While I have an episode on creating morning and nightly cleaning routines, this one doesn’t include much tidying up. In this episode, I talk about the things I do—or don’t do—in order to get ready for a great night of sleep.
Listen to the episode by hitting the play button below, watch my YouTube video on the topic by scrolling down a bit, or feel free to read my written thoughts on the topic below.
I don’t think I’m the only one that—at one point or another—has struggled to get good sleep. After pinpointing some things I did that were contributing to poor sleep hygiene, I’ve begun practicing these habits and it’s made a huge difference. Now, sleep comes much more easily.
1. Tidy up before bed. This doesn’t have to be some massive chore. It doesn’t have to include vacuuming or wiping down bathrooms. Just focus on putting bags and shoes away, straightening couch pillows, and clearing off the coffee table. This way, you’re ready for the morning and don’t have these chores nagging at you while lying in bed.
2. Check your calendar. It’s not always my favorite thing to schedule out a busy day, but once I have a plan, I can let it go and prepare for better rest knowing I won’t wake to chaos.
3. Relax for a bit. Once the house is tidy and the schedule created and let go of, taking a moment to have tea, be quiet, chat with a loved one, or cozy up with a good book is well-deserved. By this time of night, I’m exhausted and ready to quit working. Giving myself a break is one of the best self care practices I could indulge in.
4. Avoid Information Overload. When it comes to getting ready to sleep, nothing can disrupt relaxation more than checking in on media/social media. I’m not heartless—I absolutely care considerably about the happenings near and far from me. But 99.9999% of the time, there’s nothing I can do about any of the many issues I could potentially across 10 minutes before bed. I am a much more productive person in the morning, so I try to save my social media time for daylight hours only.
5. Turn off the screens. I continuously hear more and more about screens making a person more alert and straining eyes rather than preparing a person for bed. I’ve been making more efforts to give my eyes and mind a break by getting off of screens well before I turn off the light for bedtime and it’s making a huge difference.
6. Think of successes right before sleeping. This one can be tricky—I often think of my struggles as wife and mother as I drift off to sleep. Unsurprisingly, when I allow my mind to do this, I sleep terribly, wake unrested, and usually have bad dreams. Journaling about my successes, then thinking about them—no matter how small they are—has been a huge help in getting better sleep.
Thanks for reading this article, listening to the podcast, and/or watching my YouTube video! I hope these tips help you to sleep better and thanks for being here.
The Darwin Awards Podcast — My husband and his brothers’ podcast
My Something Interesting: Ellen Fisher’s YouTube Channel
You can now purchase my book, How to be a Minimalist — A Beginner’s Guide! Click HERE to see the details. I sincerely hope you enjoy the book and thanks for supporting me/my family/my work! The ebook is out now and the paperback will be out in the next month or two.
Your support of the show is so very appreciated! Ratings, reviews, and Patreon patronage all sustain this show. Don’t forget that Patrons now get bonus episodes! Thanks so much!