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Switching off in the evening is a vital part of our daily lives, and the impact of getting a good night’s sleep can have many positive impacts. But it’s becoming increasingly more difficult to switch off come bedtime. Social media algorithms are developed to keep us endlessly scrolling and on-demand TV means we can watch our favourite programmes no matter the time of day or night.
But if you need to reset or reshape your bedtime routine, it all comes down to building habits. Here are 5 habits to implement into your evening to give yourself the best chance of feeling well-rested when your alarm goes off.
Water intake
Drinking too much water directly before you get into bed may lead you to a few trips to the toilet during the night, resulting in a night of disrupted sleep. But a glass of water a few hours before you plan to fall asleep shouldn’t do any harm.
Studies suggest that water helps to detox the body throughout the night and improve digestion so this a handy little habit to introduce into your evenings.
Other benefits of drinking water include:
- Lubricates joints
- Flushes out bacteria
• Preventing dehydration - Helps the digestive system
Caffeine ban
A cup of coffee before bed might taste great, but caffeine is one of the biggest disruptors when it comes to sleep. It’s even been suggested that a coffee six hours before bed could negatively impact your sleeping pattern.
Caffeine blocks adenosine, a substance that’s linked to sleepiness which will leave your body feeling ready for anything but sleep.
Meditation
Introducing a meditation routine before you attempt to sleep could have the completely opposite effect of the aforementioned caffeine. A quick 10 minutes spent focusing on slowing your breathing and heart rate could lead to a deeper night’s sleep.
There are many different ways to meditate so feel free to find a routine that works for you. For beginners, the NHS recommends finding a comfortable place, being conscious of your surroundings and senses, and then repeating the phrases “breathe in” and “breathe out” as you focus on those exact actions.
Screen time
Phones and tablets have become a staple of our lives, and have brought with them many advantageous points. However one of the main drawbacks of smartphones and tablets is the increased amount of screen time that many of us now experience.
Too much screen time can be linked to:
- Obesity
- Mental health issues
- Poor academic performance
If you’re a parent, limiting your child’s screen time is a particularly healthy habit to introduce into their lives as higher levels of screen time can negatively impact brain development.
For both adults and children, switching phone time for non-screen activities such as reading a book can have a positive impact on your sleep.
Skincare regime
The most effective products for you will depend on your skin type, age, and several other factors. However, introducing a strict skincare routine before bed can be beneficial to all.
First, the obvious benefits are to your skin itself. Whether that’s fighting dry or oily skin, improving complexion, or fighting signs of ageing. As well as this, a nightly skincare routine can help you to feel more relaxed and mentally prepare you for a solid night’s sleep.
Seeing as sleep itself also has a positive impact on our skin, you’ll have created a nice virtuous circle of events that’ll mean you’ll benefit from glowing skin, even later in life when others around you are turning to plastic surgery in Manchester.