If "Springing Forward" this week has you feeling groggy, you're not alone. With the extra need for rest, it's a great time to take an audit of your sleep routine. Sleep is one of the most important weapons in building a healthy lifestyle.
If you'd like to enhance your overall wellness, consider adding the following tricks to your bedtime ritual.
1. Electronics
It's wise to turn off all electronics at least an hour before bedtime. The blue light that the different devices display are not helpful for falling asleep. Try to keep the television, tablets and any other electronics outside of the bedroom altogether.
2. 11 pm Bedtime
Every hour of sleep before 11 pm is equivalent to two or more hours after 11 pm. Your body will have a better chance of repairing itself and will be able to sync better with your lifestyle. Look at nature for a clue. As the sun goes down, this is a cue to begin starting the process of relaxing and winding the body down for sleep.
3. Food Cutoff
Many health professionals talk about the dangers of eating late because it can be linked with weight gain. Try to avoid eating dinner after 7:30 pm and avoid late-night snacking on junk food, which leads to additional weight gain.
4. Mind Decluttering
One of the things that keeps many people up late at night is their to-do list. There are so many tasks you need to do and want to avoid forgetting. Save yourself from unnecessary stress by making a list. Before you go to bed, make a list of all the tasks you need to take care of the next day. This will help you keep everything in a safe place and mentally relax.
5. Emails
People who are super healthy and incredibly successful commonly answer emails twice a day. They'll answer in the morning and they'll also answer at night. Whether you answer emails from your phone or laptop, try to do this process a few hours before bedtime so you can unplug from the online world before bed.
6. Lights
Begin to dim the lights about an hour before it's time to sleep. It will help you get into the right frame of mind to relax and drift off to dreamland.
7. Humidifier
If you're a speaker, teacher, singer or someone who uses their voice heavily throughout the workday, it's easy for your voice to get tired. Not only will it relax you, it will also help the health of your voice. One humidifier will suffice.
8. Epsom Salt Bath
An Epsom salt bath before bed because it's relaxing, offers a source of anxiety-busting magnesium, and can draw impurities from the skin. There's nothing like going to bed feeling fresh and clean.
9. Cup of Tea
With this ritual, try to forgo any added sweeteners or caffeine as they can both cause a spike in energy and blood sugar levels. Chamomile, Lavender, Valerian or any "sleep time" blend will serve you well.
10. Meditation
Meditation is another great way to cleanse the mind of the day's worries and activities. You don't want to stay up all night thinking about stress.
These ten bedtime rituals are sure to get you going in the right direction. Before long, your sleeping habits will be reformed and you'll notice a positive change in your overall health. Sleep tight!