Fix Your Sleep by Adjusting Your Routines
How did your health reset go this month ? (I have a bunch of kiwis on my kitchen counter that I’m going to eat as told. Honestly, I was expecting this.) This weekend, your job is to lock in your bedtime and morning routines so you can sleep better from here.
Is the weekend an odd time to add structure to your sleep schedule? Yes and no. You’re probably used to sleeping on weekends, but the lack of a formal structure (assuming you work 9 to 5) means it’s also a blank slate to experiment.
(Personally, I have Friday nights to stay up late if I feel like it, and on Saturday I don’t set my alarm. If I need to catch up, this is my chance. Like an owl, it’s kind of a pressure relief valve – a mental break, which lets me say, damn it, I do what I want.)
Morning and evening routines are important, so you can decide what to do first. A good bedtime ritual will make you wake up feeling amazing , and a plan for the morning solidifies your entire schedule, allowing you to choose the right time to sleep and set up a routine to relax and get ready for bed.
Establish a morning routine, but be kind to yourself.
Chances are, you’ve lost track of your schedule, especially if you used to travel to the office and now work from home. Take a moment to evaluate your morning routine and ask if it works for you.
Your morning routine shouldn’t be over-structured or very early. If you want to get up before dawn, meditate, exercise and prepare a full breakfast, that’s great! But even people who do it regularly have probably achieved it over time by sliding the clock back a little every time they thought, “Yes, I could add something else that would make me happy.” Consider a discreet “ non-standard routine ” if that’s more for you.
Not sure how to improve your morning routine? We have ideas. Don’t check your phone until after breakfast . If you hate mornings, simplify your routine so you can handle it faster . Or think of what you are doing as a mental readiness ritual rather than a set of chores. For more ideas, check out some of the posts from last year’s Wake Up Week , which have tips for working with sleepy kids , exercising in the morning, and making the breakfasts you’re looking forward to.
Be realistic about your bedtime routine
Your bedtime routine should end before bed, which means you’ll need to count down from waking up to set your schedule. Most of us need 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night . If you are often tired or lacking in “energy”, try going to bed every night and see if you feel better.
Then work backwards to set yourself up for success. If you want to go to bed at 11, what should you do at 10:30? Do you like brushing your teeth and bumping into your pillow, or do you like to relax a little when you’re in a jam?
We’ve got tips on how to fall asleep despite your worries about the collapse of the world, how to make sure you practice basic sleep hygiene , and how to keep your bedroom dark, quiet and dreamy . Tidying up your devices before bed can often help a lot, and to be completely honest, many of our best bedtime tips apply to Offspring. Just read the advice on how to put kids to sleep without a fight and apply it to your inner child.