A good night’s rest is just as important for your health and wellbeing as what you do during the day. Unfortunately, though, Americans aren’t big fans of sleep. According to the Centers for Disease Control, about 35 percent of Americans are sleep deprived, sleeping less than seven hours per day.
The key to sleeping well is to develop a good nighttime routine, as the body doesn’t always “know” when it needs to go to sleep. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to help your brain and your body wind down after a long day. Here are five tips for building a better nighttime routine in no time at all.
1. Give yourself time to unwind.
The body isn’t wired to fall asleep immediately. In fact, your brain doesn’t begin to decompress and relax for bed until two hours before you get into bed. With this in mind, give yourself time to relax before it’s time to hit the hay. It can be exceptionally difficult to just go from running around all day to plopping on your bed, so take about 90 minutes at the end of the day to ease into your routine.
Consider meditating, eating a healthy snack, or reading a good book. Giving your mind some space before hitting the pillow will allow for a deeper sleep, where you can leave your daily stressors at the door!
2. Invest in high-quality pajamas.
Quality pajamas can mean the difference between restless sleeping and a night of deep sleep. Choose sleepwear that is not restrictive and is made of cool, loose material such as silk or linen, as you will want to feel as comfy as ever when you get ready for bed. Plus, not many people understand how a good pair of pajama pants and a pajama top can make you look forward to getting ready for bed — so go ahead and splurge on those comfy items! You won’t regret it.
3. Take a supplement.
Sometimes, you just need a little extra boost to help you sleep a bit better. There are multiple natural supplements out there that can help anyone relax naturally and without worry. One example of this is Phytage Labs, which develops health and wellness supplements made with natural ingredients, so you can be confident with what you are putting in your body. While individual results may vary, they are worth trying, as they add a healthy boost to your daily vitamin and mineral intake as well!
4. Wash away stress with a bath.
Taking a bath will gradually lower your internal body temperature, which helps to encourage a healthy night’s sleep as the body sleeps better when it is a bit colder. A bath will increase your core body temperature, which then results in the dilation of blood vessels, which directs blood to your skin, making you sweat. Sweating will then release heat and eventually bring your body down a degree or two, but it is best to take a dip about two to three hours before bed to reap the best benefits. If not, you then risk being too hot when you get to bed, causing you to stay up later than originally planned.
5. Create a to-do list.
It’s easy for your mind to go a million places before it falls asleep, but the best way to nip this in the bud is to create a to-do list for tomorrow. This easy task will prevent you from worrying too much about what is on your plate tomorrow, which allows you to relax and to save the anxiety for another time. Remember, when you head to bed you should only be thinking about one thing, sleep. Anything else can wait until the morning!
With these tips in mind, you will be in dreamland in no time at all!
