Do you struggle to fall asleep at night? Does the sound of your partner snoring keep you up for hours–whilst you wonder how they got so lucky as to fall asleep easily? Do you wake up multiple times each night, thoughts racing, and toss and turn for hours until your alarm goes off?
That used to be me, friends. For over fifteen years!
Since elementary school, I’ve consistently struggled with being able to turn off my brain when it comes time for bed. I naturally struggle with unwinding to reach the peaceful state of mind required to sleep well. And when it comes to staying asleep, without fail I used to wake up at 3am every night. Usually, I spent the rest of it tossing and turning, watching the clock.
When I graduated from college, I decided it was time to deal with the problem. Over several months, I experimented with different relaxation tools to develop the perfect quick and easy sleep-inducing bedtime routine. Today, I sleep much better and I’m finally sharing my routine!
I’m not a doctor and I definitely don’t claim to be a sleep specialist. However, these changes have helped improve my sleep pattern beyond my wildest hopes. And if you have any suggestions to add, I’d love to hear them. Comment below with your tips! But enough chatting–let’s get onto this bedtime routine!
The Perfect 5-Step Bedtime Routine
- Put away screens at least one hour before bed. Although I have a blue light filter installed on my computer, it’s still helpful to unplug with ample time to spare before bed. Give yourself time to disconnect from your work, blog, or other online communities. Let your mind return to its natural slower pace. (You’ll note that I do use my computer and phone later in the evening to do yoga and listen to a guided meditation. However, anything else is a no-go!)
- Eat a light snack and take a magnesium supplement. I currently take a magnesium drink before bed each night to reduce muscle tension. Lack of magnesium causes muscle tension, cramps, and spasms (among other symptoms). Simply mix the powdered magnesium with water and let sit a few moments. It tastes like berry lemonade! I’ll pair it with a banana and peanut butter, rice crackers and hummus, or another light snack to stop my stomach from grumbling later that night.
- Do a gentle yoga routine. Especially if I’ve spent the last few hours sitting around and working on my computer, it’s nice to get a little movement in before bed (but not the kind that gets my heart pounding!). Trying to fall asleep while you’re stiff and sore makes for a restless sleep. Lately I’ve been loving this five-minute bedtime yoga routine when I’m short on time. But in general, I try to aim for 20-ish minutes of stretching and focusing on slowing down my breathing.
- Cover my windows with “blackout curtains.” Exposure to bright and blue light in the evenings disturbs your circadian rhythm and makes it harder to fall asleep. I’ve always lived in the suburbs with bright streetlights right outside my house. I can’t tell you how much covering my windows at night has improved my sleep quality! I currently don’t use real blackout curtains, just an old set of navy flannel sheets, but they get the job done.
- Use a guided meditation app to fall asleep. I used to think that meditation was a complete waste of time—until I found the Calm app. Now I can’t go a night without it! Calm has a few different subscription options, but I’ve found that the free music and nature sounds, guided meditations, and sleep stories are enough for me. If you haven’t tried the Calm app and have trouble falling asleep, I highly recommend it.
Comment and share your tips for a better night’s sleep, too! What works for you might just help someone else!