Pre-Sleep Rituals

If you’re tired of sleepless nights, a pre-sleep routine can help shift your mind from being busy to at ease. Training your mind to prepare for sleep requires discipline and consistency. There is not a one-size fits all routine, just the routine that works best for you. Working your way backwards can help you determine the amount of time you need to unwind (usually around 1-1.5 hours).

Grab a journal and a pen and write what your favorite evening rituals are + what a perfect pre-sleep routine would look like for you.

Some evening ritual ideas:

Warm Baths

Warm baths and showers help raise your body’s temperature and make you feel drowsy. Next time you take a bath, try adding Epsom salt to reduce inflammation and relax your muscles. The magnesium in Epsom salt helps relieve stress and can also release a migraine or headache.

Dim the Lights

Limit the use of overhead lights at night. Replace overhead lights with dimmers, table and floor lamps, or even fairy lights. Add a sense of naturalness by burning wood in a fire.

Log Off

Set boundaries on your computer and phone to avoid zoom-scrolling and answering that oneeee more email. Most cell phones also now allow “time limits” on certain apps which helps us from getting “stuck”. Allow yourself at least an hour or two before crawling into bed to set your phone on “do not disturb” mode. Having these healthy boundaries will let you focus on the present moment and help you wind down your mind.

Declutter your Space

Make your bed during the day so that your bed is inviting when it’s time for sleep. Clear out any dishes or put away any clothes. Make your bedroom feel clean and like a sanctuary, so that you can feel more calm and peaceful. What is something you can add to your bedroom or even just to your nightstand that will make you feel good when you walk into that space?

Cooler Temperature

Set the temperature to be really cool. Whether that means adjusting your thermostat, turning on a fan, or cracking open a window. Researchers say that the best temperature to get optimal sleep is around 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Plus, you get to avoid waking up with night sweats in the middle of a deep sleep!

Gratitude Journal

Allow yourself the space and time to journal to clear your mind before shutting your eyes. It doesn’t have to be elaborate, perhaps just a few sentences on how your day was and writing an affirmation. What happened to you during your day that made you grateful?

Skin Care

Your evening skin care routine is important. For an evening routine, we recommend: cleansing, toning, and applying a facial oil (or a sleep mask). Part of keeping your skin fresh means making sure you have fresh sheets on your bed. Silk pillow cases are less likely to trap bacteria and can reduce chaffing or irritation.

Cup of Tea

Sipping some tea that’s infused with calming properties can help you ease in to those zzz’s. Look for teas with Chamomile + Valerian. Chamomile contains antioxidants that can promote sleepiness and act as a tranquilizer. Valerian is a type of root with sedative and sleep-enhancing properties. Lavender, Rose, Passionflower, and Lemon Balm are also known to have anxiety + stress reducing effects.

Stretching or Yoga

If it’s not too stimulating, moving your body in the evening might help you sleep better. Avoid activities like cardio and HIIT, and replace them with yoga to help relax tense muscles + release stuck energy.

Guided Meditation or Rhythmic Breathing

Taking even just 5 minutes before bed to draw awareness to your breath can reduce anxiety and stress significantly. Try a simple Box Breathing technique: inhaling for a count of 4, hold top of inhale for 4, exhale for 4, and hold bottom of exhale for 4. Repeat this exercise as many times until you experience a calming effect. Some of our favorite guided meditation apps are Headspace and Calm. You can find sleepcasts (storytelling), sleep music, and guided “wind down” meditations.

Like any new habit, you may not start to see the benefits for a few weeks or even months. One of the most important parts of your routine will be going to bed at the same time every night and waking up at the same time every morning.

Pre-sleep rituals will not only prepare you to unwind for a more restful sleep, but they will also set you up for a quality morning and next day.

Resources

“Bedtime Routines and Sleep Rituals for Restful Sleep.” Retrieved from https://www.verywellhealth.com/bedtime-routines-and-sleep-rituals-for-restful-sleep-3014947.

“How To Create An Effective Bedtime Ritual For Better Sleep.” Retrieved from https://thesleepdoctor.com/2018/09/23/how-to-create-an-effective-bedtime-ritual-for-better-sleep/.

“The 7 Best Teas to Help You Get a Better Night’s Sleep”. Retrieved from https://www.oprahmag.com/life/food/g25604298/best-tea-for-sleep/.

“How Valerian Root Helps You Relax and Sleep Better.” Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/valerian-root#TOC_TITLE_HDR_2.

Starting a New Habit

When you hear the word new, which emotions come up? Excitement, anxiety, hesitation, or even fear? New jobs, new experiences, and new opportunities force us into uncharted territory, which can be exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. Many of us get comfortable in our routines, and the thought of switching things up or doing something we have no experience with brings up lots of worries and feelings of uncertainty. While there is nothing wrong with sticking to what we know and our usual routines, we might be missing out on growth opportunities if we don’t step into the unknown and push ourselves to try new things.

What is something you’ve always wanted to add to your life? Maybe it’s playing an instrument, biking to work, taking evening walks, practicing a sport, pursuing a hobby, etc. Starting new habits is definitely daunting, but what if your goal was simply to do the new task for 30 days? As Matt Cutts explains in his TedTalk, 30 days is just about the amount of time needed to add or subtract a habit. 

By challenging yourself to intentionally doing something for 30 days straight, you will probably notice two key changes. First, you will likely become more aware of the present moment as you bring your attention daily to this new task. Also, you will start to experience a sense of mastery. The more we do things that are challenging and new, the more we gain confidence and feel capable of accomplishing things we never thought we could. By starting a new habit and sticking with it, we feel empowered and proud of our accomplishment. 

If you’re feeling stuck in a rut and looking for a way to get energized, make a list of habits you’d like to add to your life. Pick one to start with, and challenge yourself to working on this habit a little bit each day, for 30 days. Let us know how it goes!

Making Time for Pleasant Activities

When life gets stressful, we can feel quite overwhelmed by the difficult situations we face. Maybe you’re weighed down by work demands that require constant attention. Maybe you’ve got a lot on your plate and are trying to juggle the needs of others and yourself without completely burning out. Or possibly you’re dealing with interpersonal conflict that weighs heavy on your heart and mind--say a difference of opinion or an argument that’s unsettling. 

When things don’t go your way, or you’re feeling stressed out, how do you tend to respond? It’s quite typical to become anxious, worried, and overwhelmed. Sometimes we think we can just “work a little harder” to resolve the stressors. We might jump into problem solving mode and add more expectations to ourselves, thinking this will help. In other situations, we may have urges to throw up our hands and give up, since the problem seems too big. Giving up can then lead us to feel disappointed in ourselves and prompt further sadness. Another option, which you may already be practicing, is making time for pleasant activities. Often, one of the best things we can do when dealing with a stressor is to take some time and space away from the situation. By engaging in something pleasant, we create distance from the stressor, tend to our self-care and mental health, and can usually return to the issue with a new perspective. 

Instead of viewing pleasant activities and events as things we can enjoy after we’ve tackled our work or responsibilities, think of them as vital pieces of our lives that deserve to be prioritized. Consider scheduling fun activities throughout the week, carving out longer windows of time on the weekends or as possible. Making sure pleasant events are part of your weekly routine will help reduce stress, boost mood, and help you feel more balanced and present. 

Ideas of Pleasant Activities

• Go to the lake or a river

• Pick up a pencil and paper and draw

• Go for a bike ride

• Stroll around your neighborhood

• Try out a new recipe

• Give a gift card or handwritten note to a friend

• Do a puzzle

• Take a walk in a park or on a trail

• Spend time gardening or tending to an indoor plant

• Play board games

• Color a coloring page

• Exercise and move your body

• Find a new hobby

• Book an appointment for acupuncture, massage, or reiki

• Have a picnic

• Do a house project or rearrange furniture

• Reach out to an old friend

• Stargaze at night

References

“Pleasant Activities to Do.” Retrieved from https://livingwell.org.au/well-being/mental-health/pleasant-things-to-do/