We’ve all heard about the virtues of having a sound morning routine. If I were to hear about how most successful people wake up at 4 a.m. one more time, I’ll bang my head against a brick wall. But many of us don’t realise that in order to be able to perform our morning routines, we need a good night’s sleep. This is where a nighttime routine plays a crucial role.
If you don’t get adequate rest for an extended period of time, it starts adversely affecting your day-to-day lives. Your concentration levels sink, your skin begins to show signs of stress, and your decision-making abilities deteriorate. So we’ve compiled a few things you can do at night so that your mornings go smoothly.
1. Prepare for work beforehand
How many times have you run around like a headless chicken in the morning trying to decide what to wear? God knows I’ve turned my entire bedroom upside down because I couldn’t find my office key card or my phone charger.
To prevent this early morning panic, which can ruin the start to a perfectly good day, do all of this stuff at night. Before going to bed, make sure your laptop is charged, device chargers are neatly put in your bag, and you’ve laid out the clothes you’ll wear the next morning.
2. Get the temperature right
Studies have shown that the higher the temperature of a room, the harder it will be to get proper sleep. The ideal room temperature for adults to get restful sleep in is between 15-22 degrees. So, set the temperature on your airconditioning to one that is the most comfortable, wear little to no clothing so that your body can breathe, and relax.
3. Turn your bedroom into a sanctuary
Your bedroom should make you feel calm and comfortable. If it doesn’t, your sleep is bound to get affected. Make sure the bed, bedsheets, and the atmosphere is relaxing for you. If you slip into bed and your bed sheets feel greasy and dirty, you’re going to stay awake feeling icky about it.
Try using an incense diffuser so that even your sense of smell calms you. Close the blinds tight and use an eye patch to block out any remaining shafts of light. A dark, cool, and comfortable room are good things to start with for a restful night’s sleep.
4. Limit screen time
As we all know, our phones emit white light which jolts our systems awake, thereby preventing us from getting proper sleep. And as much as we love binge-watching Netflix, it’s not the most relaxing thing to do before bed. Reserve your Friends and The Crown binge-watching for the weekend.
Instead, pick up a nice book to read. This is one of the most relaxing things you can do before bed. As a bonus, you’re also learning something in the process.
Follow these simple tips and watch how your mornings suddenly become something you look forward to instead of dreading.
