Written by
The Hormona Team
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]If there’s anything that’s certain, it’s that we arent getting enough sleep. But what if I told you that you could have time for yourself to relax and do what you wanted, and catch a few more ‘ZZZs’?
Enter the night time routine. Beauty vlogger favourite and arguably a success story for those that dare try to have a relaxing evening, this is a sure-fire way to get a good night’s sleep. Centrally, an evening routine centres around reviewing the day, relaxing your body and mind, and having the time to do what you like.
If you have responsibilities such as being a mother, finding a minute for yourself is no easy task. So instead of trying to set aside an hour for yourself, try and scrape together all the time you have; 15 minutes will do the job.
In total, prep is advised to begin 2 hours before sleep. In the earlier phases of your routine, focus on doing something you enjoy to mellow the stresses of the day. Whether its spending time with the family, reading, of even watching the TV, this ‘me time’ will kick off the decompressing you need before your night’s sleep.
The causes of sleep problems such as Insomnia often relate to the anxieties experienced during the day. In one survey, 58% said they couldn’t fall asleep due to a busy mind, and another 24% said it was due to worry and stress, so if you’re also tossing and turning, maybe try relieving yourself of the day’s worries.
By looking back on the day – both the positive and negative – the thoughts that buzz around your head will become organised. By also making to-do lists, particularly the mental one which fizzes around your mind before you sleep will be sorted, and problems pushed to the next day in an organised fashion.
Additionally, journaling logs your feelings and helps you find closure, leaving a clear and happy mind to dream the rest of the night away. Selfish Darling’s Gratitude Journal is an excellent tool to reflect over your day.
Learning to de-stress through meditation and deep breathing are heralded by various lifestyle bloggers as useful to coping with every day anxiety. By practicing this before bed, and even doing relaxation practices in bed, your mind will be able to calm.
This newly found calmness should define your night-time routine, and is at the core of getting your 40 winks.
Furthermore, by incorporating an evening routine into your daily routine, you can experience the benefits of self-care, giving you that crucial time to look after yourself that we so often neglect.
Selfish Darling Gratitude Journal, £24.99, Shop here
Before you switch off your side lamp to turn in, are you checking your emails that one last time?
Its time to click the lock bottom well before you even consider pulling on your pyjamas. First and foremost, light from the screens impact our melatonin rhythms and thus effect our body clock.
By stimulating our brains and telling our bodies to stay awake longer, the chances of us falling asleep deplete. They also inevitably give rise to stress which any routine should aim to eradicate.
So, avoid winding down with gadgets; nevertheless, if you need a digital fix, the TV is a possible alternative as it far away from the eye, and doesn’t emit the same type of light which can be so detrimental to our sleeping pattern.
With any routine, comes mind and body association with certain components of it. By winding down in another room, such as reading with dim lighting, and then, when tired, shifting to your bed, you can associate tiredness with finally getting into bed.
Save your bed for sleeping, or you could be used to being awake in bed, a feeling anyone in need of an evening routine will be only too used to.
When working out your night-time routine, whether switching out your phone for a book, or doing a few deep breathing exercises before you finally hit the hay, follow what seems right for you. Your routine is about you, and your body.
Tell your body something new, and it will listen. Eventually.
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Dr Singh is the Medical Director of the Indiana Sleep Center. His research and clinical practice focuses on the myriad of sleep.
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