5 Easy Ways to Include Self-Care in Your Bedtime Routine
Self-care, as the name implies, is the act of taking care of one’s physical, mental, and emotional health.
People can practice self-care by doing simple activities that bring them joy and happiness andenrich their lives.
That said, you might be thinking, “Why should self-care matter to me?”
Self-care matters because it can help you distance yourself from stressors or anxieties that can plague you throughout the day.
If you’re stressing about a big work presentation before going to bed, for example, you might end up sleeping late or not sleeping at all.
Should this sort of unhealthy pattern continue, you may notice yourself becoming more irritable, lacking focus, and becoming easily tired.
Aside from negatively affecting your physical and mental health, these problems can also make you perform poorly at work.
You may even find yourself struggling with household chores or maintaining your various relationships.
Thus, taking care of yourself becomes essential to performing at your best and dealing with stressors in a way that doesn’t negatively impact your well-being.
If you want to incorporate self-care into your life, start with modifying your bedtime routine. With the right activities, you can leave thoughts of work for tomorrow, giving your mind and body a chance to relax at home.
Below are a few easy ways to do so:
Set Up Your Sleep Environment
Setting up your environment for a good night’s sleep can signal to your brain that it’s time to wind down for the day.
One way to do this is by dimming the lights in your bedroom. If you don’t have dimming lights, you can use bedside lamps or night lights instead to give your room a soft, subtle glow that isn’t harsh on the eyes.
These kinds of lights can let you comfortably prep for bed without making you feel too alert or awake.
You can also try adjusting your bedroom’s thermostat to make your environment more conducive for sleep. The recommended temperature for bedrooms is between 65 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on what you’re more comfortable with.
Because your body cools down to prepare you for sleep, if your bedroom’s thermostat is somewhere within this range, your body will be able to cool down or warm up more quickly. And once your body reaches its ideal resting temperature, you can achieve deeper, more restorative sleep.
Invest in Your Sleepwear
Did you know that your choice of sleepwear can impact the quality of your sleep? Wearing a fresh set of pajamas feels nicer than sleeping in the clothes you’ve been wearing all day, after all.
But if you’ve only got old worn clothes that need to be replaced, it may be time to go shopping for new ones.
Try buying women’s pajama tops and bottoms that look stylish and feel ultra-comfy. Then, you can change into your favorite pajamas every night before bed as a way to tell your brain it’s time to relax and recharge.
Swap Your Devices for Pen and Paper
Start putting your devices away at least an hour before you sleep. The blue light from their screens has been proven to disrupt regular sleep patterns because it tricks your brain into thinking it’s still daytime.
If you need a pre-bedtime activity to help you wind down, you can start journaling instead of scrolling through your phone, tablet, or laptop.
Journaling is a good way to release any stressful thoughts you might be carrying in your head by writing them down so you can externalize them. Your entries can contain whatever you want.
You can, for example, freely talk about what’s stressing you out or how you’re feeling. You can even list down actionable steps you can do the next day to reduce the anxiety you might be feeling about tomorrow’s workload.
If you want a more engaging activity, reading a book may do the trick. Going through a fiction novel is a great way to take your mind off the problems you might be stressing about.
If fiction novels aren’t for you, you can read self-help books or nonfiction novelsinstead. Self-help books, in particular, may provide you with actionable lessons or tips that you can use to improve your outlook or productivity.
Use Products with Calming Properties for Your Nighttime Routine
Many of us have a nighttime bathroom routine we complete before going to bed. This can include brushing our teeth, washing our face, or even taking a bath.
If you have an evening bathroom routine of your own, make it a moment to pamper yourself by using items with calming properties. Look for products that contain ingredients like lavender or chamomile, as these ingredients’ scents can help you relax.
You can also splurge on high-quality skincare products that feel good to use and are sure to make your skin smoother and healthier.
You can also make this time more meditative by imagining that you’re not just cleansing your face or body, but that you’re also cleansing yourself of stressful thoughts.
Prepare Everything You Need for Tomorrow
Whether you report to an office or work from home, always take time to put away your things and clean up before you go to bed. Waking up to a clean home will reduce your stress and make you feel more energized to get the day started.
This habit will also lessen the time you spend in the mornings looking for your clothes or essential belongings.
That said, you don’t have to go overboard by rearranging everythingor doing a complete makeover. You can simply put everything back in its place, like returning your pens to your pen holder or your work laptop to its bag.
Doing this will also prepare your future self for the day ahead. If you’ve already put your office essentials into your work bag the night before, you can just grab it and go straight to work instead of wasting time looking for your belongings.
Contrary to what some may believe, self-care isn’t about selfishness or overindulgence. Rather, self-care is about taking care of yourself now so you can do better tomorrow.
In fact, caring for yourself regularly can lead to a healthier and longer life. The good news is that you can start incorporating self-care into your day-to-day by weaving simple habits into your existing routines.