Parents are told that kids function better when they have a consistent bedtime routine and get ~10+ hours of sleep (depending on their age). Sure, makes sense.
For adults, all the health articles, doctors, advice, etc. consistently recommend 7+ hours of sleep to function. Again, this makes sense. But in 2021, 7+ hours of sleep felt like a stretch.
At that point, my “me time” happened after the kids went to bed, laundry folded, dishes done, lunches made, etc. But, it felt like these doctors might have a point.
Thus, my 2022 new year’s resolution was to get 7+ hours of sleep each night. It might not happen every night, but more sleep certainly couldn’t hurt!
Over the year, the more sleep I got, the more I noticed my body craving more sleep. Now, if I try to stay up later, I can feel the difference. It’s a lot harder to wake up early to exercise.
So more recently, I’ve developed a bedtime routine. It really starts about an hour or so before my “bedtime,” which is about 7.5 hours before I need to wake up.
My current bedtime routine:
- Calm Goli Bites after dinner
- Limit screentime for 30 minutes+ before bed
- Black-out curtains
- Epsom salt bath
- Turn on my electric heated blanket when running the bath to start warming up my bed
- On really cold nights, I heat up my neck wrap and throw that between the sheets too! (Helps avoid getting into cold sheets)
- Nighttime face cleaning routine with my DIME Beauty products
- Quick foot massage using my Olive and June heel balm
- Reading or listening to a book I enjoy for about 10-15 minutes
- Lights out at bedtime – earlier if possible!
Of course, it helps that I’m also trying to simplify and continue to improve my life overall, which helps contribute to falling asleep more quickly. I’m removing self-imposed stressors (ex. stopped Beachbody coaching), prioritizing self-care, trying to limit my sugar intake, reducing blue light from screens and more.
I’m not great at any of this, but I’m trying to be better. Awareness is step 1 right? After that, I’m hoping consistency will turn into a healthy habit that will feel second nature. And while I might stop hot baths in the summertime, overall, I feel like my body is benefiting from my new bedtime routine.
A happy body = a happy mom, right? Fingers crossed!
Are you able to get 7+ hours of sleep a night? Do you have a bedtime routine? What helps you fall asleep more quickly? Comment below, I’d love to hear your thoughts and suggestions!
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