My Relaxing Night Time Routine
How I naturally cured my insomnia
Hey It Girls! If there's one thing I've learned during this latest lockdown, it's that routines really are everything. For the last 4 months I felt as though every late night I'd ever had was finally catching up with me. I was completely drained, my anxiety was at an all time high and had begun to manifest itself into physical symptoms that were honestly making me miserable. I'd been to the GP several times and was repeatedly told that it was 'just stress'. If you've ever been given that diagnosis, you'll know just how unhelpful it can feel at the time. Being told to 'avoid stress' in this current climate honestly felt a little tone deaf to me so I didn't take it seriously. Several sleepless nights later, I had a change of heart. I decided to see what would happen if I really put 100% effort into making lifestyle changes and creating a night time routine that would facilitate proper rest for myself. I'm writing this just two weeks later and I honestly haven't felt this good in a really long time! So if you're anything like me and struggle with stress, anxiety and insomnia, check out some things I've been doing to have a more restful, relaxing sleep routine.
1. Morning Exercise
Okay, so I know I said this was a night time routine but my first step actually starts at the beginning of my day. It's something I used to do when I was younger but since starting this habit again, I've seen a huge difference in my ability to fall asleep at night. I work out as soon as I wake up in the morning. My workouts are nothing crazy or too intense, just 10-15 minutes of cardio to get my muscles activated. It gives me the perfect energy boost in the morning and makes me tired by the end of the day.
2. Taking A Screen Break After Work
I'm currently working from home and spend pretty much all day on my phone and computer so sometimes it can be hard to switch off from being in work mode and all the stresses that come with it. So in order to mentally disconnect, I find a 1 hour task to do that doesn't involve any screens. A few activities I do during this time include reading, journaling, cooking dinner or cleaning. This is also the perfect time to get in some daily self-care: taking a long steamy shower, painting my nails, washing my hair etc.
3. Dim The Lights
Photo via Pinterest
Getting ready for bed is all about setting the mood that tells your body it's time for sleep. For me that means no bright lights around the house. To help me create a relaxing ambiance, I keep the main lights off and either turn on a night lamp or burn a candle for a more subtle atmosphere.
4. Drink Chamomile Tea
Photo via Pinterest
A cup of chamomile tea is the perfect way to wind down after dinner and prepare for a restful sleep. It smells and tastes amazing and is known for reducing stress and aiding in relaxation.
5. Stretching
After being hunched over a desk for most of the day, stretching is essential for removing tension in the body. This is usually the time in the evening that my muscles start to feel sore from working out in the morning, so this step is one I never skip out on.
6. Sleep Meditation
Finally once I'm actually in bed, I'll head to Youtube on my phone, plug my earphones in and find a sleep meditation to listen to in order to fall asleep. If you've read any of my other daily routine blog posts, you'll know I'm forever recommending the Great Meditation channel, especially if you're like me and find it hard to meditate without guidance.
One more thing I try to do is regulate the temperature of my bedroom so it's not too warm and is always well ventilated, which is super important, especially during winter when most of us have the heating on all day. Hopefully by the end of this, I'm ready to fall asleep and stay asleep until the next morning!
