You probably already know that the things you do before bed can impact how well you sleep at night.
Whether it’s winding down with a good book or making a gratitude list, our evening activities can prime us for a good night’s sleep. What’s more, the things we do at night can also positively contribute to our mood and performance the next day. When you eat a healthy dinnerl, plan ahead for tomorrow, and get a full eight hours of sleep, you are setting yourself up for success the next day.
Here are 8 things you can do before 8pm to ensure that you have a calm and soothing night, so that you can have a solid start the next day.
1. Establish a small ritual to disconnect from work
Whether you work in an office or from home, it’s crucial that you learn to detach yourself from the work day. Stepping away from your desk (and from work emails) helps you reset and transition into your off-work-hours.
Here are some ways that you can ritualize the end of the work day.
- Light a candle to signal the end of your day.
- Take a long walk.
- Sign off from email and put your laptop away in another room.
- Play a “close of business” playlist.
- Switch out of your work from home clothes and into something cozy and soft.
- Write in your journal and reflect on your day
2. Eat foods that will help you fall asleep
Did you know that what you eat for dinner can influence how well you sleep?
A well-balanced dinner consisting of complex carbs, lean proteins, and leafy greens have been shown to help you sleep at night.
Complex carbs such as multigrain bread and brown rice can boost your serotonin, a neurotransmitter that’s responsible for sleep.
Lean proteins like turkey and chicken contain tryptophan, an amino acid that can help you sleep. To get the full benefits, however, it’s important to pair these lean proteins with complex carbohydrates so that your body has a better chance of absorbing it.
It has also been shown that foods rich in magnesium can help you sleep through the night, resulting in a more restful sleep. So if you have a tendency to get up in the middle of the night, try adding spinach, black beans, or avocado to your meal.
3. Eat your last meal 4 hours before bed
It’s not just what you eat for dinner that’s important, but when you eat it. They say that you should eat dinner 4 hours before bed in order to give your body time to digest. The digestion process increases your body’s temperature, which can make it harder to fall asleep.
You’ll also want to avoid greasy or fried foods at dinner as they’ll disrupt your digestion and your sleep.
4. Take a hot shower or bath
Not only is a hot shower incredibly relaxing, it will also help you sleep better at night. A hot shower will lower your body’s core temperature which will then cue your body to prepare for sleep. You would think that a hot shower would actually increase your body temperature, but the hot water is actually bringing the heat to your body’s surface, which, in turn, cools down your body. The best time to take a hot shower is an hour or two before bed.
5. Unwind with a book
You should avoid screens and devices at least 2-3 hours before bed. The blue light from devices disrupts your melatonin, which is your body’s internal clock. The brightness from our phones and devices confuses our body, making it think it’s much earlier than it is. To prepare your body for sleep, you need to reduce the light in your environment when it’s getting close to bedtime.
So the next time you need some evening entertainment, reach for a book instead of your phone. It will be a much more pleasant experience and you won’t have to worry about doom scrolling the night away.
6. Make a gratitude list
Before bed, jot down all the things that made your day a great one. Maybe it was a coworker who went out of their way to help you out. Or simple pleasures like passing a pretty garden on your way to work. Or hearing sweet bird song out your window. Expressing gratitude has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety. By focusing on the good things you currently have in your life, you’re learning to manage your emotions and prevent yourself from dwelling on the past or future. A gratitude list will definitely end your day on a positive note.
7. Jot down a loose to-do list
Here’s a familiar scenario: you're ready to hit the hay when your mind suddenly starts racing. You’re thinking about work emails to send, meetings to prep for, and everything else in between. If you find yourself mulling over all the things you have to do, grab a notepad and jot down a loose to-do list.
The physical act of writing things down on paper will feel like a big weight lifted off your shoulders. And it will put your mind at ease. Handwriting has been shown to help you retain information, so you’ll be doing yourself a big favor by writing out your list.
8. Do gentle, “static” stretches
A gentle stretching routine can prime your body and mind for sleep. But keep in mind that not all stretches are ideal for nighttime stretching.
First, it’s good to be aware of stretches to avoid doing before bed. Stretching does get the blood flowing and the heart pumping, so you don’t want to make the mistake of overstimulating yourself. For example, any stretch that involves a back-bend such such as a wheel or camel pose, will be more invigorating than sleep inducing.
What you want to do is “static stretching” which involves holding a stretch for about 30 seconds and then releasing it. You’ll also want to take slow, deep breaths during the stretch to get your body into a relaxed state. A stretch like child’s pose is a soothing way to release tension in your neck and back before bed, without running the risk of being overly stimulating.
Written by JiJi Lee
