An evening routine can help relieve some of the stresses from your day. Some ways to relax include sipping on something warm, taking a shower or bath, reading or listening to music.
Habits developed early can foster healthier sleep into adulthood.
Bath or shower
An aromatic bath or shower just before bed can be one of the best ways to achieve restful restful slumber. The warmth of water helps relax you, reduce body temperature and prepare you for falling asleep and staying asleep throughout the night. Plus, skin and muscle relaxation contribute to deeper sleep quality!
While some may consider taking a warm bath a luxurious indulgence at bedtime, it can actually be very beneficial. Aim to take one approximately one hour prior to sleep in order for your body to begin lowering its core temperature and signal to your brain it is time for sleep. Furthermore, this bath or shower provides the opportunity to rid your body of sweat, dirt or grime before relaxing into a peaceful slumber.
Add soothing scents, such as essential oils or bath salts, to your bath or shower to help ease anxiety and reduce stress levels. Music has also been proven to promote sleep. For added relaxation during bath or shower time, consider purchasing a weighted blanket.
Establishing a sleep routine relies on consistency. By performing the same ritual each night at approximately the same time, your brain will learn to relax and prepare itself for restful slumber – something which has tremendous positive implications on health and well-being.
Sleep rituals should become part of your everyday routine for children, particularly at bedtime. At the end of a busy day, children’s minds can quickly race at the end of it all and it can be hard for them to settle into relaxing activities such as reading or singing a lullaby. A bedtime ritual will help your child unwind and sleep quickly – including activities both practical (brushing teeth or donning pajamas) as well as more personal such as reading or singing a lullaby.
As part of your routine for restful sleeping, incorporate these activities an hour before bedtime into a regular and repeatable schedule, dim the lights and enjoy a blissful slumber.
Reading
An evening reading ritual can be an effective way to enhance your sleep quality. Reading can reduce stress, ease racing thoughts, and help you fall asleep more quickly – as well as increasing brain activity and aiding concentration on tasks throughout the day. Reading can also serve as an alternative to watching TV or using social media.
Reading before bed has long been an established habit that promotes good sleep in adults. Reading is also a relaxing and entertaining way to pass time before drifting off to dreamland.
If you don’t already have a bedtime reading habit, creating one can be easily accomplished. Simply set aside just a few minutes each evening to read from a physical book rather than electronic devices; the latter creates a more relaxing environment for your mind. Select something interesting but not so stimulating that it prevents sleep altogether.
Reading before bed can help improve both your quality of sleep and waking energy, thereby leading to more energizing days throughout the week. Reading can also reduce stress levels and calm racing thoughts – perfect for people struggling with insomnia! Additionally, reading can spark your imagination and deepen dreams more profoundly; research suggests people who read before sleeping tend to have more engaging dreams than those who don’t read before sleep!
Before heading off to bed, it is recommended that you read for at least 10 minutes, or more if needed, to help prepare yourself for sleep. Dim or amber lighting will work best in helping set the stage for restful slumber and it is also wise to attend to any necessary hygiene issues before getting cozy under your sheets.
If you have a family, choosing and discussing books as part of bedtime routine can create strong bonds among members and demonstrate to children how proud you are of them.
Listening to music
Listening to music as you prepare for bed can be extremely soothing, helping your brain associate it with sleep. Calming songs or classical music work well; repeating a piece night after night may even train it to relax you when the song plays again. Be careful in choosing music that could trigger emotional responses that keep you awake though; the best time and place to listen would be approximately 30 minutes before bedtime for maximum effectiveness and less wakeful nights.
Studies have revealed that music can help those struggling with insomnia find restful restful restful rest by aiding in suppressing waking hormones and increasing production of the sleep-inducing melatonin hormone. Furthermore, listening to the same piece regularly trains your brain to relax upon hearing it which can have an immediate calming effect.
Effective bedtime rituals involve creating a consistent nightly ritual that includes practices to help calm you, such as drinking warm glass of water, brushing teeth and donning pajamas or reading aloud to children, journaling or singing lullabies. Furthermore, your ritual should exclude activities which interfere with sleep such as caffeine consumption, alcohol drinking or watching television at bedtime or using your phone/tablet before sleeping.
Bedtime rituals provide numerous advantages for young children. They provide a safe place for kids to express any of their fears or doubts, share stories or reflect upon events of the day without interruption from adults; while also enabling parents to demonstrate love and kindness through actions other than words alone. Finally, their quiet consistency provides parents with much-needed respite while simultaneously increasing emotional stability, behavioral regulation and learning readiness in children.
Spending time with a loved one
Spending quality time with loved ones before bed is an integral component of any bedtime ritual. Spending this time can help both partners to relax and prepare for restful slumber, while simultaneously creating positive feelings between you. From snuggling together on the couch for movie night or sharing massage sessions together to giving each other face massages – spending this time will not only relax both partners but can also strengthen bonds between couples!
Avoid activities that could impede on getting a restful night’s rest, like eating heavy meals before bed, watching television or using electronic devices such as cell phones or tablets, smoking, or using bright lights before going to sleep; the blue light from these screens can decrease melatonin levels and prevent you from falling asleep quickly.
Babies and kids require a routine at bedtime to help them relax before sleep, whether that means talking about their day with you, expressing any doubts or fears they have, sharing humorous tales or just saying, “I love you” before cuddling together in bed.
Bedtime stories help children develop cognitive skills and increase pre-reading ability. Children also appreciate storytelling and listening to books more. While parents may feel inadequate in terms of reading aloud to their kids, making bedtime story time an enjoyable event can make bedtime storytime memorable for everyone involved.
Playing music while they brush their teeth or giving each other facial massages can also be a great way to bond at bedtime and have some fun together. They could even compete to see who can brush faster or make the silliest faces while brushing.
Last-minute changes in bedtime routine can create anxiety and resistance among children who already struggled to fall asleep at night, using potty breaks as a stalling technique. To combat these challenges, parents need to create an uninterrupted and predictable routine that provides comforting and soothing assurance to their kids.
