A good night’s sleep is one of the most important things we can give ourselves, but for some people it is not easy to achieve. I always think about all the routines and the time spent on getting my daughter to sleep. Why don’t we make that effort for ourselves? I have been for a few months now, and it is life changing. Here are my tips to create a nice sleep ritual that will really help you get that much needed rest!
- Bedroom Environment
Keep it dark. Dark is so important when sleeping. I mean even the light from a clock. It needs to be pitch black. I uses a sleep mask and it is awesome! I highly recommend finding a sleep mask that really blocks out all the light.
Keep it quiet. It can’t be totally silent but managing disturbing noises is key. For me it was my snoring dogs! I had to move them out of the bedroom at night. This has probably had the biggest impact on my restful nights sleep. Now, if your partner is snoring I am not sure kicking them out of the bedroom is the best idea…..but maybe trying earplugs is!
Keep it cool. The ideal temperature for sleeping is around 65 degrees Fahrenheit. I was surprised by this but it seems to be working for me. My husband now has like 3 blankets covering him because he thinks it is too cold. So, I say try it and find a temperature that works, but try to keep it on the cooler side.
Keep it technology free. Get your phone out of the room. That simple.
Keep it about sleep and rest. Make your bedroom a restful place. Try picking a scent to use only in your bedroom. I use a linen spray on my sheets and curtains and this keeps a light scent in the bedroom. ( Tip - when traveling I bring that scent and spray my hotel room - it helps me sleep better when traveling!) Don’t bring your computer in your bedroom, keep it a stress free zone. No work and no phone calls, just rest and sleep.
2. Bedtime Ritual
Introducing a wind down period before you turn the lights out for sleep is my new favorite thing. It can take 30 - 60 minutes, maybe even longer! It is crazy to think that we can go from the craziness of the day to sleep without a transition period. It really helps with how quickly you fall asleep once you get in bed. I have my usual routines that include having a cup of tea, washing my face and doing some nice treatment for myself like a face mask or cream for my feet and some cozy socks. If I have had a really crazy day I may take a bath too. Then I always read a real book in bed, not from an electronic device!
3. Sleep times and wake up times
This is so important, well all of this is important but this one is REALLY important! Going to bed at the same time every night. Of course we can’t do this 100% of the time but I bet you can 95% of the time! It helps with the routine and we have sleep cycles and the more consistent we can be the more our bodies get trained to go to sleep at certain time. Just as important as when we go to sleep is when we wake up. You need to wake up at the same time every day too! The consistent sleep and wake times help our bodies quickly fall into sleep cycles and then pull us out of the cycle too. This will make for a more restful sleep and you will feel like you had a restorative night of sleep. ( Tip - NEVER hit the snooze button. It can cause sleep inertia, which is basically part of your brain still sleeping because it wasn’t able to cycle out of sleep and then you feel like you are in a brain fog all day!!)
As we spend this week focusing on getting rest I hope you try some or even just one of my tips on getting better sleep! Stay tuned for more tips on getting rest and please share some things that work for you! Follow along on social media for more!
Marcy
