Mini-Series on Sleep: Part Two

By Anonymous -
Last week we touched on the importance of developing a sleep schedule. That is a great place to start but that is not the only thing that will help you get the healthy sleep you need. 



Developing an evening time routine that helps with winding down can also be very beneficial. This will look different for different people, the important part is to develop a routine that works for you. Individuals that are struggling with not being able to "turn off" their brain to fall asleep may benefit most from developing a wind down routine.

Do you need to start winding down 30 minutes before bed? An hour? Two hours? 
Find what works for you, it might take some time to find that sweet spot but it can make a big difference in the quality of sleep that you get. 

As I said this will look different for each person but here are some ideas to get you started:

- take a hot shower

- do some light stretching

- bedtime yoga practice (here's a great 7 minute video)

- meditation

- light reading

- cleaning/tiding up the kitchen or family room

- turn on your essential oil diffuser

- person hygiene activities



So let's put this all together in an example: 

Adrian has decided that to get the right amount of sleep they need to go to bed at 10pm and wake up at 7am. Adrian wants to make sure that when getting in to bed at 10pm they are really ready to fall asleep quickly without ruminating on what happened during the day or what needs to be accomplished tomorrow. 
Starting at 9pm Adrian straightens up the kitchen, wiping down counters if needed and setting out the banana they plan to eat in the morning. Adrian writes down the things they need to do tomorrow and leaves the list with the banana. Adrian grabs the book they have been reading and sets a 20 minute timer to ensure they do not lose track of time. After 20 minutes of reading Adrian heads to the bathroom to floss, wash their face, and brush their teeth. Once hygiene is done Adrian fills up a glass of water to have on the bedside table. Adrian spends 10 minutes doing some stretching and breathing exercises that they have found beneficial. Adrian gets into bed.


Develop your own routine and let us know what works for you!


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