You may still remember having the typical ‘bath, book, bed’ routine when you were younger. But it seems that the older you get, the less you think about your sleep needs.
There’s nothing worse than waking up feeling groggy after your slumber. Establishing a good bedtime routine as an adult can eliminate stress, banish headaches and lead to a more productive day ahead.
But what does a good bedtime routine look like?
"Try and get yourself into a regular wind down routine and you will notice a huge difference to the quality of your sleep. Read a book, listen to relaxing music, have a bath and use some relaxing essential oils such as lavender to help promote sleepiness"
Silentnight Sleep Expert, Dr Nerina
To help you relax when the sun goes down, follow our very simple sleep routine.
No caffeine
Have no caffeine after your tea. This includes both hot and cold caffeine drinks as they give you increased energy and keep your mind awake.
Bath
Once you’ve established that you’re ready to settle down, have a bath. Not only are baths calming, they trigger the release of endorphins in the brain that make you tired. Add some essential lavender oil and relaxing bubble bath too.
PJs
After your bath, change into some comfy PJs. When you put your pyjamas on, your brain starts to get into a bedtime frame of mind which induces tiredness. You can now get into your bed and continue to relax.
Eliminate technology
Once you’ve started your routine, your body needs to know it’s time for sleep. No computers, televisions or phones if you want a good night’s sleep. When you watch TV in bed, it keeps makes your brain overactive, which isn’t what you want at night time.
Write
If you have a diary, log what you’ve done during the day or how you are feeling. This is a great way to store memories and have closure at the end of the day. If you have an overactive mind, write lists down so that you know what you’ve got to do the next day. A clear mind is a happy mind.
Read
Reading before bed enriches the mind. A 2009 study by the University of Sussex found that reading for just six minutes can reduce stress levels by up to 68%. The only books we don’t suggest are horror themed, as these may keep you awake and get your mind racing!
Sleep
Now you’ve calmed down, you’re ready for sleep and your body is more than happy to. It only takes 72 hours of consistently doing the same thing for it to become a routine that you stick to naturally. You’ll be much more motivated when you wake up, which will lead to a better day ahead.
What’s the best daily routine for 9-to-5ers?
No two people are the same. We all have different needs and requirements, especially when it comes to sleep. Not everyone likes routine but according to a recent study from vitamin manufacturers, Forza Supplements, we can all benefit from it.
Their study found that, for those working a 9-5, that 10.10pm was the best bedtime and 6.45am was, roughly, the best time to wake up. Find out more about their study below.
10.10pm
For the average person, bedtime should be early. 10.10pm gives you 20 minutes to nod off then allows you to reach your most restorative sleep by midnight.
6.45am
Is the best time to wake-up. If you managed to get your head down at 10.10pm you should have had the broadly recommended seven to nine hours sleep.
7am
Think about doing some exercise. This will release serotonin, giving you a boost of happiness to start the day. Also, if you struggle to eat breakfast this may help you get through the most important meal of the day.
7.15am
Time to eat some breakfast. Ideally, around 30-45 minutes after waking as this will give you the vital nutrition for a successful day.
9.45am
According to research, we reach our mental peak 3 hours after waking; where our concentration, memory, focus and creativity levels are more attuned.
10.45am
Now it’s time to take a break. Forza’s research shows this is the time where our stress levels are at their highest, so try put your laptop on sleep mode and taking a short work to refresh and revitalise.
12.15pm
Eat some lunch. Even if you don’t get long take a break, try and relax. Three-quarters of those surveyed found they benefited from a midday meal.
6.00 – 6.15pm
Time for dinner and to unwind. This is also the best time to have an alcoholic drink because your body needs at least four hours to recover before sleep.
10.10pm
And before you know it, it’s bedtime again.
