5 Bedtime Rituals for a Good Night’s Sleep.
I’ve established a bedtime ritual that has allowed me to get the most restful sleep possible. I know this works because whenever I veer of course, I feel the consequences when I wake up the next day. The following are a variety of practices that I’ve tried out and added to my routine over time:
#1 Journaling
Summarizing on my Day One iPhone App with a single photo, three things I’m grateful for, three amazing things that happened and three things I could have done better.
#2 Natural Calm
One of my favorite over the counter supplements that is packed with magnesium to help combat both physical and mental stress from the day. I mix a teaspoon’s worth of this powder into a glass of water and it’s the last fluid to go down the hatch before bedtime. I love this so much that I’ll pack some for when I’m traveling to ensure a good night’s rest when I’m out of my normal environment.
#3 Digital Curfew
I’ve enabled the native Night Shift mode on my iPhone and also downloaded f.lux on my MacBook to automatically reduce the amount of blue light hitting my eyes after sunset. Both overlay an orange tint over the screen to minimize the brightness. I also invested ($10) in a pair of blue light blocking glasses which look like orange sunglasses. I’ve found that these glasses end up making my eyes extra sleepy and ready for bed which has been a nice bonus. In addition to all of these minimizers and blockers, I enact an 8:30pm digital curfew so that I am not looking at any screened devices after that time.
#4 Stretching
I work out in the morning and am usually heading into the office right afterwards. I’ve found that saving my stretching for the end of the day (when I’m able to squeeze it all in during meetings), really helps me to relax and become mindful of my body to loosen up. I use my Apple Watch to set two minute timers per pose. Every Coach and Body Worker I’ve engaged with has suggested at minimum two minutes per stretch per side which is where I came up with that number. I will also grab a foam roller and lacrosse ball to mobilize specific areas for two minutes as well.
#5 Reading
Last but not least, my final step and usually under the covers. Even if just a few pages, I have made a commitment to read every day and love continuing to learn at my own pace. I keep a journal next to me to hand write things I don’t want to forget (I am usually reading self-enhancement books).
If you’re not feeling rested and restored in the mornings, it could be worth experimenting with one, more or all of the methods I’ve found to work above. Let me know how it goes and feel free to share anything you do!
Last Updated/Enhanced: March 12, 2017
