We all know the feeling. You’ve been in bed for a solid eight hours, but you wake up feeling groggy, unrested, and like you could use another full night’s sleep. This is the frustrating reality of “junk sleep,” where the quantity of your rest doesn’t translate into quality. A truly restorative night is not just about how long you’re in bed; it’s about how deeply and peacefully you sleep.
The secret to improving your sleep quality often lies not in what you do when you get into bed, but in what you do in the hour or two leading up to it. Building a powerful and consistent wind-down routine is the most effective way to signal to your body that it’s time for a deep, restorative rest. For a growing number of people, that routine now includes natural, plant-based supplements. CBD sleep gummies, which often combine cannabinoids with other natural sleep aids like melatonin, can be a great tool to help quiet a racing mind and prepare your body for a peaceful night.
If you’re tired of waking up tired, here are some simple tips for creating a nightly ritual that promotes deeper, higher-quality sleep.
Power Down Your Screens an Hour Before Bed
One of the most powerful things you can do for your sleep is to manage your light fixtures in the evening. Our brains are hard-wired to associate the bright, blue-toned light from our phones, tablets, and TVs with daytime. This blue light can suppress the body’s natural production of melatonin, the key hormone that tells your brain it’s time to get sleepy.
Set a firm cutoff time for all screens at least 60 to 90 minutes before you plan to go to bed. Use this screen-free time to engage in a calming, analog activity instead. At the same time, dim the overhead lights in your home to further signal to your brain that the day is ending. Managing your light exposure is a critical component of good sleep hygiene.
Lower Your Core Body Temperature
A slight drop in your core body temperature is one of your body’s most powerful triggers for sleep. You can use this to your advantage by taking a warm bath or shower about 90 minutes before bed. While it might seem counterintuitive, the warm water will raise your body temperature, and the rapid cool-down you experience when you get out will help to make you feel sleepy.
You should also keep your bedroom cool. Most experts agree that the ideal temperature for sleep is between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit (about 15 to 19 degrees Celsius).
Calm Your Racing Mind
For many of us, the biggest enemy of sleep is a busy brain that just won’t turn off. A wind-down routine should include a specific practice to help you process the day and release your worries.
- Do a “Brain Dump”: Keep a notebook by your bed. Before you turn out the light, spend five minutes writing down anything that’s on your mind—your to-do list for tomorrow, a nagging worry, or just a recap of your day. Getting these thoughts out of your head and onto paper can provide an incredible sense of release.
- Try Gentle Stretching: A few simple, restorative yoga poses or gentle stretches can help release the physical tension that has built up in your body throughout the day.
- Practice Deep Breathing: Simple breathing exercises are a powerful and immediate way to calm your nervous system.
Be Consistent, Even on Weekends
Your body loves a routine. We all have an internal 24-hour clock called a circadian rhythm, and it works best when it’s kept on a consistent schedule.
Try to go to bed and wake up at roughly the same time every single day, even on weekends. While it can be tempting to sleep in on a Saturday, a wildly fluctuating sleep schedule can throw your internal clock out of whack, making it much harder to fall asleep on Sunday night and wake up on Monday morning. A consistent schedule is the anchor for your entire sleep routine.
A deep, restorative night’s sleep is a fundamental pillar of your physical and mental health. By creating a consistent and calming evening ritual, you can give your mind and body the clear signals they need to unlock the high-quality sleep you deserve.