Bedtime Routines

Do you find yourself awake in the middle of the night doing nothing in particular? Even worse, do you then find yourself waking up totally exhausted because of it?

Sounds like you need to up your sleep routine game.

Why Have A Bedtime Routine

Bedtime routines are important. Why? Because sleep is important. Your body subconsciously learns to take cues from your environment and the activities you’re participating in. So the more consistent your sleep routine, the more your brain picks up on that and starts firing off the right sleep chemicals you need to have a good night’s rest.

Not only is sleep good for your own sanity, but it’s great for your overall health, too. When you sleep enough, your immune system gets stronger, you focus on tasks more easily, and your body rapidly heals from the stressors you experienced earlier that day.

Without a consistent routine, you’re looking at an irregular sleep cycle. Trust me, you do not want that, and we don’t want that for you, either. 

Bedtime Routine Ideas For Adults

So let’s find a sleeping routine that works for you. Routines for adults and children can be similar, but not always.

Here are some suggestions for creating a normal sleeping routine as an adult.

Don’t eat too late - First, evening snacking often leads to weight gain, which can lead to sleep problems down the road, like sleep apnea. Second, late-night snacking often leads to heartburn, which can negatively affect the quality of your sleep.

Time your drinking - Plenty of people like to have a glass of wine before bed. No shame here. You do you. But, although alcohol can make you feel sleepy, it can also wake you up in the middle of the night if you don’t time it right. If you want to learn more about alcohol and sleep, check out this article we wrote on it.

Brush your teeth - Brushing your teeth is an important part of good oral hygiene, but that clean-mouth feeling helps complete a ritual that signals to the rest of your body that it’s time to relax and wind down.

Take a shower - Did you know that your body temperature drops a little when you sleep? And did you know that when you get warmed up from a nice, hot shower, your body is forced to cool down afterward? An evening shower is an awesome way to trigger sleep.

Avoid screens - Looking at a screen fires off the same electrical signals that your body uses to work. This means your brain literally can’t tell whether you’re scrolling through Instagram or writing a work email. So looking at that screen will just keep you wired because it puts your brain in work mode instead of sleep mode.

Bedtime Routine Ideas For Kids

If you have kids, especially young ones, you know that bedtime can be a chore for both the kids and parents. So here are some tips to make bedtime easier.

Set timers - Timers are objective third parties. It’s easier to set a timer and let it be the bad guy that says it’s time to go to bed. Trust us, there will be fewer arguments.

Create a calm environment - Kids get riled up pretty easily. Soft lighting and calm voices will help set the tone for bedtime.

Eliminate distractions - Toys are fun to play with during the day, but they’re a distraction at night. Use clean up time to help them calm down and put away the nightly distractions themselves.

A Great Mattress Needs To Be Part Of Your Bedtime Routine

Whether you’re looking to help put a young kid to bed or you’re trying to catch some Zzzzs yourself, Simmons is here to help. We’ve got your back (literally) if you need to upgrade your mattress for some extra comfort and some quality sleep.

Come check out our great firm, medium, and plush mattresses today!