5 Ways to Build an Elevated Sleep Routine
Ah, sleep. A thing so easy to take for granted—till a restless night of sleep turns into nights, which spiral into exhausted days and weeks. The past few years have upended even the most structured sleep cycles (read: anxiety, revenge sleep procrastination, disrupted schedules), and while life is almost back to some degree of normalcy, sleep, for many, still isn’t.
As with most body functions, sleep, too, benefits from routine. If you’re having trouble getting a good night’s rest, you may want to check your sleep hygiene. Good sleep hygiene is a mix of several habits and practices—experts recommend consistency in when you sleep and wake up, cutting off coffee after 4PM, device-free buffer time before you sleep, even down to making sure the mattress, pillow and bedding you use are optimal for a restful night.
Once you have this foundation in place, you can build up and create a little wind-down routine customized to your needs and likes. Essentially, a soothing sleep ritual should impact not just when you fall asleep, but the quality of sleep itself.
Here we recommend five things that can help you build your own sweet sleep routine.
Slow down with self-care
Before you turn in for the night, start to slow down with a relaxing night time beauty routine. It can be as minimal or elaborate as you prefer, but the key is to make it mindful. Let yourself relax as you take time to cleanse your face or apply your face oil, and throw in a little gua sha or jade roller session to coax the muscles of your face, neck and shoulders into easing out.
Spray a mist
Find a pillow mist with grounding essential oils like lavender, clary sage, camomile and frankincense. Not only will it make the sleep experience more luxurious (we highly recommend pairing with silk pillowcases and an eye mask), but also help you get deep and restful ZZZs.
Swap your nightcap
Instead of your usual tipple, sip on sleep-inducing teas and brews—look for ingredients like lavender, valerian, passionflower and camomile, and enjoy a warm cup before you hit the bed.
Let a celebrity lull you to sleep
How about a bedtime story, narrated by Harry Styles? Or a playlist of ambient sounds that helps John Legend fall asleep? You can find both, on Calm and Headspace respectively. For the more literature-inclined, you can find famous books and poetry on Audible, narrated by cinema stalwarts like Morgan Freeman and Helen Mirren.
Try a supplement
If you need a little extra help drifting off, there’s a variety of non-prescription pills and gummies you can try. Most contain ashwagandha, melatonin, and other ingredients that are safe and help you relax. CBD oils (we love the one from Qurist) can also help calm down a busy mind.
