Sleep and stress have a tense relationship. Stress is often what prevents us from getting a good night’s sleep and without that sleep, the stress only increases. Stop the vicious cycle by creating a routine that you can follow every night to signal to your body the stress needs to go because sleep is coming. Here are a few ways you can improve your nightly routine to coast right into a blissful slumber.
Drink tea. Make sure it’s caffeine free, but something about being warmed up from the inside out is so relaxing. There are a variety of sleepy and bedtime teas available on Amazon
Brush your teeth. Ok this is a part of a normal hygiene routine, but take it a step further. Maybe floss like you’re supposed to. Get an electric toothbrush to give you a massaging and beyond clean experience.
Take a bath or shower. Again, maybe this is a part of your hygiene routine, but make it indulgent. Make the water extra hot. Invest in a small essential oil diffuser to have a lavender-infused shower (lavender is known to help with relaxation). Massage your scalp while you wash your hair. Exfoliate during the shower and lotion after. Treat yourself!
Wash your face. I get it. You do this already. But again, how can you take it up a notch? I’ve started using rosehip oil every night and I love it. And at least twice a week I take the time to do a mud mask. Stress can take a toll on the skin – treat your skin and the stress simultaneously with a nightly face routine.
Turn on white noise. I never knew the power of white noise until I had children. And when I saw how peacefully they slept and how it helped them go back to sleep in the middle of the night, I was convinced to try it myself. Whether it’s noisy neighbors, too much traffic or too much silence, a simple white noise machine can be the difference between a long, deep sleep and a restless, exhausting one.
Pray or meditate. As little as five minutes of peaceful thoughts can change your mood. I pray with my children every night and make a point to start with what we’re grateful for. It’s hard to be stressed when you stop to thank God for things like having breath to even be a part of the day, let alone experience good health and safety.
Stretch or do yoga. While praying or meditating is a great way to relax the mind, stretching is a great way to relax the body. If you want to be able to do it without getting electronics involved, these simple charts can slide underneath your bed during the day.
Write in a journal. Don’t force yourself to standards like time or page length if that stresses you out. I actually write in 3 journals every night – one for each of my children and one for the family overall. I plan on sharing them all with my children, but it helps me relish the funny thing they said or the milestone they accomplished. And it will someday provide insight what is the mundane and day-to-day to us now that they wouldn’t know otherwise. While that’s what works for me, other people prefer to type. Some prefer to answer prompts. Some prefer bullet-journaling. Find a method that works for you.
Read a book. I cheat on this one and use the kindle app on my tablet, but it still helps me escape my own world and reality for a bit which has significantly reduced those anxiety-driven thoughts as I’m trying to nod off.
Take melatonin. I recommend starting with the lowest dose (1 mg) and seeing how that affects you. I personally take 1 mg. most nights right before I settle in with my book and it’s a great way to relax my body and my mind relaxes through reading.
Get a weighted blanket. This has become very popular lately, but a weighted blanket is a great way to fall asleep faster and stay asleep. They come in a variety of shapes and weights. For the best results, purchase one that is 10% of your body weight.
TL; DR Getting a good night’s sleep is critical for your mental, emotional and physical health. Having a consistent routine that you love not only ends your day on a positive note but starts the next one on a positive note as well.
*Adulting: A Crash Course is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
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