Are mornings a stressful part of the day around your house? If you find yourself struggling to juggle all the things in those early hours–you know, dressing kids, making breakfasts, packing everyone up, and grabbing three seconds to get yourself ready to go–we get it. And, we have tips to make it easier! The key to making your mornings more relaxed, and maybe even enjoyable? Nighttime routines that nourish your mind and body!
Here are seven nighttime routines that will help you start your mornings feeling less stressed and ready to take on whatever the day has in store for you.
1. KNOCK OUT THOSE MORNING CHORES
When your day’s finally done, sometimes the last thing you want to do is chores. Whether you’ve spent your evening wrapping up that important work project or coaxing your kids to finally go to sleep, it can be really tempting to push off things like doing dishes or packing lunches until the morning.
Guess what, though? Knocking those tasks out before you head to bed is one of the best things you can do to give yourself the best mornings! Turning those chores into nighttime routines will save you time in the morning and help you start your day with less on your plate.
Consider checking these chores off your list before you go to bed:
- Doing dishes
- Packing lunches
- Setting out everyone’s outfits for tomorrow
- Gathering up your keys, wallets, and any other essentials you need out the door
- Cleaning up toys and clutter
2. MAKE A TO-DO LIST FOR TOMORROW
If you’re someone who struggles to fall asleep because you’re lost in thought about all the things you need to do the next day, please, make this one of your nighttime routines!
Instead of mentally sorting through all the tasks and projects swirling around your head as you try to fall asleep, physically unload them. Take five minutes, a pen, and a piece of paper or notebook, and write out everything you want to accomplish the next day.
The more detailed you get with your list, the faster you’ll fall asleep. Really! Research has shown that people who write down the next day’s tasks before bed fell asleep faster than those who don’t. And, people who made very specific notes for those tasks fell asleep even faster.
You’ll wake up feeling ready and confident to tackle your day!
3. WRITE IN A GRATITUDE JOURNAL
Gratitude journals have become pretty popular in recent years, and for a good reason: they’re excellent for your mental health and wellness! And as one of your nighttime routines, gratitude journaling can help you sleep better and enjoy better mornings.
Each night before bed, set aside a few minutes to write down the events, things, and people you’re thankful for in your life. Consider even small moments, such as someone opening a door for you or how good it felt to help a stranger. Maybe you appreciate that a friend listened as you vented on the phone or that your kids got to school on time!
Writing in a gratitude journal will help you feel more positive, get better sleep, feel more focused, and de-stress as you end your day. It doesn’t matter whether your purchase a trendy gratitude journal or use a notebook you already have.
Try writing in a gratitude journal nightly for a week and see how quickly you feel better in the mornings!
4. FIND NIGHTTIME ROUTINES YOU ENJOY
How many of us end our days by scrolling social media and skimming our inboxes? It’s so easy to let looking at our phones or watching TV become the last things we do before we fall asleep! The reality is, looking at screens is pretty counterproductive if you want to get a good night’s sleep. And if you want the best mornings possible, you need that rest!
Instead of ending your night on your phone or watching your favorite show, switch gears to a pre-sleep hobby that’s fun, and that helps your body relax! Calming nighttime routines that include things like reading (not a bright electronic-reader screen, though!), puzzles, drawing, or even cute adult coloring books will help you calm down and cue your body that it’s OK to wind down.
Falling asleep with a calm mind will help you get those hours of rest you need to renew yourself and start your mornings feeling awake and ready to go.
5. TREAT YOURSELF TO RELAXING BEDTIME HYGIENE
At the end of a long day, you might just breeze through washing your face and brushing your teeth so you can quickly hop in bed. But if you add in a few minutes to make those nighttime routines more mindful and even enjoyable, you’ll be more relaxed when you hit the sheets. That doesn’t sound like too much to ask for when it comes to good zzz’s for better mornings, does it??
Try dimming the lights in your bathroom if you can to create a calm setting. Instead of quickly washing your face, try taking a full minute to gently scrub and massage the day away. If you can, take a nice hot bath an hour or two before bed to decompress and de-stress for a great night’s sleep.
6. CREATE AN ATMOSPHERE FOR DEEP SLEEP
Hey moms, you know the lengths you go to to create the perfect sleeping atmosphere for your babies? Dark rooms, maybe a sound machine’s soft rumbling? You deserve the same thing! Make prepping your bedroom for sleep one of your nighttime routines to help you fall asleep faster and start your mornings well-rested.
If you’re a fan of aromatherapy, try calming fragrances like lavender and cedarwood to encourage restorative and restful sleep.
Think about switching out your curtains or shades for black-out options to keep your room nice and dark into the early morning. They don’t block out kids from running into your room, but they do filter out the sunlight!
Then, consider turning your lights off earlier in the evening than when you hit the hay. This will help tell your body it’s time to relax and get ready for bed.
CREATE THE LIFE YOU DESERVE
Now that you have our favorite nighttime routines, it’s time to take charge and make every day the best it can be. In the Get It Done Academy, we focus on accountability and goal setting along with developing the habits and routines to support them. Join us today!