Many adults struggle with getting enough sleep. And while most of us know that getting quality sleep is crucial for our health, how many of us actually make a conscious effort to get enough hours of shut-eye every night?
I know I don’t always make time for adequate sleep, and I know I’m not the only one. After all, most of us always have something on our minds that we’d rather do. It seems like in today’s day and age, everyone is always busy with one thing or another.
However, getting enough rest is not only crucial to keeping under-eye bags at bay, but it also is essential to our physical health. Not only does sleep help heal our bodies from the inside out, but it also works on preventing the risk of many diseases.
With all that said, there are many people who struggle to sleep not because they don’t want to, but because they don’t know how to switch off when it’s bedtime.
If you’re one of those people, you’re in luck. Because today I am going to be showing you 5 nighttime rituals that are going to help shut your mind off and prepare your body for sleep.
Plan to go to bed at the same time every night
When you go to bed at the same time every night, your body will, over a period of time, get used to sleeping at that hour. This will help you a lot because when it gets to that time of the night, your body will naturally begin to get sleepy. Getting yourself into this pattern is a great way to train your body to sleep and wake up at the same time every day.
Stop technology an hour before bed
If you’re someone who likes to scroll on Instagram or catch up on the news before bedtime, consider doing that earlier in your day. Instead of consuming content from behind a screen, it is better to spend the hour before your bedtime doing something that will relax you, like reading a book.
Practice self-care
The nighttime is the perfect time to practice a little self-care. Because self-care is so personal and not everybody likes doing the same things, you can check out my post on 60 ways to practice self-care here. Whether you are someone who likes to go for a jog at night or if a bubble bath is more your style, practicing a little self-care before bedtime is going to relax you and get you ready for bed.
Practice mindfulness
Mindfulness is a really good practice to take on before bed. If you are someone who struggles with not being in the moment most of the day, then the nighttime would be the perfect time for you to add a little mindfulness. There are many things you can do to practice mindfulness in the evening: have a quick yoga session, journal about your day, meditate, or even pray. These mindfulness methods are also perfect for you if you’re always short on time, since they don’t have to take a long time at all. All you need is between 5-15 minutes of mindfulness.
Make a to-do list for the next day
Making a to-do list for the next day will be perfect for you if you tend to worry about the next day’s tasks a lot. When you write down what you need to do the following day, not only does that prepare you for a productive and organized day, but it also helps give you peace of mind. You won’t have to worry about all the things you need to get to the next day because you’ll have written them all down already.
For even more ways to get ready for a good night’s rest, check out 10 relaxing things to do before bed here.