Struggling to get a good night’s sleep? You’re not alone. Insomnia is one of the most common conditions in the western world.
So, what can you do about it?
Everyone has their own ideas. Some people swear by chamomile and lavender teas, while others use natural supplements like melatonin. But, one of the easiest ways to get a good night’s sleep is to change your routine!
Your body and brain naturally work better when following a routine. Creating a sleep schedule is an essential part of good sleep hygiene, and it could allow you to get better sleep long-term.
Let’s see how you can create the right routine for you.
CDC
1. Choose Your Times Wisely
The first step in setting up a solid sleep schedule is deciding when you want to wake up and fall asleep each day. Generally, the recommended amount of sleep falls somewhere between 6 and 8 hours.
To figure out your best times, it's usually a good idea to start from when you want/need to wake up and work backward to see when you should be going to asleep.
Choosing a set time to go to bed can be difficult when you’re first getting started, but it’s an excellent way to get your body and mind into the habit of relaxing at a certain time. Even if you can’t fall asleep, go to bed according to your schedule every night.
Unfortunately, following a routine also means you'll wake up at the same time every day – even on weekends and days off. No sleeping in. Sorry, not sorry!
2. Avoid Disruptions
Now that you know your sleeping times, it’s important to remove anything from your schedule that might disrupt that pattern. For example, it’s not a good idea to drink a cup of coffee at 9 PM if you’re planning to go to sleep at 10.
Remove anything from your routine that might cause you to stay awake longer than you expected.
This includes ensuring that you don’t rely too heavily on naps. While a twenty-minute nap in the early to mid-afternoon can be a good way to refresh, anything longer can make it harder to fall asleep come bedtime.
This also includes light. Keep your room as dark as possible to help regulate your circadian rhythm (your body's natural 24-hour cycle).
If you notice that you’re still tired after following your schedule for a while, try going to bed a little earlier. You can adjust your schedule a small amount at a time until you feel great.
3. Plan the following day(s)
It can be frustrating trying to sleep while you're still thinking about all your to-do's. Planning your days in advance can help you get to bed with an unclouded mind and a clear vision of what you need to accomplish the next day.
What are you and/or your family going to eat? What are you going to wear? Are there any important things you need to do or appointments/events you need to prepare for or leave extra time for?
No matter when you do this throughout the day, it's important to get it done. You can use a planner, a notebook or journal, your phone, or whatever works best to help you get a handle on what's coming up next so you can focus on preparing for sleep.
4. Develop a Pre-Bed Routine
Being able to fall asleep at your scheduled time each night isn’t just about deciding on a good sleeping time and reducing the time you spend napping. It can also help to do a few things each night that relax your body and your mind in time for sleep (we all know this is essential for children, but did you know it's great for you too?).
There’s no one-size-fits-all strategy for creating a pre-bed routine. Generally, you should avoid things like alcohol and electronics, which can reduce overall your sleep quality and make it tougher for you to get the restful night you need.
Your pre-bed pattern should be all about relaxation.
Maybe you could put the children to bed early, make yourself a cup of relaxing lavender tea, and have a hot bath or shower before bed.
During this time, it's also a good idea to disconnect from all devices - try adjusting your device's setting so it turns on the do-not-disturb and/or bedtime modes automatically at the same time each night or if you're really tempted, try placing devices in a different room.
Try to keep your room cool as this helps cool down your body's core temperature and signal to your brain that it's time for bed.
You could even try a few relaxation techniques like stretching, lighting candles (be sure to put them out before going to bed), journaling, or listening to calming music to clear your mind and bring it into a state that supports sleep.
Of course, every pre-bed routine should also include prayer, worship/devotion, and meditation. This is an incredible way to end your day with God, give Him your burdens and worries, and cleanse your soul of the day's messes.
Follow the same routine each night, and eventually, your brain will begin recognizing the things you do as signals that it’s time to fall asleep.
5. Know How to Deal with Problems
Finally, creating a sleep routine is great for your body and your mind in the long term, but it takes time, dedication, and patience for everything to fall into place.
Ultimately, you’re going to have a few difficult nights, bleary-eyed mornings, and problematic experiences when you’re first implementing your routine.
Don’t expect to fall asleep straight away every night - especially at the beginning. If you can’t fall asleep, get up and do something relaxing for a bit in low light. This will help to avoid creating a feeling of frustration in your mind when you go to bed.
If your routine of choice doesn’t seem to be helping you relax, after a couple of weeks, try something new.
Experiment with a sleep diary so you can track your sleeping habits and find out what works best.
The key to proper sleep hygiene is commitment and persistence.
If you continue working on your sleeping schedule, and you feel like you’re not seeing any improvements, you may want to speak to a doctor. A professional can conduct a sleep study to determine whether any underlying issues are keeping you from sleeping.
Summary
Creating a sleep routine that works for you can enhance your life in many ways. Your productivity, physical and mental health, metabolism, energy levels, and even relationships can all benefit when you’re regularly getting a good night’s sleep.
If you read all the way to the end, Thanks. Here's a special bonus tip, just for you.
Bonus Tip!
Experiment with different sleeping positions to find the one that will knock you out the fastest. For me, that's flat on my back, with my hands at my sides. No matter what's happening in my life, getting into that position will put me to sleep in minutes (sometimes seconds, to be honest).
So, try these steps and let me know how it goes!
Your Self-Care Bestie,
-L.
💖