3 Ways To Make Your Nighttime Routine More Special

We all spend plenty of time doing one thing after the next each and every day. By the time bedtime rolls around, it’s all we can do to change into pajamas some nights! Some days, you might feel it’s a struggle to take off your makeup or change out of jeans. Still, it’s worth making a few adjustments to improve your nighttime routine. As a result, you’ll be better rested upon waking and more prepared to face the day ahead.

These changes are especially needed when you’re struggling with insufficient or low-quality sleep. When you’ve been suffering from poor or disordered sleep, it may seem like there’s no solution available to get you the rest you need. You might be surprised, then, to learn that you don’t need to try the newest as-seen-on-TV merchandise (complete with special offers, of course) that insists it will send you into sweet dreams. Instead, it may be as simple as adding a few special moments to your nighttime routine. Just a little bit of effort now can save your sleep for years to come.

1. Invest in a little bit of luxury.

First and foremost, you must consider your sleep hygiene—or lack thereof. For instance, browse some high-quality nightgowns, sleepshirts, or other nighties to find the material and style that’s most comfortable for you. If that’s a lace chemise, great! If it’s simply your go-to loungewear, that’s great, too. So, find the pajamas that work best for you, then look into ways you could upgrade your sheets, pillows, or even your mattress itself. A few small changes can offer significantly more comfort when you head to bed each night and a better night’s sleep as the night goes on.

2. Find new ways to unwind.

Even the comfiest sleepshirts can’t single-handedly offer a more sound slumber. Instead, look next to your nightly routine itself. Do you fall asleep to the rhythm of scrolling through social media? Consider moving your phone out of the bedroom until morning. Are you struggling to sleep due to too much on your mind? A meditation or journaling habit can help to clear your head. Something as simple as sipping a cup of chamomile tea or applying some lavender-scented lotion before bed can offer a proper good night’s sleep. If you don’t know where to start, simply head to Google—you’ll find there’s no shortage of ways to unwind before bedtime. There’s sure to be a tried and true method (or even quite a few methods) that will work well for you.

3. Set yourself up for success.

If your sleep problems manifest as trouble getting out of bed in the morning, you may benefit from minimizing the steps in your morning routine. What better way to do that than by revamping your bedtime routine to compensate? Consider putting together your outfit for the next day, compiling any pills or other must-haves the night before, looking over tomorrow’s schedule, and creating a to-do list before hitting the hay. As an added benefit, these steps can help clear your mind and ease your nighttime stress by stopping you from ruminating over to-do lists and other concerns when you should be drifting off to dreamland.

Of course, these are far from the only ways you can make your nightly routine more special. Taking the time to prepare for the following day will help avoid any after-effects of a sleepy, sluggish morning. Calming your body and mind before tucking yourself in at night can help you fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly. Finally, proper sleep hygiene—and a cozy nightgown or other pajamas—will ensure you get the highest quality sleep possible.