What Do You Do Before Going to Sleep?

Getting quality sleep at night is just as important as a healthy diet and regular exercise. We often spend the time before sleep scrolling through social media, watching TV, or working. But we don’t realize that these things will surely affect the quality of our sleep. Following a bedtime routine is the first step to getting good sleep at night.

We all have a bedtime routine: brushing teeth, changing into pajamas, skincare, a warm bath—all these are part of our bedtime routine. But there is so much more you can do to get quality sleep at night. In this blog, we’ll share some easy and effective activities you can incorporate into your bedtime routine.

Why You Need a Bedtime Routine

Do you ever feel that you used to sleep better as a child and now, as an adult, you don’t get that peaceful sleep? This is because for kids, the sleep schedule is fixed, then they go to sleep at a specific time every day, and they follow the same bedtime routine, like brushing teeth, having a snack, taking a warm bath, or reading a book. As adults, we go to bed exhausted and tired. We don’t want to waste any time on these activities and just want to lay down and do something while lying on the bed. And most of the time, something is either scrolling through the phone or the TV.

It is very important to prepare the mind and body to transition to sleep. Doing the same things in the same order lets your mind and body know that it is time to go to sleep. Also, doing a bedtime routine in dim light increases the production of melatonin, which helps with sleep.

10 Things You Can Do Before Sleep

A bedtime routine is the same set of activities performed every night for 30–60 minutes before going to bed. Everyone has their own personal bedtime routine according to their preferences and sleep environment. It is important to do things that make you feel calm. You can add some of the activities given into your bedtime routine to make it better and to enhance sleep quality at night.

Dim Your Lights

It is important to dim the lights 1-2 hours before bedtime. Exposure to bright lights and artificial lights right before bed can affect your body's internal clock by making you think it's time to stay awake, and you will have a hard time falling asleep. You can also try using warm color lights like red and amber, but avoid using blue light because it can confuse your brain that it is still daytime and you can have difficulty falling asleep.

Take a Warm Bath

As your body temperature impacts sleep, getting a warm bath or shower before sleep helps your body prepare for the cozy bed. The hot bath changes your body's core temperature so that you can sleep at a lower temperature. A temperature drop signals the body that it is time to sleep. It also improves blood circulation and helps reduce blood pressure. Keep in mind that the duration of the bath should not be longer than 10 minutes.

Brush Your Teeth

This simple habit keeps cavities away and your teeth healthy. It is to make sure no food particles are left inside the mouth before you go to sleep. Foods you eat throughout the day leave debris and particles on your teeth that feed bacteria that can release acid and cause tooth decay and gum disease. Set an timer for 2 minutes and focus on the motion of the brush. You can practice mindfulness during this task.

Change into Pajamas

Changing into pajamas not only make you feel comfortable but also prepare your body for bed. Also go for sleep that is loose fitted and of good quality comfortable material. Don’t go for uncomfortable tight fitted sleepwear as it can keep you fidgeting under the covers.

Listen to Music

Music works wonders in making you feel all calm and relaxed. The music you choose is totally nased on what you like listing and what makes you feel good. Most people find slow classical music soothing. You can also try white noise or calming nature sound to sleep better.

Meditate Before Bed

Regular meditation is not only relax you mind but body too. You can try rote prayers or meditating mantras as per your yoryureligion. You can also follow any book or online sources or even download a meditation app to help you relax before unwinding.

Journaling

A journal is a great way to clear your mind before going to sleep. Journaling before bedtime not only enhance your sleep habits but also help you sleep faster and enjoy a more peaceful sleep. You can write down things like what is on your mind and how you feel about it.

Have Light Snack or Bedtime Tea

Heavy meals just before bed can make it hard for you to fall alseep. You can ea some light snails like yogurt , a piece of fruit, cherries, grapes, kiwi or nuts. You an also drink non-caffinated herbal teas to calm the mind and induce sleep.

Make a To-Do List

If journaling is a little overwhelming for you, you can start with making a simple to-do list. You can make a list of all the tasks that need to be done the following day; it not only helps you stay organised but also helps you get better sleep.

Prepare Your Bedroom

The sleep environment is really important for getting a good night's sleep. Try to keep your room  dark, quiet, and cool. Turn off noisy electronics, dim the light, and remove the clutter inside the room. You can also try aromatherapy at home.

Conclusion

The last step of any bedtime routine is getting into bed. This should be the very last thing you do. After your head hits the pillow, try to fall asleep and do nothing else. Your bed ought to be a comfortable haven reserved for sleeping. You can add some activities from the list to your bedtime routine and get quality sleep at night so that you can wake up refreshed in the morning.

If you want to try aromatherapy at home, you can try the Aroma Diffuser with free essential oil. To reduce indoor air pollution, use an electric aroma diffuser to spread essential oils throughout your house or place of work. Essential oils smell good, are cleansing, energizing, and release life-giving negative ions into the air. They are also antibacterial, antiviral, and antimicrobial. It is very beneficial for people, pets, and plants to diffuse essential oils of therapeutic quality.