we will feel in ourselves, and our body will show it too.
A bedtime routine is a great way to improve our wellness and get more sleep. Sleep is important for every aspect of our minds and bodies and the better our sleeping pattern, the better we will feel day to day.