Mornings - their success depends on the quality of our sleep!
If you’re a busy parent on the go, you’re most likely running around the house trying to get the kids and yourself ready for work. Maybe you’re an avid gym-goer who wakes up at 6 am before heading to the office. Perhaps you’re like me, a freelancer who works from home and sleeps in until 11:30am. No matter how hectic our mornings are, we all need a decent night of sleep to get our days started.
For me, I start my day off slow. I wake up, shower, make breakfast, and start working. Others are running around the house, making sure everyone has their lunch money for school or making sure you don’t show up to work with flexi-rods in your hair (I’ve done this before).
Curating a morning routine is easy to figure out, especially if you don’t have trouble getting up. These routines may not be ideal, but waking up is the first step, and then eating something so your body can have fuel to function throughout the day.
Now the body is prepared to stimulate and be active, but how do you get your body to wind down when the day is done?
We have some tips for you to get your best bedtime routine.Let’s pretend your bedtime is 10 or 11 pm. There are a few things that you can do to prepare your body for bedtime.
Afternoon (Noon-6pm)
First thing, cut back on caffeine. Depending on your body’s sensitivity to caffeine, it can remain present in your body for four to six hours, sometimes 12. If your body is sensitive to caffeine, it will be difficult to fall asleep later, especially if you indulge in a Caramel Macchiato (my favorite) after 5 pm.
Chocolate tends to have about 12-20 mg of caffeine, depending on the type you’re eating. If you still need a little caffeine, order a cup of joe that’s only partially caffeinated. Maybe munch on a chocolate bar as a treat for yourself. If you’re not sure how much caffeine is in your food or drinks, use a caffeine calculator.
Another fluid that can hinder sleep is alcohol. You do not need to cut it out completely. Forcing yourself to quit something will make you want it more. You can moderate the amount of alcohol you have throughout the day or during dinner. To avoid disrupted sleep, cut your alcohol consumption off four hours before you go to bed.
Evening (6-9 pm)
Okay, so you’ve already eaten dinner, stopped drinking coffee, and hopefully only had one glass of wine.
If you work from home as I do, you may find yourself working later in the afternoon. If you still have work to be completed, make sure you do it in a designated workspace in your room and never in bed. This way, your mind won’t associate your bed as a stressful workplace but rather a place you can relax at night.
While sitting at your desk, kitchen, or on the sofa working, put on a nourishing face mask. You’re multitasking, working, and doing your skincare routine.
As it gets later, you want to limit your screen time. If you’re unable to, you can change the settings on your devices to dark mode or switch to night shift to filter out blue light. You can even invest in some cute blue light glasses if you’re looking for a new accessory.
Late Evening (9-midnight)
After sitting working all day, take some time to do some yoga before laying down. Stretching reduces tension in your limbs and stress. Meditating can help you forget about your annoying coworkers who steal your leftover dinner in the breakroom. If you’re me, it’s your roommate eating your last Nutty Buddy without asking. After sitting working all day, take some time to do some yoga before laying down. Stretching reduces tension in your limbs and stress.
Once you’re done stretching, take a nice warm bath or shower. The water stimulates blood flow, and heat will escape quicker. Showering before bed can also prevent sweat and dirt buildup on your freshly washed bedding.
When you're dressed in your pajamas, head to your kitchen and get yourself a cup of warm water. Adding lemon is optional. This is one way to detox your body before bed and help you digest the dinner you had earlier.
If needed, occasionally you can take a supplement like Kindroot Snooze Lozenges. While you're waiting for those to kick in, grab that one book you bought because the cover looked pretty and start reading. You could do this while lying in bed or sitting in your living room. I prefer doing this on my sofa.
When your eyes feel droopy and you can no longer focus on a sentence, put your book down and tuck yourself in for bed.
Read more about effective sleep routines with our Sleep Coach, Rebekah Delling here.
