After a long day, it is important to wind down and start transitioning towards a more restful state of mind to seamlessly ease into sleep mode.
It can be immensely helpful to establish a nightly routine that helps your body know that it is almost time to sleep.
If following a routine seems like too much work, or you can’t trust yourself to follow one consistently, you can just do one or two activities that help transition your mind and body from an active and alert state to a more restful state.
Don’t be afraid to try something new and experiment to see what does and doesn’t work for you.
By winding down before you go to bed, you may fall asleep faster and get more restful sleep.
I don’t know about you, but I value every second of sleep that I can get, since the more rested I feel in the morning, the more productive I am that day.
So keep reading to get inspired with some effective ways to wind down for the night, thus making yourself better prepared to fall asleep faster (and get that quality sleep).
1. Make A List
At the end of the day, your mind may be full of thoughts and worries about the future days ahead.
Instead of storing all of those thoughts in your head, and worrying if you’ll forget anything, write down anything that is occupying your mind.
That way, you will be at ease that you will not forget any future tasks in mind, and you can rest with a clearer conscience that night.
It is important to write on a physical medium so your thoughts are transferred out of your mind. You can experiment to see what medium you prefer to write on.
You can use a journal specifically for writing all your thoughts before you sleep. Another option is to use sticky notes, if that’s what you fancy. If you would rather use technology, you might want to use a notes app on your phone.
Whatever option you prefer, be sure that it is easily accessible for you; placing a notebook on your nightstand will be much easier to use than having one randomly stored on a bookshelf, for example.
2. Listen To Calming Ambient Sounds
Oftentimes, your mind is buzzing with thoughts, worries, and the voice in your head that refuses to be quiet.
However, just listening to calming sounds can drown out your buzzing thoughts and help your mind relax a bit. On YouTube, you can listen to white noise, the sound of rain, or the crackling of a warm fireplace, to name a few ideas.
If you are a fan of particular book series or movies, you may find YouTube videos of ambient sounds inspired by places found in those books or movies.
For example, if you are a fan of Harry Potter, you can find a video that portrays the ambience of sitting in the Gryffindor common room.
When listening to ambient sounds, try to imagine being present in that environment. You can even close your eyes and do some breathing exercises to further help you wind down and relax.
3. Follow A Nighttime Routine
It can be very helpful to follow the same nightly routine before you go to bed.
By doing so, you would complete your tasks in a more efficient and productive manner since you would already know the drill.
It is up to you to create your routine and depending on your personal needs, you may have to reserve more or less time to start winding down for bed.
You may have to experiment with what tasks actually help you to relax and what tasks have the opposite effect.
You can try different things over the course of a few nights, and afterwards make a list of the most effective ways that helped you relax best.
4. Turn Off Electronics
As much as we rely on our phones, laptops, and tv’s for work and entertainment alike, it is important to take a break from these electronics, especially before bedtime.
Looking at screens for an extended amount of time can put a strain on your eyes, and it is best to be in a relaxed state to sleep well.
In addition, electronic devices emit blue light, which is known to cause disruptions to your circadian rhythm. How so? Blue light delays the release of a hormone called melatonin, which causes you to feel sleepy.
If you find yourself still tempted to use your electronic device at night (you’re not the only one, trust me), try looking for a setting on your device that reduces the amount of blue light emitted at night.
By tweaking this setting, your device will emit colors on the warmer end of the spectrum. If that is not an option, you can try purchasing glasses that are specifically made to block blue light.
Limiting your exposure to blue light at night can help improve your chances of falling asleep faster, but it is still helpful to reduce the use of your electronic devices altogether before going to sleep.
5. Read/Listen To Audiobook
To help you wind down at night, pick out a book that interests you, get cozy, and read! (You may have to take a trip to the library beforehand, or you can find ebooks online.)
You can read for as long or as little as you like, as long as you set aside the time for it.
If you are someone who does not enjoy reading, or you just want to close your eyes and let the story tell itself, listening to an audiobook is a great option.
There are countless audiobooks to choose from, so pick a genre that you are the most interested in.
You may want to read while curled up in bed, or maybe you prefer listening to an audiobook while doing some chores before you sleep. Either way, give this a try and see if this method helps calm your mind before you sleep.
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6. Light A Candle
An effective method to help clear your mind before you sleep is to light a scented candle.
The possibilities are endless when it comes to candle scents, so it is up to personal preference to select a scent that you would enjoy.
For example, maybe you prefer a calming scent reminiscent of a cool blue sea. Or perhaps you enjoy the scent of a warm campfire with toasted marshmallows.
Candles that contain essential oils, such as eucalyptus, lavender or spearmint, can be a great option for aromatherapy as well.
No matter your preferences, it can be fun to discover new scents and see which ones are to your liking.
7. Drink Tea
Having a cup of tea can really help you wind down for the night, especially if you drink a tea blend with calming effects.
Since this tea-drinking session would be right before your bedtime, it would be best to choose either a decaffeinated tea or even better, a naturally caffeine-free herbal tea.
There are many varieties of tea, so feel free to experiment and try something new, as each type of tea has its own unique flavors and characteristics.
You could try drinking an herbal tea blend that includes ingredients known for their calming properties, such as peppermint, chamomile and lemon balm.
Not only do certain herbal teas have a calming effect on the mind, but they can also help you get warm and cozy, perfect for helping you feel more sleepy right before bedtime.
8. Coloring Book
Some people may think that coloring books are only made for children…but that couldn’t be further from the truth!
Coloring can be very therapeutic for people of all ages and can provide a way for you to get your mind off of the stress and worries of the day.
The best part is that you don’t need to be the most skilled artist to enjoy this task.
It doesn’t matter what you use to color with; you can use colored pencils, pens, markers, or even the highlighters lying on your desk.
Just color to your heart’s content! In case you don’t want to buy a coloring book, you can search for free coloring book pages online and print them out.
9. Take A Warm Bath Or Shower
One effective way to relax after a long day is to take a warm bath or shower.
If taking a bath, you can use bath bombs to create a relaxing experience. Bath bombs come in a plethora of scents, which makes them perfect for aromatherapy.
If you want to feel even fancier, you can embellish the bath with flower petals and candles. As long as the ambience is relaxing to you, it’s all that matters.
If you prefer to take a warm shower, that is just as effective.
Just relax and wash away the cares of the day!
10. Create A Relaxing Atmosphere
To help you wind down, it can be very helpful to create a relaxing ambience before you go to sleep.
First, be sure to dim the lights.
Less light in the room not only helps create an atmosphere better suited for sleep, but it is also more soothing for your eyes.
The next step is to eliminate or minimize any distractions and noise around you; i.e. turning off the tv, putting your phone on silent, etc.
Next, sit in a comfortable spot and close your eyes.
Slowly breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. It is important to clear your mind from all thoughts and focus on your breathing instead.
You can try doing this exercise for five or ten minutes, or however long you wish.
Just taking the time to sit in a quiet environment can make the world of a difference in helping you acquire a more peaceful state of mind right before you sleep.
Final Thoughts
Having a proper plan to unwind before bedtime can sometimes be the difference between quickly falling into a deep slumber and taking forever to fall asleep.
Oftentimes, people don’t put much effort into actually winding down before they sleep, resulting in less quality sleep time.
Try implementing one or more of the above activities to help melt away your stress and worries before you go to bed.
