I’ve gotten so much great feedback after writing my “6 morning habits for a more productive day” post that I decided to do a follow-up on the best evening rituals for a good night sleep. After all, if you don’t sleep well, those morning habits go out the window and so does your entire day.
So it’s safe to say that a good productive day starts with a good morning, and a good morning starts with a good night sleep.
To clarify, when I say good night sleep I don’t necessarily mean long sleep. I mean good, sound, quality sleep. Someone could sleep three hours and wake up feeling refreshed, while another sleeps seven or eight hours and wakes up tired and anxious.
We all have different reasons as to why we don’t get enough quality sleep. Whichever it is for you, these evening rituals may be helpful. They are simple, safe, and powerful rituals that help induce quality sleep. Give one a try, or two, or all.
1. Eat a light, early dinner
There has been debate as to whether or not eating right before bed is not ideal for your health. I personally don’t have trouble sleeping if I eat something right before bed.
Everyone’s metabolism is different and it really comes down to WHAT you’re eating before bed. For instance, if I eat a heavy or sugary meal before sleep, I wake up bloated and super tired. If I’m too hungry, the hunger pains just won’t let me sleep.
According to Ayurvedic Science, eating right before bed changes the body chemistry (i.e. your body is metabolizing the meal as you sleep), and as a result, sleep is disrupted and we wake up feeling tired. It is recommended that we eat about 2-3 hour before sleep time. This way, we aren’t necessarily full but not hungry either.
2. Have a warm sleepy drink
This is an oldie but goodie. It’s not a secret that a warm drink before bed induces good quality sleep. It has been said that warm milk helps you sleep because of the presence of the amino acid tryptophan. Scientific studies have been inconclusive on this because the actual amount of tryptophan present in milk may be too low to induce sleep.
But what about adding some spices like ginger, turmeric, cardamom, or nutmeg? Yum.
Try warming up some milk and adding any of the spices listed above. Or, try my mom’s sleepy tea recipe: Boil some water with a cinnamon stick, a piece of ginger root, and a piece of apple (about an inch wedge). Add your favorite sweetener and you’re good to go.
3. Plan your mornings
A lot of times we can’t sleep because of all that’s going on in our heads. This leads to anxiety and ultimately insomnia. A good way to settle thoughts about the next day is to write them down and plan ahead.
Use a notebook or a day planner to set goals and list out the things you want to accomplish in the morning. You can plan your breakfast, what you’ll wear, listening to a podcast, or going for a walk, etc…This gives a little peace of mind and something to look forward to the next day.
4. Turn off devices
I admit. This one’s a toughie, especially when your job depends on getting emails from clients and checking social media throughout the day. Scrolling through your phone and watching TV right before bed leads to information overload and ultimately, stress and anxiety.
If possible, try turning off devices at least one hour before bed. Instead, try reading a physical book or journaling which are calming and great for inducing sleep.
5. Do a breathing exercise
This is one of my favorite evening rituals and one I don’t miss often. Pranayama, meaning controlled breathing, helps to calm the mind and ease anxiety. Try a simple Breath Countdown, which is also a form of mindfulness meditation, or my all-time favorite, alternate-nostril breathing.
Here’s how to do Alternate Nostril Breathing:
Using your right hand, tuck-in your index and middle finger (so that your ring finger, pinky and thumb are extended). You will use your ring finger and thumb to open and close nostrils alternately.
Close your left nostril with your ring finger, inhale through the right
Close your right nostril with the thumb, closing both nostrils and holding the breath for as long as comfortable
Exhale through the left
Inhale through the left, hold the breath
Exhale through the right
Inhale through the right, hold the breath
Exhale through the left
Complete a few rounds (about 1-3 minutes)
6. Use Essential Oils
Essential oils are a great way to induce sleep naturally. You can use essential oils either topically, applying directly to the skin, or aromatically by using a diffuser. These are my favorite oils for relaxation and sleep:
Lavender
Chamomile
Frankincense
Sandalwood
Marjoram
7. Do Restorative or Yin Yoga
Restorative and Yin yoga poses are quite effective at preparing the body and mind for restful sleep. Practicing yoga before bed helps to loosen up tight, overworked muscles while calming the mind and inducing deep relaxation by using the breath.
8. Remove some clutter
I don’t know about you, but I sure hate going to sleep (or waking up) with a messy bedroom, kitchen, or bathroom, or the whole entire house turned upside down. A cluttered space leads to stress and anxiety and nobody wants to going to sleep.
Take some time before bed to clear up some stuff around the house. You don’t have to have a squeaky clean, 100% cluttered-free home, but enough to make your space clear and headache-free.
9. Workout
Working out before bed really depends on your lifestyle and preference. Some people prefer to workout in the morning while others prefer evening.
Some people find that a rigorous workout helps them fall asleep because they feel worked and ready to hit the sack. Again, this depends on your lifestyle and daily schedule but give it a try and see how it goes.
10. Meditate
Did you guess this was coming? Yep. Meditate, meditate, meditate. Meditation is the ultimate jack of all trades when it comes to relaxation, relieving anxiety, and inducing quality sleep.
Some of you might say, “I’m too anxious or tense to meditate.” That’s okay. I get it. I’ve been there. But the way meditation works is by helping you be present with those feelings and emotions. When we are aware, we transcend.
This is how meditation works. If you feel anxious before bed, then sit in meditation and observe yourself be anxious, sad, or angry, etc. I’m not saying it’s easy, but definitely worth a try.
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Great tips.I also meditate and do yoga regularly.