In this article:
- Relaxing wind-down activities
- When to turn off your electronics
- Causes of sleep disturbances
- Gentle bedtime exercises
Ready to optimize your bedtime routine, so that you can enter each morning reenergized, recovered, and ready to tackle your workouts ahead!
What do you do during the last hour before bedtime?
Maybe you’re finishing up another episode…or three? Scrolling through social media? Snacking on popcorn or ice cream? Checking texts and emails one last time?
Did you know being in a room with bright lights and interacting with your electronics before going to bed can cause sleep disturbance? So does late-night snacking, especially on sugary foods, drinks, and alcohol.
What if you tried doing a jigsaw puzzle?
One of our pro-athlete clients has recently had great success in winding down before bed by choosing jigsaw puzzles instead of his regular habit of watching TV. He has even noticed better sleep and improvements in his workouts the next day!
Winding down after a workout doesn’t always have to mean jigsaw puzzles. The goal is to figure out what helps you relax and wind down during that last hour so you can get the most out of your sleep—the best recovery, immune support, detoxification, brain healing, muscle growth and development, and overall repair.
Try these 10 practices to get your most restorative sleep
- Set your alarms, then turn off ALL electronics.
- Dim the lights—use accessory lighting or candles.
- Do a relaxing activity that speaks to you: Meditation or breathing exercises (check out the Headspace or Insight Timer sleep apps, or The Tapping Solution).
- Read a book or magazine.
- Take a bath or do a foot soak (for extra calm, use magnesium salts or flakes).
- Write in a journal (try a gratitude log or just write about your day).
- Try restorative yoga or other easy stretching.
- Do a puzzle (jigsaw, crossword)!
- Color in a coloring book.
- Set the mood with some calming essential oils, incense, or non-toxic candles.
