Struggling to Sleep? Craft Your Perfect Sleep Routine

June 20, 2024

Tossing and turning at night? Counting sheep until dawn? Waking up tense and tired? You're not alone. Millions struggle with getting a good night's sleep. But don't worry! By establishing a personalized sleep routine, you can achieve refreshing and revitalizing sleep.

The key lies in creating a nightly ritual that signals your body it's time to unwind and relax. Consider these steps to design your ideal sleep sanctuary:

Dim the Lights: Our bodies naturally produce melatonin, a sleep hormone, in response to darkness. An hour or two before bed, ditch the bright screens (laptops, phones, TVs) and opt for softer lighting. According with the Sleep Foundation, the blue light emitted by electronic devices disrupts our natural sleep cycles. Instead, use this time for reading or writing a gratitude journal.

Consider what you eat and drink prior to sleep: Studies suggest it is best to stop eating about 2 to 3 hours before bed. This allows time for your body to digest the last food you ate so it won't disrupt your sleep, but leaves a small enough window before sleep that you won't go to bed feeling hungry. Avoid caffeine and alcohol. Instead try drinking chamomile, lavender, passion flower and lemon verbena tea. Here is a link to my favorite mix: Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime Tea.

Create a Calming Environment: Make sure your bedroom invites sleep: cool, dark, comfy and quiet. Consider install blackout curtains or just an eye mask, and maybe using earplugs or a white noise machine to block out any distractions.

Unwind Your Mind and Body: A relaxed mind equals a relaxed body. Before bed, opt for a calming activity like gentle yoga, light stretching, or a 5-minutes meditation. Check out this YouTube channel with guided meditations for sleep: Sleep Guided Meditation. Increased relaxation with products containing lavender essential oil, such as room mist, pillow spray or body lotions to apply prior to sleep. A tip: inhale and exhale deeply at least five times with lavender essential oil products in your hands, close to your face.

Establishing a relaxing bedtime routine will signal to your body it's time to wind down. Include the mentioned points systematically until you develop a full routine.

Consistency is key! The more you stick to your sleep routine, the easier it will be for your body to fall asleep and stay asleep. With a little planning and some TLC, you can finally sleep like a baby and wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day!

Sweet Dreams!