Are you getting enough sleep at night? Do you wake up in the morning feeling revived and ready to take on the day? Or, do you toss and turn at night and awaken feeling like you just went to sleep? Finally, do you practice good sleep hygiene with a bedtime routine?
Now, if we're being honest, most people do not get the proper amount of sleep at night.
Were you aware that one-third of American adults do not get proper sleep at night, according to the CDC? If you're not waking up feeling refreshed and rejuvenated, consider creating a bedtime routine for yourself. Yes, a bedtime routine — and yes, it's a real thing; and after the first month, you'll be glad that you made this healthy, yet simple lifestyle change. Did you know that incorporating an evening wind down routine will assist in relaxing your mind and body prior to your set bedtime?
BeauTeas wants to help you stop tossing and turning at night so that you can wake up feeling refreshed. So, it's time to stop tossing and turning at night and put those sheep to sleep. The team at BeauTeas has put together a list of things you can do to create the perfect wind-down routine for you.
About Bedtime Routines?
Bedtime routines should be put into motion anywhere from 30-60 minutes prior to bed. When you create your bedtime routine, you should execute the exact same pattern of activities at the same time each night. Remember, this is going to be your routine.
Why Do I Need A Bedtime Routine?
As the saying goes, "Humans are creatures of habit". Think about it, if we create a regular routine for bedtime, it'll become a habit, and our brains tend to remember habits, thus letting your brain know that it's time to start winding down for a good night's sleep.
Did you know that having a bedtime routine can be an important part of reducing stress and anxiety that tends to invade your mind when it's time to relax for the evening? When you're anxious, your sympathetic nervous system and mind get activated, and eventually those unrestrained thoughts may cause insomnia. To stave off this outcome, following a bedtime routine is essential for a focused mind, and a reaffirming feeling of bedtime relaxation.
Are There Really Bedtime Routines — For Adults?
Absolutely, and if you're ready to peacefully drift into dreamland, consider these bedtime activities — then tweak a bedtime routine that is ideal for you.
- Think About What Time You Want to Go to Bed
This may seem like an unattainable feat. You're an adult, you've waited all of your childhood to be able to go to bed when you want to, right? Nope, wrong attitude. Yes, you are an adult and as such you want to take optimal care of your health, correct?
Did you know that following a bedtime schedule can automatically trigger your brain to make you feel tired and sleepy around that scheduled time every night? Are you familiar with how the sleep-wake cycle works? Naturally, a short time prior to bedtime, your brain will start to relax. Now consider incorporating your wind down sleep routine, and you've set yourself up for many satisfying nights of sleep.
So go ahead and schedule a day to start your wind down routine, including what your preferred bedtime and wake-up time will be. According to a study, 10pm is a great bedtime that comes with benefits. Also, when you go to bed after 10pm, you run the risk of a spike in your cortisol levels. Are you aware of the cortisol spike? Yep, the one that causes you to have that late night boost of energy that keeps you tossing and turning throughout the night.
- Put your Electronics to Bed for the Evening, Too
Regardless of popular belief, Lifetime, Netflix, or Cartoon Network will not prepare your body for relaxation and rest. These electronic devices all emit the blue light, that makes your brain think "maybe it's daytime", which results in a lack of the production of melatonin and will instead work to keep you from sleeping.
Consider turning on your phone's light filter a couple of hours prior to bedtime.
- Herbal Tea is Beneficial for You and Me
Say "no" to those sugar filled drinks and juices and commit to only water and herbal tea. Whether you need the caffeine from black and green teas or if you love caffeine-free herbal teas, you can't go wrong with all the benefits that tea offers. Consider beginning your day with black tea if you need caffeine. Have yourself some iced cold green tea, or hot, your choice, or if you're ready to start your evening wind down, grab a cup of caffeine free herbal tea and enjoy the wind down.
Did you know that herbal tea has many great benefits for your body? From calming teas to teas for energy, digestion, skin and your overall health as a whole. Here's a couple of teas to start your wind-down routine with, linked to their benefits.
Non-caffeinated herbal teas are great if you take in a lot of caffeine during your day and need help winding down from the jitters. Chamomile and lavender are excellent at calming your mind while encouraging sleep.
- Choose an Evening Snack that's Light On Your Tummy
Going to bed full can leave you feeling miserable with heartburn, acid reflux, or indigestion, which will definitely disrupt your sleep. Unfortunately, you can't go to bed hungry because you'll most likely get hunger pangs. Satisfy your tummy with a light bedtime snack that's high in melatonin, like:
- Oats
- Nuts
- Fruit
- Yogurt
- Grapes
- Cherries
- Strawberries
Oh, and let's not forget about bananas, which are so rich in magnesium. Were you aware that magnesium is good for calming your body and mind - which is just what you need prior to bedtime?
- How About A Warm Bath
Your body will go through hormonal changes throughout the day as part of your sleep and wake cycle. One of the hormonal changes that your body goes through is your melatonin production, which naturally starts up in the evening to get your body prepared for nighttime sleeping while also lowering your core body temperature.
Scientists have discovered that by taking a warm bath in the evening, you can mimic the natural nighttime drop in body temperature, triggering an equally sleepy reaction. Have yourself a nice warm bath soak at least one hour prior to winding down.
- Music Is Calming and Beneficial
Music is magic, it can make you happy, it can make you sad, it can coach you through meditation or yoga, it can pump you up in your spinning class, and even calm you down and help you relax at bedtime. Did you know that music is used by 62 percent of people as a sleep aid? So go ahead and get your wind-down playlist together.
Consider ambient sounds like pink and white noise. Pink noise, may be able to enhance the quality of your sleep. White noise, on the other hand, could potentially assist you in falling asleep faster by concealing miscellaneous sounds.
- Breathe, Stretch, Relax
Let go of the mental and physical tension of the day by practicing relaxation methods such as:
Practicing yoga daily has revealed that it allows for restful, quality sleep. You can also consider adding a massage and some light stretches to avoid any nighttime cramping.
- Meditation Matters
Practicing meditation can also boost the quality of your sleep. Mindfulness meditation consists of just closing your eyes and focusing on your feelings and your thoughts. You can also practice visualization and breathing meditation.
- ReadingA Good Book Has Never Kept Anyone's Eyes Open
When can you remember not getting sleepy while reading a book, especially while lying in the bed with a reading light? Well, there you have it. So what book will you be reading to start off your wind down routine?
- Make Your Bedroom — Wind-Down Ready
Turn your bedroom into your quiet, cool and dimly lit tranquil paradise. Try implementing these things prior to bed:
- Dim your bedroom lights
- Put away those noisy electronics
- Put away any clutter around your bed.
- Close your curtains, preferably black-outs
- Set your thermostat to between 60F and 71F.
- Invest in an aromatherapy diffuser, and mix up a relaxing scent
Now, go to bed and don't do anything else. Remember, you're training your brain to view the feeling of your bed as the sleepy place.
Bedtime Wind Down Routine
The team at BeauTeas has put together an example wind-down routine for inspiration. A simple, yet quick wind-down routine can include:
- 8:30 PM — Time for your warm bath
- 9 PM — Some stretching and five to twenty minutes of meditation
- 9:20 PM — Grab your herbal tea and your book
- 10 PM — Goodnight!
At BeauTeas, organic and healthy farming is what we're about — because we know the benefits of tea. We've decided to make our Clearly Calendula tea line available first. Join us today, so we can assist you on your journey to being the best you can be. Especially when you incorporate BeauTeas.
Are you getting enough sleep at night? Do you fall asleep easily and wake up in the morning feeling revived and ready to take on the day? Or do you struggle to nod off, and wake up feeling less than rested?
Sleep is super important to our physical and mental health. Unfortunately many people do not get enough quality sleep at night.
If you are not waking up feeling refreshed and rejuvenated, consider creating a bedtime routine for yourself. It is easy to create an enjoyable nightly routine that sets you up for a great night’s sleep!
The team at BeauTeas has put together a list of things you can do to create the perfect wind-down routine for you.
Why Do I Need A Bedtime Routine?
As the saying goes, "Humans are creatures of habit". Think about it, if we create a regular routine for bedtime, it'll become a habit, and our brains tend to remember habits, letting your brain know that it's time to start winding down for a good night's sleep.
Did you know that having a bedtime routine can be an important part of reducing stress and anxiety that tends to invade your mind when it's time to relax for the evening? When you're anxious, your sympathetic nervous system and mind get activated, and eventually those unrestrained thoughts may cause insomnia. Following a bedtime routine ensures you are on a calming path to good sleep.
- Think About What Time You Want to Go to Bed
Did you know that following a bedtime schedule can automatically trigger your brain to make you feel tired and sleepy around that same time every night. Naturally, a short time before bedtime, your brain will start to relax.
So go ahead and schedule a day to start your wind down routine, including what your preferred bedtime and wake-up time will be. According to this study, 10pm is a great bedtime that comes with benefits. When you go to bed after 10pm, you run the risk of a spike in your cortisol levels. That can cause you to have that late night boost of stress energy that keeps you tossing and turning instead of dozing off peacefully.
- Put your Electronics to Bed for the Evening, Too
Unfortunately, Netflix, Animal Crossing, or Tik Tok will not prepare your body for relaxation and rest. TVs and electronic devices all emit blue light, that makes your brain think "maybe it's daytime", which results in too little production of melatonin and will make it harder for you to fall asleep.
Consider turning on your phone's light filter a couple of hours prior to bedtime, if you can’t bear to put it away entirely.
- Herbal Tea is Good For You!
Say "no" to those sugar filled drinks and juices and commit to drinking water and tea. Whether you need the caffeine from black and green teas or if you love caffeine-free herbal teas, you can't go wrong with all the benefits that tea offers. Starting your day with black or green tea can give you a nice energy boost from the caffeine those types of tea contain. Have yourself some iced cold green tea, or hot, your choice, BUT when you're ready to start your evening wind down, grab a cup of caffeine-free herbal tea and enjoy the calming effects of chamomile.
Did you know that herbal tea has many great benefits for your body? From calming teas to teas for energy, digestion, skin and your overall health as a whole. Here's a few ingredients that are great in a nighttime tea.
Non-caffeinated herbal teas are great if you take in a lot of caffeine during your day and need help winding down from the jitters. Chamomile and lavender are excellent at calming your mind while encouraging sleep.
- Choose a Light Evening Snack
Going to bed too full can leave you feeling miserable with heartburn, acid reflux, or indigestion, which can definitely disrupt your sleep. Going to bed hungry can also keep you from falling asleep easily. Satisfy your tummy with a light bedtime snack that's high in melatonin, like:
- Oats
- Nuts
- Fruit
- Yogurt
- Grapes
- Cherries
- Strawberries
Oh, and let's not forget about bananas, which are so rich in magnesium. Magnesium is good for calming your body and mind - which is just what you need prior to bedtime!
- How About A Warm Bath
Your body will go through hormonal changes throughout the day as part of your sleep and wake cycle. One of the hormonal changes that your body goes through is your melatonin production, which naturally starts up in the evening to get your body prepared for nighttime sleeping while also lowering your core body temperature.
Scientists have discovered that by taking a warm bath in the evening, you can mimic the natural nighttime drop in body temperature that happens after you get out of the bath, triggering an equally sleepy reaction. Have yourself a nice warm soak at least one hour prior to winding down.
- Music Is Calming and Beneficial
Music is magic, it can make you happy, it can make you sad, it can coach you through meditation or yoga, it can pump you up in your spinning class, and even calm you down and help you relax at bedtime. Did you know that music is used by 62 percent of people as a sleep aid? So go ahead and get your wind-down playlist together.
Consider ambient sounds like pink and white noise. Pink noise, may be able to enhance the quality of your sleep. White noise, on the other hand, could potentially assist you in falling asleep faster by concealing miscellaneous sounds. Some people prefer natural sounds, like rain, waves, or even crickets.
- Breathe, Stretch, Relax
Let go of the mental and physical tension of the day by practicing relaxation methods such as:
Practicing yoga daily has revealed that it allows for restful, quality sleep. You can also consider adding a massage and some light stretches to avoid any nighttime cramping.
- Meditation Matters
Practicing meditation can also boost the quality of your sleep. Mindfulness meditation consists of just closing your eyes and focusing on your feelings and your thoughts. You can also practice visualization and breathing meditation.
- Read a Good Book
Reading can help your mind focus on something other than the chaos and stress of today or tomorrow. Lose yourself in a story or spend some time learning something new. Focusing on a single thing, like a book, will help quiet all the distracting and stressful thoughts that can creep in as you get ready for bed.
- Make Your Bedroom — Wind-Down Ready
Turn your bedroom into your quiet, cool and dimly lit tranquil paradise. Try implementing these things prior to bed:
- Dim your bedroom lights
- Put away those noisy electronics
- Put away any clutter around your bed.
- Close your curtains, preferably black-outs
- Set your thermostat to between 60F and 70F.
-
Invest in an aromatherapy diffuser, and mix up a relaxing scent
Now, go to bed and don't do anything else. Remember, you're training your brain to view the feeling of your bed as the sleepy place.
Bedtime Wind Down Routine
The team at BeauTeas has put together an example wind-down routine for inspiration. A simple, yet quick wind-down routine can include:
- 8:30 PM — Time for your warm bath
-
9 PM — Some stretching and five to twenty minutes of meditation
-
9:20 PM — Grab your herbal tea and your book
- 10 PM — Goodnight!
At BeauTeas, Organic and healthy is what we're about — because we know the benefits of tea. We've decided to make our Clearly Calendula tea line available first. Join us today and Build Your Beauty From Within!
