4 Habits To Include In Your Bedtime Routine For Better Sleep
As kids, our parents usually help us set bedtime routines that make us drift off to sleep peacefully. However, as an adult, you’re in charge of your bedtime routine if you want better sleep.
If you think you’re too old for bedtime stories or are undeserving of being snug-as-a-bug-in-a-rug, think again. In this article, we take the self-care conversation further and present four tips for adult bedtime routines that are more fulfilling than drifting off to the television.
1. Have A Nightcap
When we take time to appreciate the things that we do for ourselves, the entire event can feel like self-care.
Select your drink of choice, be it an herbal tea or hot toddy. Take your time preparing and then sipping your drink mindfully. Have gratitude for your tea kettle, your fine bottle of whiskey, your favorite mug, and your mental clarity as you enjoy your comforting beverage.
Settling in for the night on a high of relaxation and gratitude is the recipe for a good night’s sleep.
2. Journal or Brain Drain
The act of writing is incredibly therapeutic. It gives you an outlet for your thoughts and allows you to reflect back later.
Writing before bed is particularly helpful for those of us who get caught up in our thoughts. Journaling about whatever usually keeps you up at night will help you fall asleep quicker. That could be events in your day, your dreams for the future, or your deepest concerns. If you’re more practical, then brain drain your to-do list for the next day.
Writing provides a sense of meditation and control. To maximize these feelings, be sure you’re writing down what truly matters to you in the moment. Whether you feel content writing love letters or grocery lists, it’s all good stuff.
When you journal before bed, we recommend that you use the Five Minute Journal. It’s structured perfectly for you to take a little bit of time before you snooze to get all your thoughts and feelings out.
The Five Minute Journal: I am a huge fan of the five-minute journal. It only takes a few minutes a day to write out your intentions your gratitude and your goals for that particular day. I especially look forward to opening my journal at the end of each day and writing out and reflecting on how my day went. The Five Minute Journal is set up in a way to ensure that you are happier more successful and overall more intentional about your day.
3. Get Cozy and Comfortable
A bedtime routine should include coziness at every corner.
Put on your favorite pajamas, your fuzzy socks, and maybe place a hot compress over your forehead or feet. For extra support, invest in a cooling weighted blanket. Weighted blankets are known to reduce anxiety as they create a sense of safety and support for the body.
Fluff up your pillows and turn on your essential oil diffuser to turn your bedroom into a luxurious bedtime experience.
4. Listen to Sleep Stories
Bedtime stories are not just for kids. There are tons of podcasts and adult bedtime stories you can purchase to help you drift off to sleep. Some boast how boring they are because of how beneficial listening to something boring is in terms of getting you to fall asleep.
If you don’t want to drift off with headphones on, use this idea of invoking boredom by reading something dull. A few paragraphs of your teen’s physics textbook should do the trick.
Being a real grownup does not mean that bedtime routines have to go out the window altogether. Just turn off the soap operas and put down that midnight snack and the guilt you have for indulging. We know wholeheartedly that Late-Night Talk Show cannot give you the kind of bedtime routine you truly deserve. Create one for yourself with these tips, however, and you are golden.
