Do you also sleep so poorly?

When you can finally crawl under the covers after a long day, you naturally hope to fall asleep quickly. The longer you lie staring into the darkness, the more frustrating it becomes. But how do you ensure that your ceiling duty is as short as possible? According to sleep experts, the solution lies in the length of your evening routine.

A comprehensive routine

When you're tired, it's very tempting to rush through your evening routine. You do the necessary skincare and preferably nothing more than that. Not a crazy thought, but that rush actually causes you to lie awake longer. According to sleep expert Lauri Leadley, you fall asleep much faster with a comprehensive routine. “An evening routine is important because it puts us in the state of mind to relax and prepares our body, mind, and heart for rest.” Taking a little longer to care for your skin, read, or meditate leads to better sleep.

Keep it simple

How extensive that routine should be varies from person to person. Of course, you shouldn't overdo it either. Giving yourself a long list of tasks doesn't help you relax. Especially if you're already struggling with sleep problems, it's good not to make it too big of a deal. Putting too much pressure on falling asleep only has the opposite effect. Think of it as your personal experiment: you choose a few actions that help you relax and take your time with them. You can keep switching them until you find the perfect routine.

A few extra tips

So you are completely free to create your routine. But there are a few extra tips to help you along the way.

1. Create a calm environment
Your environment can be very decisive for the feeling of calm. By closing your curtains on time and dimming the lights a bit, you prepare your body for the night. A scented candle can further enhance this feeling. And for all the mess-makers: in a tidy bedroom, you can relax better than when the entire contents of your wardrobe are on the floor.

2. Find the calm within yourself
Diving into bed full of adrenaline doesn't really help with falling asleep. That's why it's good to take the time to truly de-stress. How you do that is entirely up to you. Maybe you enjoy taking a long shower, or you completely relax with a book. You'd better save that next episode of your favorite thriller series for another time.

3. Put your phone away
I am also guilty of this: scrolling through TikTok in the evening. It's no surprise that all those screens affect our sleep. If you're really ready for a good night's sleep, it's better to put your phone away on time. According to experts, even an hour before you go to sleep – if that’s possible, of course.

4. Don't drink caffeine or alcohol
What do you grab in the early morning to really wake up? Exactly, coffee. As nice as it may be, having a cup in the evening is not ideal. And that goes for everything that contains caffeine or alcohol. So after a night out with friends, prepare for a few hours of lying awake. And, small warning: tea also contains caffeine.

5. Make sure to move enough
Exercising ensures that your body uses more energy and is therefore ready for sleep. Getting some movement in the evening is only good for your sleep. Just be careful that your workout doesn't become too intense. Intense exertion activates your body, and that's exactly what we don't want.

6. Write down your thoughts
A common cause of lying awake is that your mind is still full of various thoughts. You keep worrying and can't fall asleep. By writing down all those thoughts, you can get them out of your head and create space for calm. Sleep well.

Source: Women’sHealth & Sleepopolis