Having a nighttime routine is so important to staying well-rested and healthy. Creating a small routine that you can stick to every night will relax you and get you ready for the next day. By doing these things every night, you’ll begin to automatically do them without thinking about the next step to complete before bed. Everybody’s nighttime routine is different, but here are some things I do before hitting the sheets.
I can’t sleep without my bedtime tea. Drinking tea before bed helps to relax me, as there is something just so calming about sipping a hot drink before climbing into bed. To speed up the process, I usually microwave a mug of water for about a minute and thirty seconds. For flavors of tea, I prefer drinking decaffeinated green tea of Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime Tea. Feel free to squeeze in some lemon, but try to leave out honey as the sugar will make it harder to fall asleep. I find drinking a warm mug of tea before bed helps me doze off much quicker and leaves me feeling so well-rested the next morning, just remember to pee before bed!
I can not get a good night’s sleep if my room is a mess. It’s fine to call me a neat freak. Stepping over piles of dirty laundry on your way to bed is just pure laziness. Spend a few minutes tidying up your room before going to bed for the night. Throw dirty laundry in the hamper, hang up clean clothes, put your shoes away, and clear the extra junk off your dresser. This way when you wake up in the morning, you’ll be waking up to a fresh, clean room. You won’t have to worry about cleaning the next day, and you’re much more likely to be productive with a clean space. If you do this every night before bed, there should be very little to take care of each night!
Climbing into bed when you’re covered in germs and filth from being out and about all day is gross. We might not even realize that laying under our covers in our leggings we wore to class or in our sweaty sports bras is spreading so many germs to our bed. Every night it is important to shower before bed, even if it’s just a body shower. Scrub your body, lotion, and throw on a clean pair of pajamas. You’ll feel so much better about yourself, and about the sheets, you’re climbing into. Cleaning off before getting into bed each night will keep both you and the bed feeling fresh and clean.
Keeping a constant skincare routine will benefit your face so much. Make sure whatever products you choose to use are consistent and in the same pattern every day. After getting out of the shower, wash your face with warm water and a gentle cleanser. You can also use a facial scrub brush, I tend to like these better than using my hands because you never know what germs you’re carrying around. Pat dry, and use cotton balls or cotton pads to apply an astringent. WitchHazel is a great option for this second step and isn’t too pricy. Finish it off with a soothing lotion, and then spot treatment for any blemishes you might have. After I finish my skin, I throw on a layer of vaseline to my lips before bed. About two to three times a week, apply a mask such as a sheet mask, a charcoal mask, or a mud mask to really treat your face!
If you choose to wash your hair in the shower, you’ll have a few more steps to your nighttime routine. Shampoo and condition your luscious locks in the shower. Stay away from brands such as Pantene or TRESemmé as they are cheaper and tend to harm your hair. RedKen is a great hair care brand, though it’s a little pricier than others, it will keep your hair full and healthy. Two to three nights a week, apply a hair masque, leaving it in for about three to five minutes before rinsing. Towel dry after the shower and spray a few sprits of detangler in your hair so it’s easier to comb out. Sleeping with a head of wet hair is extremely uncomfortable, so either take a few minutes to blow dry it out or squeeze out excess water with your towel and throw it in a top knot for the night! This will also make it much more voluptuous in the morning, so if you suffer from flat, thin hair this is a great idea.
Sometimes before bed, I overthink my plans and responsibilities for the next day and tend to get stressed out, and stress makes falling asleep SO much harder. Every night, whether it’s on your phone or a piece of paper, write out a quick to-do list. If you have assignments due, chores to take care of, errands to run, or meetings to attend, whatever it is jot it down! Match up each responsibility with an estimated time range, say 11 a.m. homework, 1 p.m. workout, etc. This will keep you on track for the next day and give you a better night’s sleep knowing what tomorrow will look like.
If you workout, you know how important it is to stretch. Add this step into your nighttime routine to feel completely relaxed when you lay down in bed. Nobody likes the feeling of tight muscles or knots, and stretching can help tackle that problem. It doesn’t have to take a lot of time, say five to ten minutes just stretching out your arms, legs, and back. Not only should you stretch before bed, but repeat the routine when you wake up in the morning! You’ll be amazed at how much better you feel when you add stretching into your everyday routine.
Candles always set such a chill, relaxing vibe. Light a few candles around your room when getting ready for bed. Dim the lights, or leave on only your string lights, and light your candles. This will set the mood as you stretch out, write your to-do lists, or just chill in your face mask. The dim candle lights will get your mind ready for bed and calm you down for the night. Just make sure to blow them out before you fall asleep!
Reading a book before bed will benefit your mind and your body. Reading slows down your breathing, calming you down and getting you ready for bed. Feeling more calm and relaxed will help you fall asleep much faster. Staying off your phone an hour before bed is so important, as the light from your phone makes falling asleep much harder and reduces the quality of your sleep. If you find a book you like, you’ll even get excited to jump into bed and read it. Don’t stay up too late getting caught in the storyline! Try to limit your reading from around 30 to 45 minutes before bed.
Something that people need to start taking more seriously is the amount of time spent on their phones. Scrolling through social media is extremely addicting, we know that, but out of sight out of mind as they say. When you charge your phone for the night, plug it in on the opposite side of your room. This will keep you off of it before bed, and you won’t be tempted to grab it if you wake up in the middle of the night. Staying off of your phone an hour or two before bed will improve your sleep patterns and help catch some z’s so much faster!
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