The first step in making your mornings productive and efficient is to start by creating bedtime routines that will help to create a positive and productive morning. It all begins when you can wake up feeling energized. Follow these tips to ensure you feel refreshed and confident in the morning.
I. WHY ARE BEDTIME ROUTINES IMPORTANT?
Human beings are creatures of habits and routines. As with any ritual, bedtime routines allow our brains to detect when it is time to sleep. When you perform the same tasks in the same order each evening, your brain starts to consider these actions as a prelude to sleep.
Bedtime routines decrease anxiety and stress at night, which are worry-provoking thoughts that can keep you awake late at night. The thoughts of anxiety and rumination stimulate your mind and the sympathetic nervous system. If not controlled, the thoughts may become more intense, leading to insomnia.
The importance of what you do before bed dates back to childhood. By itself, having a regular bedtime routine has been proven to calm parents and infants who are cranky by helping them fall asleep quicker and sleep at a lower frequency during the night.
Healthy routines before bed help children get in touch with naturally occurring circadian rhythms. They also learn how to relax and establish healthy habits that encourage healthy sleep. Bedtime routines have also been proven to significantly benefit children’s lives, such as more memories, health, and focus.
The bedtime routines of adults are equally crucial. The everyday things you do at bedtime can help your brain keep the day separate from the night, cleanse your mind and body from the day’s stress, and let you drift off to sleep.
II. 15 BEDTIME ROUTINES TO GET A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP
2.1. Do not obsess with the sleep schedule
A consistent sleep schedule is helpful. However, only become an obedient follower of your schedule and worry if you are asleep when you are at the right time. If you are not falling asleep within 15 or 20 minutes, take a break and participate in more of your preferred bedtime activities. However, you should not obsess about the time.
“Looking at the clock in your bedroom while trying to fall asleep, or at the time you awake at the end of the evening, may cause stress. So, turn your clock away from you”, recommends the sleep Harvard site.
2.2. Reflect – Effective bedtime routines
Your subconscious sleep is a potent tool that will help you make difficult choices and develop new ideas. However, for it to be effective, it must be asked for assistance and take some time to listen to its responses. Schedule an hour of writing or take a minute to think about your current situation, the day that has gone by, and your hopes for the future. Or try an easy meditation, a useful bedtime routine.
Whichever method you choose, the aim is to be in a calm mind before bed. “Make time to think about the day and make lists for the next day. Clear your mind desk of any items you have to think about. You can then go to sleep”, according to Michael A. Grandner of the Behavioral Sleep Medicine program at the University of Pennsylvania.
2.3. Shut down your gadgets
The blue light produced by your laptop and other gadgets could make you sleepy. So, turn off your devices for thirty minutes or two hours before going to bed. This action can also help to clear your mind of your day’s worries prior to hitting the hay.
2.4. Set the appropriate environments which improve sleep quality
The perfect sleeping space should be calm, dark, and peaceful. So make every effort to block out the light and noise from your home. And eventually, you could also save money by lowering the thermostat. If your home is noisy in the evening, use a fan, an air-conditioner, or a white noise app or machine. You can also try earplugs.
A comfortable bed is essential. It could be worth spending more for the best mattress or pillows. Science indicates that your pillows will need replacement every 18 months due to the accumulation of dust mites. We are sorry for your furry companions. If you are looking for the ultimate sleeping experience, they will have to find their spots to sleep on your mattress.
2.5. Stretching – Amazing exercise and bedtime routines
Stretching up is vital if you spend much time sitting at a desk or other posture that puts you in a stressful position.
- Lay on your back, lying with your feet together and your knees bent,
- Dropping towards the floor.
- Put your hands, palms facing upwards at your sides, while keeping your shoulders forward and your chest open.
- Close your eyes, and inhale through your nose, slowly counting up to four.
- Exhale and continue counting down to one.
- Keep going for 10 minutes or as long as you are at peace.
2.6. Read a Good Book can improve your sleep quality
It is a typical bedtime routines that starts in the early years of childhood. Parents often read to their children as part and parcel of their routine before bed.
Incorporating reading into your routine as an adult avoids exciting genres and can improve your sleep quality.
2.7. Hair-pull – Tricky bedtime routines
Pull your hair despite your efforts if you cannot get out of bed. Pulling your hair does not just give you a twinge of eye-opening; it also increases blood flow through your scalp.
If you follow this advice to the heart, be careful not to go overboard. The hair-pulling may motivate you. However, pulling it too much is likely to make you angry at yourself.
2.8. Drink water before caffeine
Drinking an ounce of water before tea or coffee will help you rehydrate your body and boost your metabolism. When you do not drink your water until later, it is more likely that you will be dehydrated.
Dehydration can lead to confusion, frequent urination, dizziness and fatigue -things you certainly would not like to have throughout the day.
2.9. Get ready for your morning mojo
Coffee, the dark and rich beverage that can make you feel human again. Why do you have to struggle with half-opened eyes to locate your filters for coffee and filters when you can prepare your mojo at night?
You can also purchase an electronic coffee maker to make the morning coffee of fragrant delight waiting for you as you awake.
2.10. Do not lie in bed if you are unable to rest.
If you cannot sleep, do not lie in bed counting sheep. Contrary to the media hype, it only sometimes works.
Make yourself comfortable and get busy, like folding laundry or sorting out mail. It is fine to go through a book or magazine. Though, do not do it on your smartphone. Switch off your electronic devices. If you begin to be tired, you can go back to sleep.
2.11. Pick the best mattress – Vital sleep aids
The days of college where you slammed on the closest surface have ended. It is time to up your game by investing in the best mattress suited to your sleeping needs.
Based on the Better Sleep Foundation, you should examine your mattress yearly for seven years. If it no longer supports you, it is time to replace it. There are a variety of mattresses available, including innerspring and memory foam. If you are considering changing your mattress, stop by the mattress shop and try out different types to find the perfect one for your needs.
II. CONCLUSION
For a feeling of vigor each day, adhering to these sleep-related tips is crucial so you can wake up feeling energized. Try out one or more of these techniques until you discover a trick or method that is effective for you.
