New Year’s resolutions can change your life, but sometimes they can create more stress when unrealistic goals are set. This year, I decided to forgo the whole concept and instead focus on the changes I was already implementing last year, one of which was establishing a nighttime routine.
I’ve struggled with sleep issues quite a bit in the past, whether it be because I stayed up too late binging my latest TV addiction or because I allowed my stress to keep me tossing and turning for hours. Either way, a couple of months ago I decided enough was enough and I needed to improve the quality of my sleep. I started researching ways to manage a better sleep schedule.
One method for managing your sleep schedule is perfecting your circadian rhythm, which is your body’s internal clock that can regulate and synchronize your sleep schedule when you fall asleep and wake up at the same time every day. However, I’m in college and a chronic procrastinator, so that was never going to happen for me. Something I found that worked for me was stress-reducing tactics, which can be great for improving sleep, according to the American Heart Association. They say that a nighttime routine helps you to wind down, and it manifests the “Zzz’s” for me! I designed my own around these techniques that have worked well for me in the past.
to-d0 list
As a true Virgo, one thing that has always helped ease my mind is making a to-do list to ensure I’m not forgetting anything important. The first part of my nighttime routine is creating a list of everything I want to accomplish the next day. The second part is immediately doing everything I can to forget it until the morning.
skincare
After making my to-do list, I love stepping out fresh and clean (I’m a committed night showerer) and immediately jumping into my skincare routine. After a lot of trial and error with my skin, I learned I get the best results with a simpler routine: a little double-wash, witch hazel toner, and lotion packed with ceramides and hyaluronic acid. After that, I’m suddenly feeling like a brand new person. If I can muster up the energy, I’ll add in my gua sha massage for instant relaxation.
journaling
Another part of my nighttime routine is journaling. It’s always helped take my mind off anything and can be very therapeutic for me. It’s an outlet where I can be completely unfiltered and free to write anywhere from three sentences about my day to three pages about my entire life. Doom-scrolling far into the night has never helped me overcome my sleep issues, so engaging in tech-free activities like this is another great way I promote my healthy sleep.
tea
Recently, I became a tea girl. A nice chamomile or lemon ginger tea before bed is perfect for calming me down, but every once in a while it needs to be replaced with a sweet treat. My course of action is to implement the trending sleepy girl mocktail, which consists of tart cherry juice, magnesium, and a caffeine-free soda of choice. Unfortunately, some stores in a walkable radius of campus have been completely out of cherry juice when I’ve visited!
Although I’m not perfectly consistent, the last few months of adding these steps to my nighttime routine (rather than the regimen of brushing my teeth and letting my TV play until I knock out) have changed the game for me. Improving my sleep and lowering my stress have helped me start my days feeling more refreshed, lower my brain fog during the day, and feel more on top of my workload. Continuing the effort and working to make this a daily habit will only make the rest of my year go better than ever.
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