OUR 7 TOP TIPS FOR AN EVENING ROUTINE WHICH MAKE FOR A BETTER MORNING!

Your bedtime routine should feel easy and be about taking care of yourself. It may take a few nights to set in, but be patient. Weekends can be tricky with social events and evening activities, but if you keep it simple, the nightly ritual can pay off in major sleep dividends and can lead to a MUCH better morning, helping you to wake earlier, brighter and with a little more energy too, leading to a much more grounded and productive day ahead.

Try going to bed a little earlier

Whether you’re a lark or an owl, a good night’s sleep is important for your health. Sleep experts Trusted Source recommend that you start by going to sleep anywhere from 20 minutes to two hours earlier each night. Over a period of weeks, move your nighttime routine earlier and earlier until your bedtime allows you to get the requisite amount of sleep before your alarm goes off and the day begins.

Reduce your screen time before bed

The light emitted from electronic devices interferes with the brain's sleep cycle and can prevent getting a good night's sleep.

To sleep more soundly, keep screens out of the bedroom and avoid them for at least an hour before you climb into bed.

Drink a warm calming tea

Chamomile tea is most commonly known for its calming effects and is frequently used as a sleep aid. Making a sleep tea part of your bedtime routine can have a calming effect that may get your mind ready for bed. Some research indicates that the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) acid in valerian root may make the brain less active and the antioxidants in chamomile could also produce a calming effect,

Try a Yin Yoga Class

Resting in soft restorative- and yin yoga-positions provides maximum relief for the body's system. By supporting the body's joints with pillows, blankets and really feeling that one is held, a deep recovery is allowed.

Search Emma’s ‘Intro to Yin’ Series on the on-demand library. There are 3 episodes (Hip opening, Heart opening, and grounding flow), if you’re short on time complete one, or if you have more time try all 3 back-to-back.

Try a Yoga Nidra

While yoga nidra (a deep relaxation technique) is not a substitute for sleep, scientific studies have shown that 45 minutes of yogic sleep feels like 3 hours of regular sleep. This effect is due to the series of brain-wave changes experienced during yoga nidra.

Yoga nidra has shown to help you fall asleep and get back to sleep at night. You can join Jenny live every Wednesday at 8.00 for a 45 minute restorative yoga and nidra class. Check out the members page for the class details.

Write a to do list

It’s not meditation or even journaling - it’s writing a list of all the things you need to get done the next day. Writing a to-do list may allow the brain to “dump” all the items it’s trying to keep track of, effectively freeing it to fall asleep.
Writing a to-do list will ‘off-load’ those thoughts from consciousness…and thereby decrease sleep onset latency. Letting them go by writing them down may be a way to free up working memory and let the brain relax.

Have a warm bath or shower

A warm bath or shower one to two hours before going to bed facilitates the body's natural flow into sleep by lowering body temperature. Immersing yourself in warm water shunts blood flow to our palms and the soles of our feet and helps heat dissipate from the body.