I’ve Made Small Changes to My Evening, And They’ve Added Up
Consistently getting better rest, night in, night out.
Before the quarantine started, I didn’t have a “bedtime routine”. I just went with the flow. I did whatever I wanted up until it was time to sleep. I used to worry often about falling asleep and getting enough sleep. Recently, I read a book that changed my perspective. It was a book about sleep and it’s benefits called “Why We Sleep” by Matthew Walker. This one book, which I highly recommend to everyone, changed many of my habits and made my evenings much more relaxing and has helped me establish a positive nighttime routine.
Why Have A Routine?
It is important to have a routine because it makes it much easier to fall asleep and gives your evenings a much smoother flow. It means I know what I need to do before climbing into bed and has allowed me to not only go to sleep earlier but also have some time to read a book before bed. Going to bed at the same time each evening is also beneficial because it keeps your circadian rhythm going smoothly.
Your circadian rhythm is an internal clock that controls the levels of melatonin being released in the body. When there is more melatonin, the body knows that it is time to sleep.
Shower Early
This is one thing that I have started doing since I began my running journey, and it has greatly eased up my evenings. It means that I have an extra twenty minutes to read, finish up dinner, watch a show, or finish up whatever tasks I have that day. It just makes for a less stressful evening overall. As well, showering every day also makes it easier to fall asleep as there isn’t as much sweat and dirt on you.
Turn Off Devices
I try to turn my technology off about an hour before I go to bed. This allows my eyes to have time to relax. If I am using technology, I make sure that I have enabled nightshift, which changes the tones of the screen from blue light to a more sepia light. Instead of a bright white screen, there is a softer, more orangey screen. By doing so, the amount of harmful blue light I am exposed to before bed is reduced, making it easier to fall asleep.
Keep Track Of The Time
When I first started to get into a routine, it was because I wanted to have enough time to read before bed. Now, I know approximately how long it takes me to get ready. By figuring out how long I need to do my skin routine, brush and floss my teeth, brush my hair, get my bed ready, I am able to plan accordingly and better utilize my time. Additionally, I can make ensure that I plan to have a long enough window to get enough sleep.
Read Before Bed
Instead of watching a show before bed, I have been trying to read a book for at least fifteen minutes. It doesn’t always happen, but I try to read before bed as often as I can. Reading allows me to relax my mind, and empty my mind a bit before falling asleep. Often, I find that if I am reading a complex book, after a chapter or two I begin to feel sleepy.
Turn Down The Lights
In the hour before I go to bed, I try not to bombard myself with bright lights. I like to keep only a small lamp on in my room, in order to let my eyes get adjusted to the darkness. As well, dimming the lights acts as a trigger for your body to release more melatonin in order to feel more sleepy.
Falling asleep, in the past, has been something that I have worried about. But by incorporating several small changes into my routine, I am able to get a better night of sleep, consistently.
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