What is your bedtime routine? Our lives have gotten a bit out of control with the state of the world, technology, and the ease of access to ourselves we give to our employers. But we must regain control with better bedtime routines and better self care night routine ideas.
We could all use some self care night routine ideas to help improve many different aspects of our lives. There are different interpretations of self care out there that can muddy the waters or even deter some from trying.
But it is essential to define what self care has become. Self care started as an idea focused on physical health, like eating right and working out. But the concept of health has expanded into all aspects of life.
We can have healthy relationships, outlooks, and mindsets on top of physical health. In fact, the idea of mental health has become more significant than ever as people focus more on their own mindsets.
All of that being said, we need to find ways to incorporate self care into our lives more often. Luckily, we are creatures of habit, so we all have routines. Routines help keep us on the right track and working towards our goals.
But we can take that idea and add self care to the mix. Self care routines can be done throughout the day. In fact, self care can be added to any routine you have, each with a different purpose.
Self care night routine ideas are meant to help improve your sleep. Sleep helps with mental clarity, energy levels, motivation, mood, and so much more. Sleep has also been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, obesity, kidney disease, diabetes, depression, and strokes.
The importance of self care in our nighttime routines is clearly crucial, but how do we get started?
Self Care Night Routine Ideas | Technology
We've heard it a thousand times and will hear it a thousand times more; technology and bedtime don't mix. However, there is a clear reason why you hear it so much; it's because it's true!
There was a study that showed blue light decreases the production of melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone our body produces to help us fall asleep. Unfortunately, technology produces blue light, which prevents our bodies from producing melatonin.
The first thing we need to do is set up a dead zone time. The idea is to turn off all electronics half an hour before bedtime so our bodies can produce the melatonin they need to fall asleep.
It will not be easy, but this is the first step we need to take if we want self care night routine ideas to make a difference.
Creating a Comfortable Place
One of the most fun self care night routine ideas is to create a comfortable place for you to sleep. Another important aspect of sleep is comfort. The goal is to make it easier for us to fall asleep.
We can put in the work and try some things to make it better for ourselves personally. For example, a down comforter would suit those who get cold quickly, and bamboo would be better for those who get too hot.
A great way to add self care to your night routine is to give yourself a comfortable space to sleep.
Luxurious Shower
We all know that the shower is a fantastic thinking place. Did you know that a warm shower has also been proven to help make you sleepy? We can add some easy self care night routine ideas even to the shower.
Let's start by dimming the lights in the bathroom while you shower; candlelight showers or baths are a fantastic idea. There are other things we can add to the shower experience as well.
Try adding some white noise and soothing scents to the room. The goal is to try and induce a relaxing environment. This tells our bodies it is time to produce melatonin and go to sleep.
Occupy the Mind
We often turn to technology to occupy our minds as we wait for our bodies to produce melatonin, making us sleepy. However, we now know that it is a contradiction to use technology as we wait to produce melatonin so we can sleep.
That isn't to say we can't occupy our minds while waiting. Reading a book is a great way to not only entertain the mind but feed the mind as well. We can also use this time to journal.
Writing by hand has been shown to relieve stress, induce creativity, improve memory, and calm the mind. All of these self care night routine ideas will help improve our sleep, thus improving other aspects of our lives.