Bedtime routines shouldn’t just be for kids. Parents have a strategic and strict flow on how they prepare their kids for bed, yet adults don’t usually do it for themselves. There is a step-by-step plan, a countdown for each step before the lights go out and children  

tend to fall asleep right away. So why don’t adults instill this plan for their own wind-down routine? We’re not as busy as we think we are. It’s about forming these habits one small change at a time until it becomes second nature. Until it becomes YOUR own routine. 

Sleep does more for your body than just to rest it. It’s the chance for your body and your brain to reset, recharge and heal from an entire day’s work. Our muscles recover, our gut takes a break, our brains restore memories and retain information. Quality sleep reduces stress, aging, and weight loss. But for proper rest, we must prepare our body beforehand to ensure optimal long-lasting results. Here are a few tips to prepare for  quality sleep: 

-Clean environment: in general, keep a tidy home environment. This will help reduce your cortisol which is the stress hormone so you can stay calm and relaxed. We tend to get anxious if chores aren’t complete or if our surroundings are cluttered. You then may begin to stress about “fixing” everything at the end of the night before bed or worse,  leave it until the morning. So throughout the day, keep it tidy. We need to reduce stress to help improve our sleep. Such examples include: counters are wiped down/clean, toys are put away, clothes are tucked away and not scattered around, shoes are only by the entryway and organized, no dishes in the sink. This is a big one. I find that waking up to a sink full of dishes is extremely stressful. It then takes time out of my morning routine- leading to more stress. No matter how tired I may be the night before, I wash the dishes. The morning should not start off completing old tasks. Leave nothing to linger from your previous day. 

- Devices/Electronics: Shut off devices, TV and don’t check your phone for the last 45  minutes before bed. Unplug from social media and the outside world to train your brain to wind down. As we look at messages, social media, emails, photos, games, watching  TV, etc, we are re-activating our brain when it’s time to do the opposite- wind down.  Notice how if you’re sleepy and you start engaging in an activity again, you’re suddenly awake? Plus, the blue light from our devices is not only harmful to our eyes and vision, but it will negatively impact our deep sleep cycle- especially if we’re in the dark. 

- Don’t drink any liquids 3 hours before bed. This will greatly reduce the number of times you need to get up and go to the bathroom in the middle of the night.  

- Sleep on an empty stomach. This will be gentle on your digestion. Since we are lying down, it forces your gut to work hard to digest the meal if it’s too close to bedtime.  Refrain from eating anything 3 hours prior. If you feel discomfort in your stomach,  sleep on your left side.

- Do not check your phone while you’re in bed. 

- Keep the room cool, dark, and silent. Our body temperature naturally drops at night.  Cooler temperatures help you fall asleep faster and achieve your REM sleep cycle  (deep sleep). Here, you will increase the chances of producing Melatonin and the Human  Growth Hormone. Both improve restful sleep and cell repair. 

And there you go! I hope these tips will add structure to your nightly routine and help you wake up feeling refreshed and recharged. Remember, forming new habits takes time but you must stay consistent. Try this to establish a stress-free night and day.