My Bedtime Routine
My secret to a good night's sleep.
For several reasons -the change of seasons, the news, stress, and early-rising chickens- I have had trouble sleeping lately. After a lot of trial and error, and many, many bedroom redesigning sessions (am I the only one who's obsessed with sleeping with my head pointing toward the North?), I've come up with a few tricks to get better sleep and finally come up with a bedtime routine.
Create the right environment
- Comfy bed
This one is a no-brainer. Whether it's a mountain of pillows or a warm duvet, the mere thought of your bed should make you want to jump right back in it.
- Minimalistic decor
A bedroom is a place to rest. So you might want to keep the decor pretty minimalist and let your brain relax.
- Dark room
According to the place where you live (Iceland in the summer, a house with no blinds), make sure that your room remains dark. It's the best way to fall asleep and stay so as long as needed.
- Pillow mist
A spray bottle, distilled water, and a couple of drops of lavender essential oil are all you need. A couple of sprays of this concoction on your pillow will come a long way to help you drift off.
- Ear plugs
It's not for everyone, but when your chickens decide that 6.30 am is a reasonable time to sing the egg song, you do your best to prevent it or just stuff wax balls into your ear canals.
Bedtime Routine
- No stimulants after 3 pm
I personally don't drink coffee, but downing a glass of orange juice right before going to bed is certainly not a wise move.
- Regular bedtime
I sometimes go as far as setting up an alarm to start my bedtime routine (shower, brush my teeth, etc). This helps me make sure that I'll get enough hours of rest.
- Put socks on!
There's this pair of fluffy socks I wear most of the time when I'm at home. Being warm and comfy is a great invitation to then transition to bed.
- Dim lights
1 hour before bedtime, I try not to turn on bright lights, which is one of the reasons why we have dimmers, candles, or reading lights in almost every room of the house.
- Books only!
No phone, no TV, no computer in the bedroom. You might remember my "No electronics in the bedroom policy". I have to admit that I've made an exception for my Kindle.
Do you have secrets to get better sleep? I'd love to know your bedtime routine secrets!
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