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Many adults do not get enough restful sleep at night, and a poor nighttime routine could be to blame. Creating soothing rituals at the end of your day may help manage negative feelings and even help you fall asleep easier. Consider implementing these four tips to create a calming nighttime routine.
De-Stress From the Day
It’s difficult to unwind and relax whenever we’re still carrying around our negative emotions from the day. Before you go to bed, find some relaxing habits to help you cope with stress and anxiety.
Some popular ways to de-stress are to spend time journaling your thoughts or practicing meditation or breathing exercises. Or you can whip up a delicious cup of tea with honey to help you relax.
Keep Screen Time to a Minimum
Another tip is to limit the amount of time spent on your phone or staring at a screen. Keeping yourself up-to-date with every notification from your phone isn’t an effective way to clear your mind after a stressful day. Blue light from a phone, computer, or TV screen can also strain your eyes and negatively impact your ability to fall asleep.
Create an Optimal Environment for Sleep
Sometimes, making small changes to your bedroom can help you relax and easily drift into sleep. Ideally, you want to sleep in a cool, dark, and quiet environment. Minimizing the amount of distracting lights and sounds you have in your bedroom can establish a sense of tranquility after a long day.
Finding the right temperature is crucial for sleeping comfortably. Feeling too hot or too cold in bed may cause you to feel restless or rob you of valuable sleep hours.
Maintain Consistency
The key to creating a calming nighttime routine—or any routine—is to be consistent. Pick a time to wake up and go to bed that ensures you are getting the usual seven or eight hours of sleep. Going to bed around the same time throughout the week can help you develop a healthy sleep schedule. Even though it may be tempting to stay up late, promoting healthy habits is the best way to stay consistent.
Remember that building any kind of routine will take dedication and patience. It might take a while to discover the practices that best help you unwind and decompress. With time, practicing calming nighttime rituals may improve your sleep quality and overall well-being.