Trouble with Sleep?

Ever have trouble going to sleep, or too many things on your not mind to go to sleep? Believe it or not, having a night routine benefits sleep and can be an important part of overall wellness. Many people have their phones in bed. Screen time, especially right before sleep, easily impacts brain activity and sleep consistency. It’s actually noted that screen time makes it more difficult to go to sleep. Having trouble figuring out a night routine for yourself? Here are a few ideas.

Start the routine on the early side. 

For many people, it takes more than a few minutes to get settled for bed. By starting the routine earlier in the night, it can help ease the person into a more relaxing state before sleep. This could be after dinner, or even an hour before bed.

Think about what relaxes you. 

Many people relax in different ways. Think about what makes you the most relaxed. Some ideas could be listening to calming music or sounds, reading a chapter or two in a book, having a skin care routine, stretching, or writing down your thoughts or ideas in a journal.

Put the phone down. 

We feel attached to our phones, but one way to get better sleep is to set limits on phone time before bed. Many people use phones as their clocks and then become distracted with notifications or social media. If the goal is to limit phone time, having a separate alarm clock in your bedroom can be helpful. If taking away screen time altogether is too difficult, then simply set a boundary for either length of time on the phone before bed, or even a time when to put the phone away each night.

Practice makes perfect.

You may not immediately get better sleep after the first few attempts of your routine. It takes time for the body to adjust to a new routine or schedule, but overtime your body will learn when you do your routine that it’s time to wind down for bed. Keep practicing your routine, make adjustments if needed, and see if there is a difference in your sleep.