Sleep is a precious commodity. Poor sleep habits can make you grumpy and irritable, lower your immune system and even make you fat. these before-bed tasks should set you on the path for getting up on the right side of the bed every day :
So spare a few minutes to make a to-do list, think of all the tasks – big or small – you need to get done tomorrow, even the non-essential ones.
This way you won’t need to remember anything and will know exactly how the next day will go.
Have a shower or bath
Your body’s temperature is at its lowest during deep sleep. A hot bath (or shower) will cause your body’s internal thermostat into overdrive to maintain temperature, and induce drowsiness.
Drink hot milk
An old fashioned and still effective sleeping potion is a mug of hot milk. Milk contains tryptophan, an amino acid that converts to serotonin, the calming neurotransmitter. Add a sprinkle of sedating nutmeg.Power down your devices
Give yourself a short break from your phones, tablets, computers, and screens in general before you go to bed. Freeing up some head space allows you to wind down from the day and just be. (Not to mention that blue light before bed is not great for sleep.)Make sure your bedroom is dark
Our cavemen ancestors knew that night-time meant sleep time. Light pollution from street lights or even illuminated clocks can negatively impact your sleep. Darken your bedroom cave with block out curtains.Make a brain dump
Racing thoughts can keep you from falling asleep or could keep you awake if you wake in the middle of the night. Prevent both by getting that ticker tape of thoughts out of your head and onto paper.Focus on your senses
Take a few minutes to become aware of your body by focusing on your sense of sound, sight, smell, touch, or taste. This might be a mini ritual you do every night, such as purposefully enjoying the scent and sensation of your face wash or turning on a warm glowing diffuser with a favorite essential oil. Paying attention in this way will ground you and help shut out disruptive internal and external noise.Embrace essential oils
Aromatherapist Fiona Carr recommends the following essential oils to help even the most severe insomniac. Try Vetiver, chamomile, neroli, lavender and sandalwood oil. Add a few drops to your bath or a vaporiser.Plan your next day.
That’s a simple and quick thing many leaders do each night and it helps them to get ready for the next day and know what they have to do right after they wake up, so that they won’t waste any time and can just start working on it.So spare a few minutes to make a to-do list, think of all the tasks – big or small – you need to get done tomorrow, even the non-essential ones.
This way you won’t need to remember anything and will know exactly how the next day will go.