A Calming Night Routine

Eat Light and Healthy Dinner

Eating heavy meals late at night can result in digestion issues, which damages sleep quality and often causes weight gain. So, limit your dinner meal portion and incorporate healthy food options like nuts, yogurt, or oatmeal. It will boost your melatonin levels before sleeping.

Also, avoid alcohol at night. Alcohol is a depressant that can make you sleepy instantly, but it also lowers your melatonin levels quickly, keeping you awake for longer. This further disrupts your circadian rhythm and causes poor sleep.

Pamper Your Skin

Sleeping in your makeup and pollutants on the skin can result in skin aging, enlarged pores and other issues. Also, during the night, our skin absorbs nutrients better than during the daytime. Therefore, it’s important to have a separate night skincare regimen.

Steps for a basic night skincare routine are:

Step 1: Remove your makeup thoroughly with makeup remover.
Step 2: Clean your skin using a gentle, antioxidant-rich cleanser.
Step 3: Apply toner to balance PH and moisture levels in your skin.
Step 4: Apply the treatment suggested for your skin condition.
Step 5: Apply eye cream and then moisturizer on your skin.

Make your Bed

Perhaps the most important part of a good bedtime routine is to tidy up your bed before jumping into it. Clean bedsheets and fluffed duvet and pillows can make your bed seem ultra-welcoming and cozy, which is important for creating a restful and sleep-conducive environment.

Ideally, choose sheets made of high quality, natural and breathable materials, such as cotton, linen, bamboo and eucalyptus. These materials are soft to the skin and moisture-wicking, keeping sleep comfy and undisrupted from overheating issues.

When choosing bedding, it is a good idea to look for Oeko-Tex certificate, as it implies the bedding materials contain no harmful chemical remains. Sleeping on bedding with toxic chemicals may result in skin irritations and allergies, among other potential health risks.

Have Bedtime Tea

A cup of warm bedtime tea infused with the goodness of herbs does miracles while you’re asleep. It can help calm your mind and relax your body before bed.

The most recommended bedtime tea options are:

• Chamomile tea
• Peppermint tea
• Green tea
• Lavender tea
• Magnolia bark

You can also find other herbal flavors, or teas infused with a combo of healing herbs. Bedtime tea is sure to help you relax and get a better night's sleep.

Lit Some Candles for Relaxing

The flames of candles have a magical power that influences us inside and outside. It connects us more deeply with our emotions and thoughts and illuminates us with warmth, love, and healing energy. That's how candles relax!

Combining these properties of candles with fragrance, soothing scented candles offer calming properties and make us feel good. And, when you feel good, you sleep tight naturally.

Cool Down by Taking a Hot Bath

Our body's temperature naturally dips at night. When you take a hot bath, the temperature rises, and the rapid cool-down period afterward relaxes the body.

Like going to the sauna after a workout, a hot bath is an excellent way to relieve muscle tension. Heat increases blood flow in the body, which helps sore muscles that can cause trouble with sleep.

So, two hours before going to bed, soak in the hot tub for 20-30 minutes. Just make sure you don’t bathe too close to bedtime. Otherwise, your body won’t have enough time to cool down and may have reverse effects.

Don't forget to apply body lotion after the hot bath - it helps create an artificial barrier to prevent water loss and keep your skin soft, smooth and hydrated .

Journaling or Planning for the Next Day

When you can’t sleep, a lot of racing thoughts might keep you awake. One proven way to control these thoughts is to release them down on paper and get clarity of thoughts so that you can sleep peacefully.

So, develop a habit of journaling before bedtime. Vent your day’s worries to blow off steam and move past them. Journal about good things that happened to you over the day, show gratitude and recall your goals.

You can also create a quick to-do list to sleep with a thought that your next day is organized. This daily practice not only gives a good night's sleep but also improves all other aspects of your life.

Bonus Tips

You can also put on some soothing music or read an inspiring book. Make some family bedtime rituals to increase feelings of love, trust, and happiness. Sweet dreams!