How To Wind Down Before Bed

Wondering how to relax your body before bed?

There are endless benefits of destressing and relaxing every day before going to sleep. Unwinding ensures a great night’s rest! From lowering the chance of heart attacks to preventing depression, relaxing before bed has many benefits.

How much sleep should you be getting each night? For most adults, at least seven hours of sleep each night is needed for proper cognitive and behavioural functions. Ideally, try to aim for between 7-9 hours sleep each night. 

So, how can you get a better night’s sleep? A healthy bedtime routine could be just the ticket to help you wind down from your day and lessen those sleepless nights and grumpy, anxious days.

Creating a bedtime routine, a set of activities you perform in the same order, every night, in the 30 to 60 minutes before you go to bed, is one of the easiest steps you can take to enjoy better sleep. 

Bedtime routines are a simple lifestyle change that can help your mind and body wind down before bed. Below we have some ideas for you to incorporate into your night time routine to help you unwind.

• Switch off your electronics

Say goodnight to your electronics at the beginning of your bedtime routine. Electronic devices, including computers, televisions, smartphones, and tablets, all emit strong blue light, which can trick your brain into thinking it’s daytime. As a result, your brain suppresses melatonin production and works to stay awake. Instead of playing on your phone, or watching Netflix, try journaling or expressing gratitude for your day. Reading is also a great way to wind down the mind. 

• Have a warm bath or shower

The warm water can help relax your muscles and help wash away any stresses or worries of the day. Studies have found that dropping your body temperature via a warm bath or shower can trigger a sleepy reaction. Your body will heat up from the water, and cool down quickly as the water evaporates, creating a sensation that makes you feel tired and relaxed.

• Keep your feet warm

That’s right, warm feet help you relax. This is because when your body and feet are warm, you feel more comfortable. This, in turn, helps you feel relaxed and allows you to get to sleep more easily. Feet are the most crucial part of the body when it comes to regulating your body temperature. So, next time you unwind before bed, try wearing socks, fluffy slippers or keep a blanket over your feet, as this will help you get into the mood of comfort and relaxation.

• Dim the lights

Bright lights around the house keep your brain alert and energetic, therefore lighting is very important when trying to create a relaxing environment. Dimming the lights around the house an hour before bed will signal your body to prepare for bed.

• Write down your thoughts

If the stress of your day-to-day job isn’t letting you unwind, then we recommend taking an hour before bed to sit down and write down a to-do list for the next day. If you have worrying thoughts, write them down with ways to solve it. After that, put it away and look at in the morning. This is a great way to clear your mind before bed!

• Practice mindfulness

Relaxation techniques like deep breathing exercises can allow you to let go of physical and mental tension. And, a regular meditation practice can improve your sleep quality. Mindfulness meditation teaches people to allow their thoughts and manage emotions, enabling sleep onset, rather than stressing about not falling asleep. You can find an adbundance of guided meditation exercises and breathwork cycles in the new Flourish & Fulfilled App. New meditations are added monthly!

• Listen to ambient sounds

Types of audio, like ambient sounds and white or pink noise, has been shown to improve sleep quality, and may help you fall asleep faster by masking other sounds. Find ambient sounds, like rain and waves, to help you relax into a deep sleep in the new Flourish & Fulfilled App.

 Remember 

Sleep can be seen as the action that keeps your body running at its fullest potential, and it should not be taken lightly. So try and get plenty of it!

What does your bedtime routine look like? Leave a comment below.