The perfect nighttime routine. Everyone should follow one, yet we all end up staying up way past our bedtime watching the newest Netflix show (I’m looking at you, “Bridgerton”) or scrolling through TikTok. At the start of 2021, I challenged myself to find the best nighttime routine, and I think mine is almost perfect. So here it is: a beginner’s guide for creating your ideal nighttime routine with some of my favorite tips for getting the best sleep of your life.
- Get into your comfiest pajamas.
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Nothing beats taking a nice, warm shower and getting into your comfiest pajamas after a long day of school and work. Try a lavender hand lotion or pillow mist if you want to make yourself feel even cozier. Taking the time to get cozy and climb into bed at the same time every night gets your body into the routine of knowing it’s almost time to sleep, so pick a time and stick with it. I try to be in bed an hour before I want to get to sleep!
- Dim the lights and turn up some tunes.
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Dim your room lights or turn on your bedside lamp. Don’t forget to turn on night mode and warm light filters on your phone and computer if you plan to keep working while you’re in bed. Turning down the lights in your bedroom will help your eyes adjust to being in a darker room, which can help you fall asleep. I love listening to the sounds of relaxing ocean waves or the crackling of a fireplace as I wind down for the night. Your Alexa or Google Home can play white noise for you with a simple command (i.e. “Play ocean waves”), and you can even request that it play for two or three hours so you can fall asleep to it.
- Limit your scrolling, and read a chapter or two.
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This is the part I found the hardest. I love to scroll on my phone until I literally fall asleep with it in my hand, so cutting it out of my nighttime routine was hard. I now limit my scrolling to approximately 30 minutes, and I only do it if I really think it’s necessary for me to be on my phone (i.e. If I haven’t looked at my messages all day). After those 30 minutes are up, my phone is turned off. This is where my “read a chapter or two” comes in: pick up a good book and read a chapter or two! I highly recommend the “Starlight Cove” series and the “Outlander” series. It is so much better for your eyes before you fall asleep!
Those are just a few of the new additions to my nighttime routine that I have added and loved. In 2021, let’s prioritize ourselves and get a good night’s sleep every night. We all deserve to wake up feeling refreshed and ready to start the day. If you need any more ideas or tips, I guarantee your favorite influencers will have YouTube videos, Reels or TikToks explaining their nighttime routine to you! Night night and sleep tight, collegiettes!