We all know that dreadful morning feeling. Sometimes, hearing your alarm in the morning makes you want to throw your phone across the room, hide from the world under your covers and disappear into the plush comfort of your bed. You feel like a teenager again groaning at your mother just for five more minutes. Well, to be frank, you aren’t a teenager anymore. You’re an adult, and it’s about time you developed a nighttime routine to help you start acting (and sleeping) like one. Here are 5 things you can easily integrate into your nighttime routine to wake up feeling energized and ready to crush your day at work.
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Put down that phone. It may seem like you’re unwinding while you scroll through social media before bed, but in reality, you’re not unwinding at all. The blue light that your phone emits keeps you awake much longer, as it stimulates the brain, making it more difficult to fall asleep.
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Try reading or writing in bed. You know how I said to nix the phone before bed? Well, you’ll really notice a difference if you replace it with reading or writing! These activities calm your brain down, encouraging you to go to bed much faster than you normally would. Pro tip: Keep a notebook in your bedside table! If any thoughts pop into your head, get them out on paper rather than storing them in your brain when you’re trying to sleep.
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Take a hot bath. If you’re thinking you don’t have time for a hot bath before bed, you may want to reconsider. According to Dr. Michael Breus, also known as “the sleep doctor,” taking a hot bath reduces pressure on your joints and relaxes your muscles, which is essential before a good night’s sleep. Integrating this step into your bedtime routine will benefit your sleep efficiency and sleep quality, causing you to be more productive the next day, and get things done faster.
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Dim the lights before bed. As your bedtime approaches, try dimming the lights about 30 minutes ahead of time. According to the Sleep Foundation, this will relax your eyes, allowing you to fall asleep faster when your bedtime finally rolls around.
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Make the scent of lavender your new best friend. Whether it be a lotion, an oil diffuser, or a room spray, use this scent before bed. The scent of lavender is proven to aid in sleep, and if you train yourself to only enjoy this scent at night, your brain will associate this lovely flower scent with bedtime. This will send you sailing into a good night’s rest.
Original photo by Lily Borror
