A few hours to catch up on household chores, watch television or browse online at the end of the day are always precious. At one time or another, we all feel like there are too few hours in a day, and as a result we use every waking hour, even after a long day at work, to its fullest. What we may not notice is that all of our multitasking pushes one routine activity to the bottom of our to-do list: sleep! It could be that you delay sleep and reduce your overall sleep time by staying up late. Or perhaps you fall asleep at the computer or while watching television, leading to unsettled hours of rest or a night of tossing and turning.
You might even be unable to sleep at all, given all the thoughts and worries in your head. For many of us, adequate and restful sleep remain an unattained goal. While there's no universal secret to sleep, there are effective methods of preparing your body for rest that could change the way you sleep forever. Find out about the bedtime routine that will encourage the most restful sleep of your life!
Prepare
Deciding when to begin your bedtime routine is almost as important as the routine itself. You should begin winding down from your day one hour before your bedtime, though 30 minutes of preparation should also make a difference in the quality of your sleep. In order for your bedtime routine to be most effective, it's also important to stay consistent with the hour that you turn in to sleep each night. Varying your bedtime hour disrupts the circadian rhythm of your body and can prevent restful sleep, or any sleep at all.
What's your ideal bedtime? Determine your optimal amount of rest (six to eight hours for most adults) and count backward from the hour that your alarm goes off in the morning. This is the time that you expect your body to fall asleep. As you begin the hour before sleep, finish or put aside any of the final tasks you have for the day. You should not go to bed hungry, but you should also try to avoid eating for three hours before you sleep. Dim the lighting in your home or turn off most of the bright lights to signal to your body that it's time to prepare for a restful period. Turn off the television, computer and any other distractions that will prevent your body from quieting.
Relax Your Body and Mind
A hot bath taken 30 minutes to an hour before sleep has profound relaxation and stress-relief benefits. Add an essential oil like lavender or chamomile for an aromatherapy wind-down as you soak. Dr. Mark Hyman recommends an Epsom salt bath, which provides the added benefits of magnesium (relaxing to the body) and baking soda (alkaline, encourages sleep) to your body. If you don't have time for a bath or you don't enjoy it, you can warm your core with a hot water bottle, which triggers similar relaxation as your body temperature rises. You might also try a short session of bedtime yoga, with gentle poses that will stretch your muscles and encourage deep breathing. Sleep doctor Michael J. Breus recommends a series of progressive muscle relaxation, during which time you tense and relax your muscles, moving from the neck down to the toes.This can be done lying in bed in the dark.
In addition to soothing your body, quieting your mind can help you sleep more serenely. You might try meditation, or sitting quietly and breathing deeply while listening to soft music. Many people also take this time to write thoughts in a journal. If you often lie awake worrying, putting your thoughts on paper can relieve your mind enough to bring on sound sleep.
Properly preparing your body for rest can allow you to enter all five stages of sleep, including deeply restful REM sleep, during the night. You could awaken refreshed, with more energy and clarity, ready to take on the day. Surely that bounce in your step is worth a few extra minutes at night that can feel like well-deserved pampering. Try it tonight for a fresh start tomorrow!
