It’s been a year since I got sucked into the realm of night wellness, and it’s been a blissful ride that I don’t plan on getting off ever.
A proper bedtime routine is key to glowing health – both mental and physical.
When you unwind properly at the end of the day, your worries take a backseat, your skin starts glowing, and your mind slips into a me-time mode that lasts till your waking hours.
The best thing is – you don’t need to do anything major to tap into your night resting mode.
Throw in some basic hygiene, beauty, and self-care activities, and you get yourself a simple bedtime checklist that will help you put your day to rest.
But if you’re content with a 30-minute bedtime routine, you’re already at the right place.
Before reading on, you might want to quickly pin this post for safekeeping.
In this post, we check out 9 things to do before bed that will add up to a perfect night routine.
This is a bedtime checklist you need to tick off each night to create more balance and stability in your life.
Let’s get started.
9 Things To Do Before Bed
1. Minimize The Use Of Electronic Gadgets
It might be unrealistic of me to ask you to completely cut off your use of electronic devices before bed, though you can certainly do that too.
But if you can bring down your usage to 10% of what you’re used to, that would be great.
You might need your phone to set the alarm clock, listen to music, and tune into a podcast while you’re going through your bedtime routine.
But there is no need to plug into Netflix even if justify it as your way of ‘chilling.’ There are so many other ways to relax before bed, as you’ll soon see when you move down this list.
So, save the late-night movie marathon and TV series binging for the weekend.
But for the remaining five days, favor mindfulness over the temporary satisfaction of being entertained; your mind will thank you for this.
And I’m sorry, social media lovers, but your beloved platforms cannot make the cut either.
It’s simply not healthy to be scrolling through your online feed, checking the notifications every few seconds, and replying to texts when you’re minutes away from dozing off.
Now, that might seem like a cruel punishment, but it’s for your greater good, as you’ll see.
2. Brush Your Teeth
So people argue that brushing your teeth in the morning is enough, but is enough good enough? Okay, I might have lost some of you on that one.
The point is, you need to brush your teeth twice a day. It’s what dentists recommend and you can’t wade your way out of it.
I usually wait half an hour or so after my dinner to brush my teeth. It’s one of the daily habits my mother ingrained in me since my childhood, and one I am very grateful for.
So, if you want to maintain good oral hygiene, brush your teeth before bedtime.
Also, after this routine task, you won’t be tempted to snack after dinner, which is all the more reason to add it to your nightly checklist.
3. Moisturize Your Face
I am in love with this part of my routine. All the skincare lovers are probably already doing this, but those of you who don’t need to get started ASAP.
Wash your face after brushing your teeth. Use a cleanser that’s gentle on your skin, and then pat your face dry with a soft and clean towel.
Then use rub a moisturizer on your face in gentle outward circles.
Take your sweet time doing this, and use the feeling of nourishment to tap into mindfulness.
It’s important to bring your attention to the present and give in to your own calming tendencies.
This might sound a bit dramatic, but that’s what self-love is about – Finding little ways to care for yourself and enjoying every moment of it, even if it’s something as simple as moisturizing your face at night.
4. Create A To-Do List
It’s normal to think about your next day’s plans before going to bed.
When I was an overthinking bee, I’d keep running my morning routine in my head and fall asleep to the thought of boarding the subway on time.
Well, we all know it’s not quite unproductive to live in the future, but doing so before going to sleep encourages your brain to continue this unhealthy cycle the next day.
That’s why you should create a to-do list during your bedtime. It’s a brilliant yet simple way to visualize your goals for the next day and stop obsessing over them.
Write down your checkpoints for the next day in your planner, notepad, or a piece of paper you can carry with you.
Your list can include your morning activities, workout routine, meal plan, and work-related goals that you tend to worry about.
This will also help you stay accountable and avoid procrastination.
5. Prepare For The Next Day
To avoid hustling in the morning, it’s best to sleep prepared. I’m not asking you to stay up late prepping for your next day’s schedule.
Just tidy up a few things so that you can lie down without any impending work stressing you out.
Select your outfit for the next day, including your accessories and shoes. Prepare your work bag by putting in any necessary items and files.
Set up your alarm clock to wake up on time.
If you’re a morning workout person, then lay out your exercise clothes on the table so that you feel active the moment you’re up.
Basically, prepare to wake up prepared. It’s one of the best habits of successful people that you can incorporate into your night routine.
6. Stretch And Relax
On my wellness journey, I explored various home workout regimes. Some were wonderful, others I found not that good fit for my body.
The best one I’ve found to date is the Pure Joy Yoga workout. It’s one of the rare workouts that is loved by both my body and my mind.
I was so amazed by its effects on my mental health that I decided to dig deeper into this, and found out that stretching is something people actually do before their bedtime!
It improves the quality of your sleep, helps your body unknot after a tiring day, and is a blissful way to tune into mindfulness.
Once you add bedtime stretching to your routine, you won’t want to go to sleep without it.
7. Brain Dump Through Journaling
The good old classic journaling method is still valid, maybe more than ever considering how crazier life has gotten for us humans.
Call it venting, brain decluttering, or emotional release – your journal can take everything you have to dish.
And that’s because it is a representation of your inner self.
There are a million thoughts racing through your mind every day, and it can be hard to keep track of the important stuff.
When you journal at bedtime, you give yourself permission to acknowledge everything that went wrong during the day.
Your stress finds a healthy outlet, and you get to soothe your tender feelings the day they present themselves.
Also, bedtime journaling is your chance to express gratitude for life and get to know yourself a little better.
It is the best thing you can do to practice emotional self-care, put your thoughts to bed, and sleep with your worries chucked out of the window.
8. Read A Book
Even after doing activities like stretching and journaling, don’t be surprised if your brain has plenty to chatter about, because it’s stubborn like that.
That’s why bedtime reading is a must-do activity to add to your checklist.
When you immerse yourself in the pages of a book, your mind has no option but to slow down.
Plus, reading is such a delightful way to end your day. It’s one of the simplest habits of happy people that can be extremely rewarding.
Don’t agree with me? Give it a try tonight. Read just one page, and see if it makes a difference to your mood.
You can pick an old classic, or go with something that’s trending in the contemporary section.
Just, maybe stay away from thrillers and mystery? We don’t want you to burn the midnight oil telling yourself ‘Just one more page.’
If stories don’t appeal to you for night reading, then a valuable non-fiction book is also good to give yourself food for thought.
9. 10 Minutes Of Meditation
The last thing to do before bed is to guide your mind toward restful sleep. This is the closing chapter of your nighttime routine and should not be skipped.
Sit with your back against the wall, relax your whole body, and close your eyes.
For the next few minutes, do nothing but focus on your breaths.
Count to three in your head as you inhale, hold for three seconds more, and release the breath in three counts.
If you’d like to be free with your breaths, you can also bring your awareness to the sensations in your body.
Feel your body’s points of contact with the bed and visualize your anxiety seeping out through your toes.
Another great way to meditate at night is to listen to sleep meditations and let the narrator’s voice guide you toward mindfulness.
