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How to Create a Relaxing Nighttime Routine for Better Sleep

Vibes CBD | August 17, 2023

More than half of UK adults regularly have trouble sleeping. If you’re one of them, sleep deprivation can grind you down over time — making you fatigued, irritable, and less productive.

The good news? You’re not doomed to be sleepless forever. A lovely, relaxing evening ritual can do an awful lot to help you nod off. We’re all creatures of habit, after all, and bringing back the bedtime routine you were used to as a child might work wonders.

Are you ready to remember what it feels like to wake up fully rested and roaring to go?

Join us for a look at a healthy nighttime routine that helps you wind down from a stressful day with relaxation, meditation, CBD products, and without screens.

Why Restful Sleep is Key to Good Health

Your body is hard at work while your conscious mind checks out to get those Zzzs in.

A good night’s sleep helps to keep every major system working the way it should, and restful, interrupted sleep is vital for your cardiovascular and respiratory system, metabolism, memory, hormonal balance, and emotional wellbeing. Healthy sleep also contributes to a strong immune system.

Adults between 18 and 60 need at least seven hours of sleep to be their best and healthiest selves, while older adults benefit from a little more. Not everyone needs the same amount of sleep, but you’ll know you’re not getting enough quality sleep if:

You’re tired when you wake up and remain fatigued throughout the day.
You routinely have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep — perhaps because you’re ruminating about the stressors in your life.
You’re moody and have trouble concentrating.

Trouble sleeping is a good reason to see your GP, but the key to enjoying a good night’s sleep might be simpler than you think. A relaxing evening routine helps you let go of your stress and trains your brain to fall asleep more easily.

You could be taking healthy sleep for granted before you know it, and this guide shows you how with science-backed tips.

We’ll cover:

How to unwind from a long day.
How to create a relaxing bedroom environment.
How to incorporate CBD products in your wellness and relaxation routine.

Then, we’ll send you off with some final tips (and keep our fingers crossed that you’re sleeping like a baby).

1. Winding Down From a Long Day

Too many people see going to sleep as an on/off switch they need to flick. When that switch jams, they just hit it harder (by repeatedly telling themselves to go to sleep). The problem? Sleeping on command doesn’t work. You need to prepare your body and mind.

Think of falling asleep as a gradual process — one that starts long before you make it to the bedroom — and you just might find it a lot easier.

Have a look at these tips to help you wind down and pick and choose the ones that fit your lifestyle and needs.

Process Stress Earlier in the Day

Do you routinely experience significant stress about work, family, health, or finances? Anxious thoughts are one of the biggest threats to a good night’s sleep. You can bet they’ll pop right up as you tell yourself to go to sleep if you don’t deal with them earlier in the day.

You can process your emotions by:

Writing your worries and fears down in a journal.
Talking to a friend, your partner, or a relative.
Engaging in physical activity — tinkering with your car, mowing the lawn, or playing football, for example.

It’s good to do that earlier in the day, like right after you get home from work, to set yourself up for a good night’s sleep later.

Make Your Evening a Stress-Free Zone

Are you answering work emails and phone calls or taking care of other responsibilities just before you head off to bed? Bad idea. Those new sources of stress might keep you up. Try to create a better work/life balance by turning your phone off at a set time. Instead, you could enjoy relaxing activities like:

Watching TV.
Playing board games (solitaire is pretty good if you’re alone, or try jigsaw puzzles).
Cooking delicious meals.
Folding laundry.
Going for a nice, slow walk outside.
Having a cup of tea (in the garden, if you have one).

These activities let your mind know you’re in “power-savings mode” now.

Take a Bath or Shower

A nice warm bath or shower is very relaxing, especially if you add essential oils. It also causes your core body temperature to drop, which is essential for a good night’s sleep. Try taking a bath or showering about an hour before you go to bed.

Meditate

Meditation isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but don’t knock it until you try it. If you follow these tips, you’ll already have taken steps to process your thoughts and emotions by the time bedtime rolls around. Take 10 or 15 minutes to meditate.

Read a Book

If meditation doesn’t work for you, reading a book can be just as good. Just make sure it’s a physical book instead of an ebook.

Consider Ditching the Booze and Coffee

That nightcap might initially seem to help you relax, but alcohol is a central nervous system depressant that makes you more likely to wake up multiple times during the night. If you’re drinking coffee at 10 pm, well, we don’t have to tell you that’s not a good idea.

You can replace your nightcap and nightly coffees with CBD products, including CBD gummies, CBD oil, CBD capsules, or even CBD tea. More about that later.

Put Your Devices Away

The blue light that screens emit tricks your brain into thinking it’s still daytime. We know they’re addictive but put those devices away. It will help.

2. Taking Steps to Improve Your Sleep Hygiene

The way you schedule your day can make a massive impact on your sleep quality. So can optimising your physical environment and committing to a set routine. Creating an environment that promotes sleep is a key part of your sleep hygiene.

Use this list to see how you can create healthier sleep habits!

Commit to a Bedtime

Go to bed and get up at roughly the same time every day, including weekends, to enjoy a better night’s sleep. Remember that most adults need at least seven hours of sleep every night, while some need eight to nine.

Keep Screens Out of the Bedroom

Only use your bedroom for sleep, sex, and pleasant nightly conversations with your partner. Keep screens, including TVs, phones, and computers, out.

Create a Calming Environment

A busy décor can get in the way. Keep your bedroom design simple and relaxing. Consider removing clutter. Try painting your bedroom walls a shade of blue or grey, and add cosy touches like comfy pillows, white noise machines, or little fountains. If you can dim your lights, do that — and it’s also a good idea to open your windows for at least 10 to 15 minutes before you go to bed.

Do you have a terrible mattress or pillow? Investing in better ones can make a huge difference.

Close Your Curtains or Blinds

A dark bedroom helps you go to sleep and stay asleep. Blackout curtains exist, and if you live in a bright and busy urban environment, they can really help you.

Keep Your Bedroom Cool

A temperature of around 18 degrees Celsius is ideal for the bedroom because you sleep better when your core body temperature is a little cooler.

3. Choosing the Best CBD Product for Your Relaxing Evening Routine

The endocannabinoid system is a complex network of receptors present throughout the body, and this system plays a vital role in supporting optimal health and functioning — including by contributing to healthy sleep.

Cannabidiol is one of the components of cannabis that act on the endocannabinoid system, but without creating the high associated with THC.

Research shows that many people try CBD products to help with their sleep. People hoping to incorporate hemp-derived cannabidiol products into their nightly relaxation and wellness routines have many options.

They can choose from several types of CBD:

Full-spectrum CBD incorporates all parts of the hemp plant, including terpenes, and may have a THC content of up to 0.03 per cent.
Broad-spectrum CBD includes many parts of the hemp plant, and it may have trace elements of THC.
CBD isolates are the purest form of CBD, and they don’t contain any THC. This popular CBD product may be the best choice for consumers who want to ensure they’re not ingesting any THC.

CBD Gummies

CBD gummies are among the most popular CBD products because they’re fun, tasty, and easy to use. High-quality CBD isolate gummies are lab-tested to ensure they’re potent, pure, and correctly dosed — each gummy offers a dose of 25 mg.

If you’re creating a relaxing bedtime routine, you might want to enjoy a CBD gummy along with a nice cup of tea or some hot chocolate.

CBD Oil

You can incorporate CBD oil by using the dropper to measure your desired dose and placing it under your tongue. Hold your premium CBD oil in place for 60 to 90 seconds, swallow, and carry on with the rest of your nighttime routine — by brushing your teeth, for example.

CBD Capsules

Some people prefer to take CBD capsules. Quality CBD capsules have some advantages over CBD oil, in that there’s no need to measure out your desired dose. You take CBD capsules just like you’d take multivitamin supplements — with a cup of water.

CBD capsules are long-acting and take a while to kick in. That’s why people hoping to incorporate CBD products into their relaxing nighttime rituals might want to take a CBD capsule around 30 minutes before bed.

CBD Vape Pens

Former cigarette smokers who have recently switched to vaping might have the habit of vaping before bed. It is, however, important to consider that nicotine simultaneously acts as a stimulant and a depressant — and it can disrupt your sleep.

Using a CBD vape pen is a good alternative for vapers who don’t want to ingest nicotine before they go to bed. Vaping is also a user-friendly way to relax with CBD.

CBD Tea

CBD tea is another great option for people who want to include cannabidiol in their nighttime routines. Make yourself a nice cuppa and take it to bed. Snuggle up with a book if you like!

4. Setting Yourself Up for a Good Night’s Sleep

Assuming you’re embracing these tips for a relaxing evening routine, you’ll have done most of these things by the time you finally pop yourself into bed:

You’ve created a relaxing bedroom environment.
You’ve dealt with the day’s stress in a healthy way.
You’ve had a relaxing evening.
You’ve had a nice bath, meditated, and read a good book for a while.
You’ve used your chosen CBD product, like CBD gummies, CBD oil, CBD capsules, or a CBD vape pen.

What’s next?

You could try breathing exercises, play a word association game with yourself, or simply let your mind go blank. Don’t force it! Don’t get stuck in anxious thoughts about needing to go to sleep, and don’t peek at the clock!

Take Control of Your Night and Enjoy a Restful Night’s Sleep

The power of routines can help many people who have trouble falling asleep and staying that way get the rest they need. A relaxing nighttime routine incorporates calming activities like reading, meditation, and a hot bath.

People who are curious about adding CBD products to their evening routines can make a ritual of this, too.

Don’t expect instant results. It may take a while to get used to your new routine. If you’re using CBD products, your body may take some time to get used to the cannabidiol, too.

Don’t give up on your new relaxing nighttime routine! Give yourself at least a month to adjust, and accept that it takes time to fall asleep more easily. Still got trouble? If you find yourself ruminating, get up for a bit to read or meditate, and head back to bed when you start feeling tired.

Good luck! You can do it!

Sources:

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