7 Bedtime Habits To Help You Get To Sleep

Do you struggle to get to sleep at night? Adopting certain bedtime habits could help you to fall asleep more easily. Below are 7 habits to adopt in the evening to help you get a good night’s sleep. 

Choose the right snacks

There are certain foods you shouldn’t eat before going to bed. Fatty processed foods like potato chips are hard to digest and can affect our ability to get to sleep, while sweet snacks like chocolate are full of sugar and caffeine that can make us more awake. To help you fall asleep, you’re better off choosing snacks like berries, cherries, walnuts or oatmeal – these foods all contain sleep-supportive compounds that can help you feel more sleepy.

Take a warm bath

Taking a warm bath could make you feel more relaxed before going to bed. The hot water helps release feelgood endorphins, which flush away cortisol (the stress hormone). On top of this, a hot bath is great for reducing inflammation – if chronic pain stops you from getting to sleep at night, a hot bath could be the solution. There are many bath oils with relaxing scents that you can also use to help you get to sleep. 

Drink some herbal tea

A cup of herbal tea could also help you to relax and drift off to sleep easier. Many herbal teas like chamomile and valerian can help with the production of melatonin (the hormone that helps us get to sleep). They’re a much better beverage option than a cup of coffee or hot chocolate (which will make you more awake!). 

Try some sleep supplements

Sleep supplements contain ingredients to help encourage sleep. Popular supplements include melatonin, valerian root, lavender, magnesium, tryptophan and CBD. Supplements can be taken in different forms. For example, CBD can be taken as a capsule, a pill or an oil. You can even buy CBD gummies. It’s worth trying different supplements to see what works for you. 

Say no to screens

Staring at bright screens on phones, tablets, computers and TVs is not recommended right before you plan to go to bed. The bright light from the screen can trick our minds into thinking that it’s still day time. If you can, try to avoid all screens an hour before bed. You could find that this encourages your body to naturally produce melatonin. 

Keep a bedtime journal

Anxious thoughts before going to bed can keep many of us up. A bedtime journal can be great for writing down anything that you’re worried you may forget in the morning. They can be great for writing down to-do lists or simply writing down ideas. Consider keeping this journal on your bedside table. 

Read a book

Many of us grew up reading a book before bed and so associate reading with sleep. Consider going to bed with a book and see if it helps. If possible, try to avoid reading e-books before bed as this involves staring at a bright screen could just make you more awake.