The Best Things To Do Before Bed – things to help you sleep and be ready for the next day

Hi everyone! So I’ve spoken about morning routines and good morning habits that can help set you off on a great day but what about nighttime habits? Is there any point to them, or are they just a waste of time? Some might say that it doesn’t matter what you do before bed because you are about to go to sleep, but I would argue that there are great habits you can get into before bed. Why are they so great? Well, they can help you relax and improve your sleep, but they will also get you ready to have a smooth start to your morning. Doesn’t that sound awesome? Me being OCD and prone to over-organising everything love my before-bed ritual because it calms me down and I know that when I’m ready to close my eyes, I am already partially sorted to start my day tomorrow. Now, these little things you can do before bed may be small and may not suit your lifestyle so pick and choose what best suits you, but doing things like this before bed and turning it into your nighttime ritual can make a big difference in your sleep and how you start your next day. So, without further ado, here are ten of the best things to do before bed – things that can help you sleep and be ready for the next day. I hope you enjoy it!

Pack your bags for tomorrow 

There’s never a good reason to not pack your things the night before. All that leaving it for the morning does is potentially cause you stress because if you oversleep or end up in a chaotic rush, you might forget things or feel panicked to get everything packed in time. Packing your bags the night before means that you are less likely to forget things and you won’t have to stress about it once you wake up. It also only takes a few minutes, so get yourself ready the night before. You’ll be thankful when you can use those five minutes for more important things the next day. 

Declutter your space

This may not apply if you are regularly cleaning up after yourself and continuously live in a pristine environment. If that’s you – well done because that is impressive. I may be neat, but I’m not that neat, so at the end of the day, some clutter has usually collected itself in various places. So, before bed, why not take some time to declutter your space and make sure that things are neat and tidy. Do the dishes, pack things away and throw away those empty water bottles (or any other rubbish) that might be gathering. This means that you can start the day fresh and don’t have to worry about things piling up and getting to an uncontrollable state. Decluttering can also be a very peaceful process and can leave you feeling satisfied, which is always an excellent way to feel at the end of a long day. You’ll also be in a happy mood when you can wake up to find that everything is neat and tidy

Write tomorrow’s to-do list 

Ooh, lists! One of my favourite things in the world. Some people write their to-do lists during their morning routine, and that is perfectly fine, but you could also get it done before bed. I happen to mix and match, but I’m finding that I end up writing a majority of my to-do list in the evening and then tend to add to it in the morning if new things crop up or I remember something I hadn’t written down. Writing your to-do list the evening before also helps you release the stress and energy of trying to remember these things or think about how to complete them. 

Cleanse and Clean

Whether it is a hot shower, a bubble bath or your nightly skincare routine and teeth-brushing, cleansing and cleaning is a great way to end the day. My boyfriend prefers to shower in the morning because it wakes him up, but I prefer to shower/bath in the evening because I can wash away my long day. I also feel so relaxed and peaceful after a steamy bath or even after cleansing my face. So, even if you don’t like having a long shower at the end of the day (even though it can make you feel so relaxed and refreshed), at least try some skin cleansing to wash off any stress or tiredness from the day. It may just be the thing that puts you in a mood ready for falling into a peaceful sleep. 

Ditch your phone

Oh, our beloved phones. I think sometimes they might be considered an additional limb because of how much we are on them and rely on them. I mean I sure spend a lot of time on my phone that is probably unnecessary, and the thought of going anywhere without it practically gives me the shivers. However, phones and sleep do not go together, and unfortunately, this is proven by scientists and not just angry parents who want their children to go to bed on time. The blue light from screens convinces our brains to stay up and makes us less tired, thus making it a lot harder to get to sleep. Try putting your phone away an hour before bed, and laptops too, so that your brain has time to start winding down and get ready for sleep. I know it is hard, I am so guilty of bringing my phone or laptop to bed with me, but it is something I am working on and think we should all work on. After all, our sleep is more important than Instagram, right? 

Something peaceful 

Everyone has a different idea of what a peaceful activity is, but no matter what it is, you should try to fit in a little bit of it before bed. Whether this is stretching, building a puzzle or drinking a nice hot cup of tea, why not add it into your before-bed routine. Not only is it something you enjoy doing (so it wouldn’t be a ‘waste’ of your time), but it will also relax you, and the best thing you can be before going to sleep is relaxed. There is nothing worse than climbing into bed when your mind is still revved up and focused on ten different things at once so doing whatever it is that makes you feel peaceful will silence your busy brian and hopefully allow you to fall asleep without a struggle. Doesn’t that sound fantastic? 

Read a book 

I’ve put this as separate from something peaceful because reading for almost anyone can help you sleep better. Reading eases the mind, helps you feel sleepy and can even help with insomnia and reduce stress (according to studies). Reading can also be very therapeutic because it allows us to dive into another world and escape our reality, which can be a very peaceful and relieving experience. So yes please – let’s get reading, right? This is my favourite choice as I love nothing more than to forget my troubles by falling into somewhere new where there is magic, excitement and usually a happy ending. 

My favourite genre is romantic fiction … so if you have any recommendations or are looking to chat about books then let me know in the comments section!

Have something to drink

Health experts are always reminding us to stay hydrated, but I think we often forget that while we are sleeping, our body doesn’t get any water for a good six or more hours. A good thing to do is have some water before you go to sleep or even leave a glass by your bed in case you feel a bit quenched in the night. It can only do your body good to keep it a little more hydrated right? Just be careful you don’t drink too much though … I hate nothing more than having to keep getting up in the night, and I’m sure no one else enjoys it too so while staying hydrated is good, don’t drink too much that you end up disrupting your whole night with bathroom breaks. 

Get your room right 

Having the right atmosphere in your room can make or break a good night of sleep. Firstly, it’s essential to get the air in your room nice and cool. Not freezing so that you get frostbite but also not too hot so that you end up tossing and turning and getting hot and bothered. Your bedroom should always feel cool and comfy. Having clean, fresh sheets that are nice and cool with a lovely clean smell are also great for setting the mood. You could even use essential oils, since we are talking about smells, to set the mood. Lavender is considered the best for sleeping as it helps with sleep and is known for its calming effect. The last thing is to make sure there isn’t too much light in your room, the darker, the better actually because it allows you to sleep deeper and better.

Get to sleep!

With all that done, the last thing to do is to crawl under that duvet and get to sleep! If you’re like me and like to feel fresh and bubbly when you start the day instead of groggy, then the only way to do that is to get a good night of sleep. Sometimes it can be so hard to say enough and put away the work and decide you need the rest, but it needs to be done. You’ve got this lovely before-bed routine that is meant to get you in the right, relaxed mood for a beautiful night of z’s so take advantage and get that rest. People don’t sleep nearly as much as they should (trust me I am a ‘student’ and know many others like doctors, fellow students and just people who commit to their work that sacrifice sleep for everything else) but that only builds up a sleep deficit that catches up eventually. Your body needs the sleep, and you deserve the rest so climb into bed and sleep!

And so there you have it! I hope that you all enjoyed today’s blog post and if you haven’t found a few things that you would like to add to your nighttime routine or been inspired to start a nighttime routine, then I at least hope you enjoyed the read. For my question: 

• What helps you sleep at night? 

Sleep is so critical, and in the last few months, I have found that I sleep so much better having a before-bed routine so try it out, and you might find that it also helps you. As always, thank you all so much for reading. If you enjoyed, please remember to like this post if you haven’t already and subscribe, so you don’t miss out on future blog posts. I wish you all restful nights of sleep xx

Lots of Love

Blondey on a Mission xxx