Winding down and getting ready for sleep is the most relaxing part of the day. We don’t dread going to sleep like we do when we wake up for class, cause once we start our nighttime routine, we know we are done for the day!
Last week, I shared some morning routine ideas and this week I’m here to help you finish your day right. Since we all have some sort of nighttime routine already, I’ve created a list of things you can do to upgrade yours!
Put Down All Electronics
This one is difficult. Most of us indulge in screen time before sleeping, which is understandable — there’s nothing better than winding down by catching up to some Netflix!
Staring at a screen, however, isn’t the best choice for pre-bedtime. It can strain your eyes and even worse, it can disrupt your circadian cycle, making it harder to fall asleep.
Of course, breaking a habit of many years isn’t easy! Therefore it’s best to start slow by turning off your electronics 15 minutes before bed, later adding minutes until you get up to 1 hour. To replace your lost source of entertainment, maybe you could finally do some reading for fun.
As a side note, don’t charge your phone on your bed (especially under pillows) because the charger can overheat and be a fire hazard!
Drink Warm Liquids
For people who have difficulty sleeping, drinking warm milk or chamomile tea is a great natural relaxant before sleep.
Some say drinking warm milk or tea doesn’t necessarily help them fall asleep quicker in itself. However, once you start drinking warm milk before sleep your body will associate the liquid with sleep. It’s like a daily signal to your brain that it’s time for bed.
Treat Your Skin
After doing your skincare routine, treat yourself to a face mask!
You don’t have to do this as a daily nighttime routine, but some people swear by daily sheet masking for the extra hydration that it provides! In addition, face masks are among our favorite self care products.
If you are new to sheet masking, I personally recommend the “it’s real” squeeze mask from innisfree! There’s a a large variety of ingredients you can choose from: cucumber, rose and green tea just to name a few. You can also try popping them in the fridge 20 minutes before using them for a cooling effect.
If you’re not the sheet mask type, I recommend this water sleeping mask from laneige. All you have to do is slather it on as a last step to your skincare and wash it off in the morning. The mask completely melts into your skin so you don’t have to worry about sticky residue.
Stop Eating 3 Hours Before Bed
Yes, unfortunately this means no more midnight snacks.
Eating a heavy meal right before sleeping can lead to indigestion, acid reflux, and — ultimately — trouble sleeping.
If you often get hungry at night, try snacking on something light if you can’t bear to completely go without food. Try lighter snacks like peanut butter on crackers, veggies and hummus, or even a good old milk and cereal.
What do you think?
For more on sleeping well, be sure to check out our favorite sleeping tips for students.
Do you already follow some of these? Would you ever do daily sheet masks? Let us know in the comments below!