It’s the end of a long day and all you can think about is crawling into bed and sleeping until morning. But, instead of blissful slumber, your mind races with worries about deadlines, unfinished chores, or tomorrow’s tasks. Though common, it’s not very restorative.
If you want to wake up feeling refreshed in the morning, then restful sleep needs to be a priority. That’s why I’ve put together 7 powerful self-care ideas that can help you get a good night’s sleep and wake up feeling more energized and ready to take on the day!
From formulating your nighttime routine to doing light stretching before bed, these ideas can help you create a sense of grounding and relaxation so that your days off are as recharging as possible. It’s time to take back control of your sleep and reclaim some much-needed rest. Let’s get started!
Create a Pre-Sleep Routine
Getting enough shut-eye is essential to staying healthy and alert throughout the day, so it’s important to set yourself up for a good night’s sleep. Pre-sleep routines aren’t just for kids—in fact, they can be key to helping you relax and prepare your body and mind for a refreshing night’s sleep.
To get started on your own pre-sleep routine, try incorporating some of these elements:
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Designate a specific time that you go to bed each night and stick to it
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Avoid overstimulating activities like watching TV or working late at night
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Set up a winding down period an hour before bed – take a hot bath, read a book, meditate or write in your journal
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Get comfortable in the bedroom – keep it constantly dark, cool and quiet
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Avoid blue light from screens – most devices now have a night time feature built it
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Use blackout curtains or eye masks to reduce external light or noise that might interrupt your sleep
By personalizing your pre-sleep routine, you can create greater consistency in your bedtime habits that will help ensure you get the restful sleep that you need.
Make Sure to Get Enough Exercise
Getting enough exercise is one of the best ways to ensure you get a good night’s sleep. Not only does it help relax your mind and body, but it can also physically tire you out so that when you actually go to bed – you’ll be more likely to actually stay asleep.
When it comes to exercise, choose an activity that works for your goals and lifestyle. Some people enjoy running or biking for longer periods of time, while others may find yoga or strength training more beneficial. The important thing is that you find what works for you and set aside dedicated time for it during your day.
It’s recommended that you do the majority of your exercising early or mid-day, at least 3 hours before heading to bed. Incorporating exercise into a daily self-care routine can have a positive impact on both physical and mental health – so make sure to add it in.
Limit Caffeine Intake
We all know that caffeine can be a helpful pick-me up, but it can also have a detrimental effect on your quality of sleep. A good self-care routine for optimal sleep hygiene should include limiting the amount of caffeine you consume during the day. But how?
Be Aware
The first step to reducing your caffeine intake is to be aware of it—keep track of when and how much you’re consuming, and adjust accordingly. Caffeine consumption can easily creep up without noticing. For example, consider a day like this: coffee in the morning, a soft drink at lunch, a preworkout in the afternoon and then a nibble on some chocolate after dinner, all those products contain different levels of caffeine.
If you’re feeling tired during the day and find yourself relying on caffeinated drinks, try making other lifestyle changes instead, such as taking a walk or getting some fresh air, or trying a different form of exercise.
Change Your Habits
If you haven’t fully cut out all caffeinated beverages, try opting for coffee alternatives that don’t contain caffeine. Great-tasting herbal teas are a great place to start. It might take some time to get used to the taste at first, but with enough effort you will eventually get used to the flavor and enjoy it without added sugar or cream.
Have A Plan
Lastly, if you find yourself needing that extra bit of energy throughout the day and can’t kick your coffee habit completely, plan ahead and limit your intake earlier on in the day so that it has had time leave your system before bedtime rolls around. This way you can still enjoy your cup (or two) of coffee without having to worry about its effects on sleep later that night.
Avoid Alcohol Before Bedtime
One of the best things you can do for your sleep is to stay sober right before bed. Alcohol may make you drowsy and help you doze off faster, but it can also fragment your sleep and prevent you from staying asleep until morning.
This doesn’t mean that an occasional glass of wine isn’t okay—it might actually help if you’re really struggling to get some rest. It’s all about finding the right balance that works best for you. Here are a few tips to help:
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Don’t drink more than one glass of alcohol within two hours of going to bed
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Aim for at least four alcohol-free nights per week
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Avoid drinking when feeling stressed or anxious
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Keep track of how much alcohol you’re consuming over time
These strategies are designed to reduce alcohol intake and keep any alcoholic beverages from disrupting your sleep patterns in a negative way. Incorporating alcohol management into your self care routine is a great way to ensure that your quality of sleep stays consistent and refreshingly good!
Manage Stress and Anxiety
Dealing with stress and anxiety is a crucial part of self-care if you want to get a good night’s sleep and wake up feeling refreshed. It’s important to identify what triggers your stress and anxiety, so that you can find creative solutions for dealing with them.
Identify Triggers
Sometimes we react to stress without even noticing it – such as too much caffeine, or certain types of food late in the evening. To identify the triggers for your stress and anxiety, you’ll need to start paying attention to yourself and your environment. Make a record of how you felt when you had trouble sleeping or waking up feeling refreshed, and what might have been going on at the time.
Find Solutions
Once you know what’s causing your stress or anxiety, think of some new ways to try and reduce it. These could be activities like relaxation techniques, reading positive material, or talking to friends or family members. If these activities become part of your routine, it will be easier for you to manage your stress levels on a daily basis.
Professional Support
If self-care alone isn’t enough for more serious cases, then seeking professional help is essential. A qualified therapist can help identify the root cause of your anxiety and recommend strategies for dealing with it in a more healthy way. Don’t hesitate – taking care of yourself is an important priority!
Invest in a Quality Mattress and Pillows
If you want to take your self-care routine to the next level and ensure that you’re getting a good night’s sleep and waking up refreshed, it’s worth investing in a good mattress and pillows.
Your sleeping environment affects your sleep quality, so it’s important to make sure that your bed is comfortable. If your mattress and pillows are old and uncomfortable, it’s time for an upgrade. Here are some factors to consider when you’re shopping for a new mattress and pillows:
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Firmness – How soft or firm do you want the mattress to be? This can depend on your preferred sleeping position, so make sure to try out different options before committing to one.
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Support – The mattress should support your body in a way that keeps spine alignment intact as you sleep.
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Pressure relief – Look for a mattress that relieves pressure points on sensitive areas of the body, such as the hips and shoulders.
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Pillow material – Choose a pillow material that suits your needs—for example if you tend to get warm while sleeping, opt for breathable materials like cotton or memory foam instead of feathers or down filling, which can be stuffy and retain heat.
By investing in the right mattress and pillows, you’ll be setting yourself up for success when it comes to having restful nights of sleep and feeling refreshed in the morning.
Choose the Right Bedroom Environment
Creating a bedroom environment that encourages a good night’s rest is key to waking up refreshed. A few things you can do to create the ideal bedroom environment include regulating the temperature, controlling the lighting, and minimizing noise.
Temperature
It’s important to find the right temperature for your bedroom. Most people prefer cooler sleeping temperaturesto help with sleep and relaxation. According to research, keeping your room at a temperature of around 60-67 degrees Fahrenheit (15-19 Celsius)is optimal for most people. Investing in an air conditioner or fan can help maintain this temperature if you’re struggling with it in your current home.
Lighting
The amount of light and what type of light you let into your bedroom also affects how well you sleep. Keeping the light levels low in the evening helps signal to your body that it’s time to sleep, so try installing blackout curtains or putting a nightlight in for those times when you need to get up during the night. Also, switching out any bright white lights for warmer colors like yellow or red will keep things relaxing without disrupting your rest.
Noise
Finally, trying to block out noise from outside and within your home is essential for having a peaceful sleep space. This could mean getting thicker curtains or adding rugs and carpets that can muffle sound from neighbors or even just from inside your own house. You could also invest in noise-canceling headphones or earplugs if extra soundproofing isn’t an option where you currently live.
By making sure that all three of these conditions—temperature, lighting, and noise—are optimized for relaxation, you’ll be well on your way towards getting that perfect night
Elevate Your Mental and Emotional Health with Our Self-Care Ebook Bundle
If you’re not sure where to start and you’re needing a hand starting your Self-Care practice, our Self-Care Ebook Bundle can help!
This bundle includes 3 ebooks: Self-Care for Burnout, The Power of Rest, and 100 Self-Care Ideas. In addition, a bonus ebook is included to help guide you in transforming your inner dialog using positive affirmations.
Here are some of the things you’ll learn with this bundle:
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How to create realistic goals and strategies for taking care of yourself so that burnout does not occur.
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How to make rest and relaxation a priority for your mental, physical, and emotional health.
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100 self-care ideas that can be adapted to fit an individual’s lifestyle and needs.
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Tips on how to shift from negative inner dialog with the use of affirmations that can be used to help manifest almost anything!
Our Self-Care Ebook Bundle is the perfect way to bring sustainably healthy habits back into your life in order to have long-term success and prevent burnout from occurring again in the future!
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Get our Self-Care eBook Bundle
Which includes a collection of ebooks designed to help you prioritize your mental and emotional well-being, so that you can reduce feelings of overwhelm and exhaustion. And for a limited time, enjoy 86% off the regular price!
Download
Conclusion
Perfecting your sleep routine shouldn’t be daunting — there are plenty of simple self-care solutions to help you get a good night’s sleep and wake up feeling refreshed. Consider taking time for yourself to try different stress-reducing activities, setting a consistent sleep schedule, or making changes to your bedroom like incorporating blackout curtains.
Whatever you decide to do, it’s essential to make sure you’re prioritizing your own well-being, even if it’s just one small step at a time. After all, sleep is one of the best gifts you can give yourself and your overall health — so don’t be afraid to savor it.
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