You wake up to 12 missed alarms. Then, it’s an all-out race to get ready in five minutes flat to avoid being late. You’re bone-tired by 11 a.m. and it’s a battle to keep your eyes open by noon. Of course, all this serves only to leave you feeling highly annoyed and irritated.
Does this sound eerily familiar? Well, in that case, you’re in dire need of a bedtime routine.
See, your nighttime ritual can either make or break the next morning. Those seemingly small steps before bed greatly affect your sleep quality and set the tone for the next morning as well as the rest of the day.
So, today, we’re sharing the 4 bedtime routines that help you to wake up feeling better and ready to take on the world.
1. Unplug and put the devices away
You’ve probably heard this advice many times and hope that today is the day that someone debunks it. Unfortunately, the science remains sound: putting away your devices at least an hour before bedtime will help you to sleep better.
So, shut down your devices or turn on airplane mode and put them away. Realistically, the emails, messages, and even the latest episode of your favorite drama can wait until the morning.
2. Make full use of essential oils
For some quality z’s, you should absolutely incorporate essential oils into your bedtime routine. Add a few drops of lavender essential oil into your diffuser to help promote deep sleep. Alternatively, sprinkle a few drops of the essential oil on your pillow.
Another great way to unwind right before dreamland is to take a relaxing bath. Pour a few drops of essential oils into your bath and let it work its magic. Some of the most popular oils that help with sleep include ylang-ylang, chamomile, and patchouli.
And, if you’re looking for something low maintenance, there’s nothing more effortless than just massaging essential oil onto your body.
3. Write it all down
If your mind races with a thousand thoughts when your head hits the pillow, you might want to try journaling. After all, researchers have found that writing before bed helps you to fall asleep significantly faster.
Set aside 15 minutes every night and just write about anything — your day, daily highlight, or something to be grateful about. All you have to do is to put pen to paper.
But, if journaling just isn’t for you, you can plan for the next day instead. By creating a to-do list for the next day, you can stop mulling things over. Plus, you can also hit the ground running upon waking up.
4. Wind-down
Even if it’s just 10 minutes, allow yourself that brief moment to do nothing and wind down. If you have a white noise machine, turn it on and let it soothe you.
Otherwise, a quiet meditation session will work wonders, too. After all, in our world where everything is amped up, a quiet moment can be elusive.
Give these methods a try and you’ll find yourself waking up happier and ready to tackle the day.
