How to Create a Nighttime Routine for Better Quality Sleep

Sacrificing precious zzz’s has a huge impact on your overall health and well being. Modern research and studies show that poor sleep quality is linked to health issues like inflammation, obesity, out of whack hormones, sugar cravings, depression and anxiety. With our uber busy lives and million and one to-do’s, we can all benefit from taking our down time a little more seriously.

Which brings me to — how do we encourage better sleep?

~ First things first: if you have trouble falling asleep, cut back on caffeine — especially after midday. Those 4 PM iced lattes to get over the weekday energy slump is doing nothing for your quality of sleep.

~ Avoid eating super heavy meals late in the evening — the idea is to go to bed feeling satiated, but not overly full. Eat nourishing, warm meals in the night — soups, stews, hearty salads with roasted vegetables etc.

~ Exercise is great, but a high intensity sweat session after work can hamper your sleep. It’s best to reserve the power workouts for the morning, and keep evenings for walks, or gentle yoga.

~ Upgrade your sleep environment. Make your bedroom comfortable and conducive to the best sleep you can get. This means you should keep the area clutter free and relatively cool. It also means invest in dark, blackout curtains; and consider purchasing a weighted blanket.

~ Go to sleep at the same time every night because it trains your brain to recognise when it’s time to power down.

~ Most importantly, give yourself time to unwind with a bedtime routine, for at least an hour before you doze off.

Why is a nighttime routine so important?

A routine has the ability to make us feel grounded and secure, and having a well planned evening routine can make a huge difference in our sleep quality. Similar to how a morning routine can set the tone for a productive day, having a nighttime routine is just as important. Poor sleep makes us feel stressed, anxious, irritable, and lowers our productivity. With a regular sleep routine, we’re able to wake up feeling refreshed, and ready to take on the day.

According to experts, a regular nighttime routine helps to train your brain when its time to unwind, resulting in better quality shut-eye. A routine doesn’t mean a one-size fits all approach. In fact, the better suited the your bedtime ritual is for your unique needs, the more likely you are to stick to it. The key however, is to stay consistent.

Use these guidelines to create a daily wind-down ritual that will help you get seriously dreamy zzz’s.

1. SWITCH OFF

Shut down activities that stimulate the brain at least an hour before bed; and this includes TV, laptops, and phones. If you like watching a TV show at night, do it at least an hour before you want to sleep. Any devices and screens with blue light trick your brain into believing it’s still day time, making it hard for you to power down when you want to sleep. Same with laptops and phones. Make your bed a no-device space.

It’s also a good idea to dim the lights. This allows the body’s natural circadian rhythm to lower cortisol levels in preparation for sleep.

2. ORGANIZE

How often have you laid in bed not being able to fall asleep because you have a 1000 thoughts racing through your head, and fear that you won’t remember all of it the next morning? It’s a good practice to write out a “brain dump” every night when your mind is running on overdrive. If you jot down everything that’s on your mind, you won’t be stressing about it as there’s no chance you’ll forget anything.

A good way to clear your head and reduce stress is to plan the next day: make sure your calendar is up to date, write out thoughts and ideas, make a to-do list. You’ll not only be more prepared for the day, but also get restful, stress-free sleep.

3. PRACTICE SELF-CARE

Carve out some time for daily self-care, skincare, and personal hygiene. Whether that means taking a quick shower, brushing and flossing; a relaxing skincare routine; a nightly gua-sha facial; or a long warm bath — that’s up to you.

Taking a warm bath helps your body get into it’s cooling off period, encouraging deeper sleep. Adding epsom salts or magnesium salts to your bath also aids relaxation.

4. UNWIND

Experiment with aromatherapy to help unwind. Break out the essential oils—lavender and chamomile are excellent choices that soothe the mind and create a calming effect on the nervous system. Diffuse a few drops of essential oil, add some to your bath water, or spray it on your pillow. You can try a humidifier, or light a scented candle. (The lights are dimmed, remember?).

Another way to unwind is by sipping on sleepy-time teas — again, chamomile and lavender are great choices. You can also supplement with an adaptogen like ashwagandha that helps lower stress and anxiety, and is known to promote better sleep habits. Learn more about adaptogens here.

5. GO TO BED

Once you’re in bed, try reading a few pages of a book or spending some time journaling. If you’re still having trouble falling asleep, look into guided mediation sessions using an app like Headspace or Calm. Practicing Yoga Nidra, the ancient yogic practice that involves deep breathing and body scanning techniques of mediation, can also set you up for deep restorative sleep. Learn more about the practice here.

Notes + Tips for creating a nighttime routine that actually sticks

Create a routine that’s unique to YOU. It can have as many or as few steps, as long as it’s something that serves you. That’s the only way you can stick to it.
Start your bedtime routine BEFORE you get too tired and comfortable in bed, so that you don’t get too lazy and skip it altogether.
Give it time — Just like with any other habit, a nighttime routine is not something you can develop overnight. Stay consistent, even if you fall off the wagon a couple of times.

There you have it. Hopefully, this gave you some insight into how you can create a mindful nighttime routine that works for you, helping you unwind and improve your sleep quality for a more energised AM.