With an absolute sh*t show of a year, achieving a restful sleep at night is more important than ever right now. Many of us find our motivation at an all time low and for those of you who have worked from home or been furloughed, it’s unfortunately all too easy to slip into a routine of late nights, extended lay-ins and wasteful days.
As I’ve explained in other posts, wellness is super important to me right now. Not just because of 2020 or the effect the pandemic had on my mental health/urge to look after me a lot more, but because I now live in my own home like a fully fledged adult (and can no longer refuse to get up unless my Dad makes me a bacon buttie for breakfast) – oh, and I’m 30. Prime adult age.
I have also always struggled with some form of sleep insomnia more or less. Perhaps not as severe as others, but ever since I hit my teens, I found that days filled with anxiety or stress made it harder and harder for me to fall asleep and stick to a healthy sleeping pattern. I’m also notorious for deciding that if I can’t sleep, I might as well get up and do something productive, rather than lying in bed and wasting my time waiting for sleep.
Luckily, this year has taught me that it’s more important than ever to look after my mental health/my body – which includes eating right, exercising regularly and getting enough sleep.
Although I’m no expert, here are 5 things I do to help me achieve a restful sleep.
PUT YOUR PHONE DOWN
This is an obvious one but it’s easier said than done! I try to get into the habit of putting my phone down at least an hour before I go to sleep, just to help relax my mind and detox from technology. I make sure I’ve got all my alarms set and, lately, I’ve also been switching my phone to ‘Do Not Disturb’ mode when it comes to bedtime, because I can see my phone from where I sleep so I constantly see it lit up with notifications otherwise!
Putting your phone down doesn’t necessarily mean you have to go straight to sleep – it just helps settle your mind. Otherwise, the light emitted from staring at your screen can affect your sleep-wake cycle, plus the need to reply to any notification can leave you feeling active and awake for long after you put the phone down.
SleepTown is a fun little game app that can help you develop the habit of not checking your phone at night – you set a sleep cycle and the app will build a beautiful little town the longer you stay off your phone. If you break the habit, it will instead build ugly, crumbling buildings!
STRETCH IT OUT
Having a short evening stretch/meditation session is also a great way to relax your body before bed. Even five minutes of yoga can help you stretch out and release the tensions of the day! I found a really sweet, minimalist graphic of both an evening and morning yoga routine on Twitter, which is perfect for beginners like me. It takes just three minutes and can be paired with some meditation too.
CONSIDER USING SLEEP AIDS
We’re a tired generation overall, constantly complaining about lack of sleep often due to working too hard on our careers and side hustles in the day. It’s all fun and games, however, until it genuinely wears you out and you find yourself unable to work anymore. If it’s affecting you that badly, luckily there are lots of sleep aids out there, such as CBD for sleep. CBD is short for cannabidiol, but this aid is completely legal in that it’s a different compound found in the cannabis plant and doesn’t get you high – only aids with pain, sleeping issues etc. It’s also used often in oils to help with period cramps and mood swings too! Giving up fizzy or high-caffeinated drinks before too late in the evening is also a good idea: instead swap that strong coffee for a green or fruit/herbal tea instead.
Read more: Creating wellness with Blue Tea Box
SET THE SCENE
Whilst I don’t recommend doing a full room tidy moments before you’re about to go to bed, I think having a relaxing space around you is super important. If it’s a Sunday evening, it’s also pretty nice to put on a fresh set of bedding – luckily there’s a whole bunch of autumn/Halloween-themed bed sets in shops right now!
Do an indulgent skincare routine. Light a candle, close your curtains or blinds and if it’s still early, spend some time reading a book or doing a relaxing task like cross stitch, listening to a podcast or, y’know, even having some fun with your other half (because nothing sets the scene for a restful sleep like getting rid of all your frustrations and tensions..). You could even use this time to journal and write about your thoughts and feelings from the day you’ve had.
But it’s important to remember that if you still can’t sleep, don’t force it! I know that once you’re unable to drop off, all you can think about is how little sleep you’re going to get and your mind just ends up going around in circles. Don’t reach for your phone. Try reading a little more or slowly counting backwards from 300. You’ll get there.
CONSIDER A MORNING ROUTINE TOO
Although not strictly related to habits you should do in the evening, eventually working a morning routine into your day-to-day life will also help. Not only will waking up naturally help round off your restful night’s sleep, but it’ll also leave you feeling better overall throughout your day = which hopefully means less stress and anxiety and a more relaxing mood when it comes to bedtime. Things that help a great morning routine include not pressing the snooze button, starting the day with a big glass of water (lemon water is especially refreshing!) and a morning stretch.
Do you struggle to sleep at night? Do you use any sleep aids like CBD or include journaling in your evening routine for restful sleep? Let me know!
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