At times, a good night’s sleep feels unobtainable. But with the right head space and bedtime rituals, you can prepare yourself for a deep, healing rest. From using the Night Mode Setting on your cell phone to taking a hot bath and using essential oils, there are many ways to prepare yourself for sleep. Here’s some practical advice from some of the top wellness experts:
A good night's sleep is a product of setting ourselves up for success, by keeping stress at a minimum, clearing our thoughts before bed through a just a short meditation practice (even 10 minutes can work wonders for the mind), and planning a routine to complete these that will put you in bed at the same time each night. A bedtime ritual helps us create the patterns we desire to establish healthy habits that soothe the mind, body, & spirit in the ways we need. –Ashley Pearson is a certified health and wellness coach who is helms the fitness team at The Breakers Resort Palm Beach. She focuses on yoga, Pilates, and herbs for healing and balance.
At least an hour before bedtime, dim the lights and avoid looking at any kind of screen. Play some gentle music or soft ‘white noise’ to induce relaxation. Once in bed, include some deep breathing --- take long but relaxed breaths in and out through the nose or do an actual body meditation/relaxation practice beginning with relaxing the toes, soles of feet, working upwards toward the head. Don’t consume late heavy meals or drinks. Limit caffeine, nicotine, alcohol and big meals a few hours well before bed. –Kim Elizabeth is a sought-after instructor for her expertise in yoga, Pilates, barre, and Reiki and is a personal trainer for guests at Half Moon, one of the top Jamaican resorts.
Cut out extraneous activities in the evening that can prolong bedtime, such as watching TV programs you don’t really care about or surfing the internet. Research shows that blue lights affect your brain and stimulate you more than warm tones, so be sure to use the Night Settings function on your cell phone. Keeping regular meal times and exercise times can also help your body regulate your bed time as well. –Kimberly Snyder is a New York Times best-selling author and wellness activists. She was named by Vogue as one of the top “results-oriented nutritionists.” Kimberly is the creator of an organic smoothie, juice and cleanse company called Glow Bio.
Put the phone away! The blue light overstimulates us at night as it messes with our melatonin production, telling our body that it’s still daytime. Keep your phone in another room, put it away at least 45 minutes before bed, and do not check it if you wake up in the night. Melatonin or Valerian are good products to take if you need an extra boost and make sure you have a comfy mattress, pillows and sheets. – Nikki Sharp is the author of the 5 Day Real Food Detox and wellness expert whose mission is to spread the message of healthy living.
I recommend that people eat their biggest meal when the sun is highest in the sky (i.e. noon) and that they consider writing down all their thoughts at night and taking hot bath in the evening. Sleep without any electronics in your bedroom. Have a room that can be blocked out from all light. I swear by these essential oils that are amazing, for grounding, calming and creating rest: vetiver, lavender, petigrain, chamomile, frankincense and even marjoram if you’re your sleeplessness is trauma based. And no matter what: do not consider drinking coffee after 12:00 noon. –Rainbeau Mars is the author of the 21 Day Superstar Cleanse and is one of Hollywood’s A-list health and beauty coaches. She is also a wellness/yoga consultant at the Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills.
I often do five minutes on my roller. I love to take a hot bath with some magnesium chloride salts added to it. It’s incredibly calming and I’ll take a few minutes to meditate and just unwind in the bath. I always have a glass of water with Natural Calm (a magnesium supplement) before bed and it really helps to have a truly deep and restorative sleep. A helpful meditation is to play your day backwards in your mind and you’ll soon by sawing zzz’s -Lauren Roxburgh is a fitness expert who focuses on flexibility and movement. Her book Taller, Slimmer, Younger – 21 Days to a Foam Roller Physique has set the standard for foam rolling in the industry.