Happy Wednesday, everyone! I mentioned a couple of weeks ago in my post about setting & achieving goals that I wanted to work on developing a better sleep schedule and ultimately create a better routine. I have always had trouble falling asleep and was determined to finally find a system that allowed me to get the rest I needed.
I have been pretty consistent with this routine over the past couple of weeks and I am so excited to share these habits with you today! If you are like me and also have trouble sleeping, or just want to try something new, this is the post for you!
8:00pm:
My routine begins around 8pm with some herbal tea. I never used to like tea, but over the course of the past year or so, I have begun to enjoy it here and there before bed. It is so nice to have after dinner to help you digest, relax, and get ready for the night. Plus, if you drink it out of a cute mug it’s that much better, right? ๐
9:00pm:
Around 9pm is when I begin to wrap up any work or projects that I had been doing throughout the evening. I give myself an hour to an hour and a half to watch TV or Netflix, do my skincare, brush my teeth, take out my contacts, put on comfy clothes, etc. Lately, I have been loving these pajamas from Lands’ End – I have two pairs and they are super cozy!
10 or 10:30pm:
Between 10 or 10:30pm, I put the screens away and get ready for bed. I always use my chamomile & bergamot lotion from Bath & Body Works, and rotate between the matching pillow mist or my essential oil diffuser. Once I’ve done that, I get cozy with whatever book I am reading. I have been implementing this habit recently and I think it has worked wonders for my sleep! I find that I get tired more easily and sleep more soundly when I end my night reading rather than watching a show. I usually do this for 30 minutes to an hour depending on how tired I am.
11 or 11:30pm
After putting my book away, I make sure my alarms are set and turn in for the night. If I’m still not feeling too tired, I will reach for a sleep story on the Calm app. I discovered these during my sophomore year of college and they are the best! They are essentially bedtime stories for adults, but they allow you to relax and drift off to sleep with ease. Some stories are fictional, and others are nonfiction. One of my favorites is The Nordland Night Train which takes you on a train ride through the coastal towns of Norway. The narrators put you right into the scene and make you feel as though you are actually there. Most of the sleep stories are available on the premium version of the app, but it has seriously changed the game for me – I think it is definitely a worthwhile investment.
That’s it for my night routine – it is fairly simple, but doing this consistently has really pushed me to develop better sleep habits that allow me to feel refreshed and rejuvenated when I wake up in the morning (but more on that routine in another post coming soon!) As I continue to incorporate these habits each night, I am hoping that I can fall asleep even earlier!
Thank you so much for reading!
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