Why your bedtime routine and sleep environment are important - Part 2
Just like babies and young kids us adults need to build in a sleep routine to aid a good nights sleep. When you have a sleep routine you are indicating to your body that you are preparing to go to bed soon to sleep. This encourages the release of melatonin and also stimulates the parasympathetic to go into a “rest and digest” state. Most of our days now we are in a state of sympathetic dominance, we are in a constant state of alert.
Some ideas for a bedtime routine.
Meditation and breathing – as little as 5 mins will change your breathing and in turn relax your thoughts so your whole body starts to relax
Journaling – writing down thoughts, worries, to do list or whatever is in your head, using it like a brain dump, is really beneficial to relax and calm the mind
Have a bath - Epsom salts have magnesium in them and are a natural muscle relaxer
Read a book – Reading a few pages always gets me to sleep!
Listen to some relaxing music – there are loads of calming relaxing music available now, so lots to choose from
Preparing for bed - An hour or so before bedtime, getting into your PJs, doing your skin care routine, showering, brushing your teeth are all telling your brain you’re going to bed soon.
Try and stick to a regular time of going to bed and getting up in the morning this will support your circadian rhythm
Have a cup of night time tea (1-2 hours before bed) – Camomile, tulsi and other bedtime herbal teas contain a natural relaxing inducer. I use Pukka teas and they have a great choice.
Your sleep environment
Making your sleep environment as welcome as possible is also a very important factor to getting a good night’s sleep. Here are just a few ideas to consider;
Bedroom temperature - Our body temperature starts to drop a couple of hours before we go to sleep. So ideally you don’t want a room that is too hot or too cold, the ideal temperature recommended is approx. 18.3 Celsius and this does vary from person to person. If the room is too hot this can cause you to wake up in the night feeling to warm and uncomfortable.
Good ventilation - Open window slightly, this may help with the temperature of the room and it will feel less stuffy making more easeful breathing.
Dark room – Dark curtains or blinds may help keep the light out particularly coming into the summer months and if you live in area with a lot of street lights.
Tidy up – Clear away any clutter that you may have in your room, this may help you relax more in a clutter free environment.
TV in your bedroom – Lots of us at some stage had TVs in our room and maybe still do. Your bedroom is a place to sleep and rest, not to watch tv. Your brain starts to associate your bedroom with watching tv and not resting. Plus you can be tempted to just watch another episode on Netflix and not get your much needed sleep!
Regular sleep times – Going to bed and getting up at a regular time each day is important to help support your circadian rhythm. Doing this regularly may support you into getting into a good routine of when to sleep and when to wake up. It is recommended that we get at least 7-8 hours sleep per night, this does vary with age and different stages of our life.
Overall creating a welcoming environment to sleep will go a long way to supporting you in getting a good relaxing night’s sleep, so when you wake in the morning you feel refreshed and ready for your day.
I hope you have found these tips helpful, any questions please ask.
