Eat dinner at a reasonable time.
Sometimes with busy lifestyles, it is definitely hard to set a routine for ourselves and eat dinner early. But the truth is dinner time is the time for us to begin unwinding after the long day weve just had, spend time with our loved ones, and disconnect from the outside world…all while nourishing our bodies. Eating dinner late also is not healthy for you! Our bodies need time to digest our food properly so eating a large meal before 7pm will allow it to do just that. Your body will utilize your foods nutrients much more efficiently if you’re not just eating and basically climbing into bed afterward.
Prep yourself for the day ahead.
Whether it’s making yourself lunch for work the next day, your kid’s lunch for school, or just cleaning up the dishes in the kitchen sink, this little step will help you feel that much better about your day ahead. There won’t be as much on your to-do list when you wake up in the morning. Maybe that allows you to give yourself a few more minutes to sleep in.
Prioritize self-care.
Self-care is extremely important to me, and is especially crucial for my mental health. The more you take care of yourself, the better you feel, and the better you feel, the happier you are.. right? I try to give myself this time to give myself and my body the relaxation it deserves, so I am fully prepared to have a good night’s sleep. Here is a list of some things I like to incorporate into my nightly routine:
+ take a hot shower
+ do a face mask
+ have a set skincare routine, and don’t skip it!
+ put on your favorite body cream
+ have a light snack
+ make a cup of tea
+ read a book
Use a humidifier and and essential oil diffuser.
I swear by this! Truthfully, I don’t even know how I was sleeping at night before I used a humidifier. I cannot go to bed without it. Especially during the winter, with this dry air and heat on in our houses 24/7- it is much needed. I used to literally wake up with dry mouth or even a sore throat from time to time. So yeah, I’d say it’s pretty life-changing. They are also known to help with cold and flu symptoms so during this time and with COVID it is extremely important to be take every precaution possible with our health.
Essential oils are so great! They make so many blends that are great for anxiety, stress, insomnia, etc. You could also just use a simple oil like lavender to help you sleep.
Limit screen time.
I know, I know. This one’s hard. Phones are addicting and it’s so easy to get caught up in seeing what everyone has been doing all day. Or just stalking your favorite ig influencer. This is something we all seriously need to work on, I’m sure, myself included. Even just saying, “Ok, I’m going to give myself an hour and then after 9pm I’m done for tonight.” is such a big step. Or, not even taking your phone to bed with you at all, which allows your more time to indulge yourself in a book, watch a movie, or spend quality time with your spouse. Here’s the thing, sitting on your phone while you’re in bed has been known to cause lack of communication in relationships, lack of quality time with your spouse, and even things such as stress on your brain. The blue light from your phone screen restrains the production of melatonin- the hormone that controls your sleep-wake cycle, making it harder to fall asleep and wake up the next day.
These are all simple ways that work for me, I’m fully aware that they may not be for everyone. That being said, make sure to share below what you like to do to really wind down and relax at night!
xo,
Kayla
