The New Year is here, and naturally we tend to start thinking about better habits and intentions that we would like to have for the year.  One great and easy thing to tweak or create is a nighttime routine that will prepare you for a good night of rest as well as set your mornings up for success. Here are a few ways to simplify your nighttime routine. 

1/ Keep frequently used items together.

This is a peace-of-mind thing that will help to make your morning smoother. It can also keep your mind settled at night so you won’t stress thinking that you forgot something in the morning. Keeping all of your items that you need in the morning corralled together is a great way to start your nighttime routine. Keys, laptop bags, lunch bags, sunglasses, water bottles, etc. Whatever you need to get going in the morning, prep it at night. 

2/ Stick to a sleep schedule.

This is a difficult one for me when it comes to a nighttime routine, so I will definitely be working on this! I do know that your body appreciates a consistent sleep schedule and a solid night of sleep. It can be very difficult to stick to a sleep schedule depending on your lifestyle, but ultimately your body will thank you. I don’t know the best amount of sleep time for adults because I feel it’s different for everyone, but I know 4 hours isn’t going to cut it. Whatever works for you, stick to that schedule, but be realistic about the hours you need to sleep. 

3/ Use the DND setting on your phone.

If you tend to get frequent calls and notifications on your phone, it would be helpful to stick to a DND schedule so you aren’t disturbed while sleeping. You can always set certain callers as exceptions so in emergency situations they can still reach you. Outside of your emergency contacts, you will not hear notifications and this will help you settle. I recommend setting your DND for the same time you start your wind down ritual. 

4/ Create your own wind down ritual.

Speaking of wind down rituals, this is a great way to form better self-care habits for yourself by doing something relaxing to wind down. This could be taking melatonin gummies as a natural relaxation/sleep aid, drinking chamomile tea, burning lavender incense or candles, taking CBD to help you relax, giving yourself a facial mask, etc. Some people also respond well to meditation to calm their thoughts before bed. Whatever works for you, try incorporating it into your nightly routine. 

5/ Don’t overload yourself.

If you have too much to do in one evening/night preventing you from completing any of the suggestions above, you should reevaluate your nights. I understand the evenings can be hectic and busy non-stop. I get it…but you have to find time to get a breather, and this might be by removing some things from your night. For example, instead of scrolling on social media, try clearing your mind with meditation. Instead of watching tv, read a couple of pages from a book. You may also have certain chores you do at night. If so, consider spreading them out throughout the week to make room for relaxation and your new nighttime routine. Overwhelm and overload leads to exhaustion, and that’s not a healthy way to be.

What are some of your favorite ways to wind down before bedtime? If you have a nighttime routine that works well, please share in the comments!