The Best Night Routine: 10 Steps

Many of us have morning routines to keep our mornings smooth and easy to get through. The benefits of a morning routine are well known, with many claiming it as the secret to increased productivity and energy during the day.

But while starting your day on the right foot is important, it’s just as necessary to ensure you are healthily ending your busy day too. For many of us, sleep is of utmost importance, being the deciding factor on whether the next day will be bleary-eyed and exhausting or energetic, refreshing and productive. 

So how do we make sure we are getting a night of quality sleep? Much of it actually has to do with the activities we perform hours before we get into bed. The foods, drinks and tasks we engage ourselves with have a drastic effect on the amount and quality of sleep we get. 

We’ve outlined some easy tips and habits to incorporate into your night routine so that you can recharge and get a more restful sleep!                                                                                                                                                                                          

The hours before sleeping (Around 5pm) 

1. Cut out the coffee.                                                                                                                            Caffeine is a popular stimulant that works as an energy booster, which is why many people will find they are more alert in the morning after drinking their daily cup of coffee. For this exact reason, it’s not recommended to fill your body with caffeine before bed as it inhibits sleep-inducing chemicals in the brain. The sensitivity to caffeine varies for different individuals, but if you feel caffeine plays a large role in kick-starting your body, try to cut it off for at least 6 hours before your bedtime. Caffeine can be found in coffee, black tea, chocolate and soft drinks.                                                                                                                                          
2. Take time to plan for your next day (or week).                                                                                  The to-do list might seem never-ending, but don’t let it stress you out. Taking time to plan your next day and write down a to-do list will help you gain peace of mind. This is the time for noting down meal prep, grocery lists and upcoming events. It’s best not to have too many things to worry about before sleeping, as this will prevent you from relaxing.                                                                                                             
3. Pack up leftovers and keep the sink clean.                                                                                      Keep your mind stress free by clearing the kitchen after dinner. It’s hard to sleep when the tower of dirty dishes lurks at the back of your mind. Instead, toss the leftovers into a container for an easy meal tomorrow, and empty the sink and counters. If you have a team at home, feel free to recruit members to help (the cleaning will go by faster).                                                                                                                                                                                               

   A few hours before bedtime- (7pm)                                                                 

4. Take time for you.                                                                                                                              Once the work and dinner are out of the way, take some time for yourself. If you are planning to watch your favourite show, this is a good time, as it doesn’t impact your sleep cycle negatively. Any other low intensity hobby is a great choice too, for example painting, playing an instrument or colouring.                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
5. Optional 20 minutes of decluttering.                                                                                                  Waking up in a clean, organized space is a much better alternative to starting your day in a stressful, messy environment. A cool way to fit in a productive cleaning session is to set a timer for just 20 minutes and do some cleaning. Put a little bit of background music on; this little project which will make you feel like you've accomplished one additional thing for the day.                                                                                                                             
6. Get going on a nighttime skincare routine.                                                                                           A night time skincare routine will help you feel refreshed and clean. Have a relaxing warm (but not hot) shower. We love the Coconut Charcoal Mask for exfoliating and helping to get rid of all skin impurities.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Before heading to sleep:                                                                      
7. Sip chamomile tea.                                                                                                                            Instead of reaching for a cup of coffee, we recommend sipping some chamomile tea. Emerging research has shown that it is rich in an antioxidant called Apigen, which connects to sleep receptors in your brain. It is the perfect drink for winding down and relaxing your mind for a restful sleep.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
8. Limit screen time.                                                                                                                                      It’s tempting to stay on your phone at night, especially when you feel like you can’t get to sleep. However, our screens emit blue light, which interferes with the production of melatonin, a sleep-inducing hormone that controls our sleep cycle. Blue light also manipulates our brain into thinking it’s day time, which is why it’s recommended to put your screens away an hour before going to sleep. If you are used to using your phone and then going to bed right after, try to start with a goal of putting screens away 30 minutes before heading to sleep. Put your phone on silent, and keep it in a place that will make you less tempted to check it during the night. If using your phone cannot be avoided, then settings Blue light filters are recommended for reducing your exposure to blue light.                                                                                                                     
9. Read or Meditate.                                                                                                                                        Reading allows us to take a mini-vacation away from our daily troubles, so pick up a novel for a more relaxing bedtime activity!  Opt for a light, relaxing read as opposed to a page-turning horror; the goal here is to keep you feeling calm before you try to sleep.  A light 10-minute meditation will help center your mind and wash away any stress. Nature sound meditation and guided meditation are a few of my personal favourites.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
10. Aromatherapy and mini foot and neck massage.                                                                                The soothing scents of lavender and other essential oils are a great way to end the day. The aromatic blend of Chill Out is perfect for calming the mind and body. Roll the bottle onto the bottoms of your feet, as well as onto your neck to stimulate reflexology points. Massage the aromatherapy blends into your muscles to alleviate any tension so that you can get a restful sleep. 

These are just a few tips and habits you can incorporate into your night routine, but if it seems like a lot, don’t get intimidated. Start with just a few tips to make it easy and try to keep a consistent bedtime. 

We hope these tips help you get the best possible beauty sleep! We would love to answer any questions about the Bloomiss products mentioned in this post, so feel free to contact us!