How many times have you said “tonight I will go to bed early” or “tonight I will switch my phone off early”, then before you know it its 11 o clock & you have been scrolling through your phone looking at absolutely nothing even worth remembering or you are 5 episodes deep into your favorite series on Netflix thinking “ill have an early one tomorrow night” then you wake up the next morning tired, grumpy, rushing, eating on the go etc. & repeat…..
We are so busy during the day that we find it so hard to shut down at night. We use our phones, TVs & food to distract us from how overactive our minds are. When we should really use that time to wind down, relax, switch off & prepare for a long, deep & relaxing sleep while giving our body & mind the break & rest it needs.
I have put together a list of things to do before bed that will help you relax your mind, sleep better & have a much more productive following day. Choose at least 2 things off the list that are realistic for you & use them as your new bedtime routine.
Read - choose a book that you enjoy, leave it beside your bed & commit to reading at least one chapter a night
Meditate / Breath - sit up or lie down whatever makes you feel most comfortable. Put some relaxation music on You Tube or download Headspace or Calm app. Take deep breaths & relax throughout. Its ok if your mind wanders, just bring your focus back to your breath and the music. If you have never done this before start with 5 minutes and add an 2-3 minutes on each week. Light some candles or incense for some extra Zen!
Switch off your phone at least an hour before bed, put it into a drawer or leave it down stairs. Once it is out of sight you are less likely to reach for it out of habit. If you need an alarm clock.. go old school!
Tidy your bedroom - Tidy room tidy mind
Dim down or turn off the lights about an hour before you go to sleep
Journal - if there is anything on your mind that you feel will affect your sleep, write it down! You will feel a little lighter.. promise.
Write 3 - 10 things you are grateful for or 3 - 5 positive things that happened that day. Sometimes we get so caught up in the negative stuff we forget all the good that’s around us. Writing it down is a nice reminder & also nice last thoughts to have before we drift off to sleep
Stop drinking fluids at least 2 hours before bed - this will put a stop the toilet breaks during the night
Prep your work clothes / gym gear / kids school clothes / breakfasts for the next day. This will save flapping around the house the next morning & you will also gain you an extra few mins in bed or to have a coffee in peace while the kids are still asleep.. win win!
Cut out eating foods that are high in sugar or drinking caffeine to late in the day for a better quality sleep
Have a bath, use Epsom salts, Radox, bath bombs, light candles, bring your book in.. Gowan you deserve it 🥰
