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Sleep experts share the most important part of their bedtime routines

Want a good night's sleep? It's all in the build up.

Sleep experts share the most important part of their bedtime routines

Want a good night's sleep? It's all in the build up.

that awful groggy feeling we have when waking up has nothing to do with the fact that it's morning and everything to do with what we did the night before. Winding down the right way with sleep rituals can make waking up much easier the night before. Make it to do list for the next day. Getting your thoughts on paper will help tame anxiety about forgetting something. Be conscious of what you eat and drink before you doze off. Caffeine, sugar and alcohol don't make for a good night's sleep and sleep. Dot org's reminds us to go easy on any liquids before you hit the hay to prevent trips to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Relax your mind and your soul before bed with the spiritual practice, like reading sacred texts and low light writing a Gratitude Journal prayer or meditation? Create an atmosphere for sleep with a comfy bed, soft music and peaceful sense. Light aromatherapy by diffusing essential oils or incense, may create a sense of calm raging into all hours on the weekends. Isn't doing you any good? The National Sleep Foundation says. Stick to a sleep schedule of the same bedtime and wake up time. Even on weekends, A well established bedtime er team will help you wake up ready to take on your day.
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Sleep experts share the most important part of their bedtime routines

Want a good night's sleep? It's all in the build up.

An awful night's sleep can leave you feeling rotten: fact. Insomnia has been found to make people feel more anxious, and can have other side effects too including low mood and issues with concentration. Speak to the experts, and they'll all say the same thing: half the battle is in your bedtime routine. If you can nail down a calming, repetitive routine that prepares you for a good night's sleep, it should come more naturally.So with that in mind, what makes a healthy bedtime routine? We asked the experts what the most important component was for them when it comes to setting yourself up for a long, deep sleep.1. A regular bedtime "The most important element when it comes to your bedtime routine is securing regulated hours. Put simply, this is going to bed at the same time each evening and waking up at the same time each morning. Our bodies love regulation, so it’s particularly important to wake up at the same time each day — arguably even more so than going to bed at the same time each night."Following a bad night’s sleep, many people move away from their usual sleep routine and tend to sleep in, in an attempt to claw back some hours of lost sleep or shake off fatigue. However, when you sleep in or move away from your regular sleep pattern, you are teaching your brain that it is not important to get one block of quality sleep at night, which can train your brain to move into a different sleep pattern. If you regularly sleep in, it can leave you feeling tired and unable to wake up when your alarm clock goes off. Therefore, even if you do wake up feeling groggy and are tempted to lie in following a bad night’s sleep, try and resist temptation as this increases the risk of it becoming your new routine."— Sleep physiologist Stephanie Romiszewski on behalf of LloydsPharmacy 2. Keeping cool "A good bedtime routine should be focused on dropping your heart rate and being relaxed, as well as lowering your core temperature so you feel cooler."— Sleep expert James Wilson, AKA The Sleep Geek 3. Yoga"The most important aspect of my bedtime routine is making sure I feel relaxed and calm before I drift off, so I do a quick yoga routine. Yoga is a wonderful tool to use before bed as it calms the nervous system, which can be a big help if you are feeling over-stimulated from the day. I created the following mini routine that includes three positions:Child’s pose Legs up the wall poseCorpse poseThe routine only takes five minutes or so, and you don’t need any additional equipment."— Dr. Nerina Ramlakhan, ​ԳٲԾ’s​ resident sleep expert4. Ditching screens"The most important aspect is to have a wind-down period before bed. We cannot expect our body and mind to be in work mode on minute and sleep the next. Approximately an hour before bed, switch off all screens and technology — and anything work-related."— Dr. Sue Peacock, consultant health psychologist

An awful night's sleep can leave you feeling rotten: fact. Insomnia has been found to make people feel more anxious, and can have other side effects too including low mood and issues with concentration.

Speak to the experts, and they'll all say the same thing: half the battle is in your bedtime routine. If you can nail down a calming, repetitive routine that prepares you for a good night's sleep, it should come more naturally.

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So with that in mind, what makes a healthy bedtime routine? We asked the experts what the most important component was for them when it comes to setting yourself up for a long, deep sleep.

1. A regular bedtime

"The most important element when it comes to your bedtime routine is securing regulated hours. Put simply, this is going to bed at the same time each evening and waking up at the same time each morning. Our bodies love regulation, so it’s particularly important to wake up at the same time each day — arguably even more so than going to bed at the same time each night.

"Following a bad night’s sleep, many people move away from their usual sleep routine and tend to sleep in, in an attempt to claw back some hours of lost sleep or shake off fatigue. However, when you sleep in or move away from your regular sleep pattern, you are teaching your brain that it is not important to get one block of quality sleep at night, which can train your brain to move into a different sleep pattern.

If you regularly sleep in, it can leave you feeling tired and unable to wake up when your alarm clock goes off. Therefore, even if you do wake up feeling groggy and are tempted to lie in following a bad night’s sleep, try and resist temptation as this increases the risk of it becoming your new routine."

— Sleep physiologist on behalf of

2. Keeping cool

"A good bedtime routine should be focused on dropping your heart rate and being relaxed, as well as lowering your core temperature so you feel cooler."

— Sleep expert James Wilson, AKA

3. Yoga

"The most important aspect of my bedtime routine is making sure I feel relaxed and calm before I drift off, so I do a quick yoga routine. Yoga is a wonderful tool to use before bed as it calms the nervous system, which can be a big help if you are feeling over-stimulated from the day.

I created the following mini routine that includes three positions:

  • Child’s pose
  • Legs up the wall pose
  • Corpse pose

The routine only takes five minutes or so, and you don’t need any additional equipment."

— Dr. Nerina Ramlakhan, ​​ resident sleep expert

4. Ditching screens

"The most important aspect is to have a wind-down period before bed. We cannot expect our body and mind to be in work mode on minute and sleep the next. Approximately an hour before bed, switch off all screens and technology — and anything work-related."

— , consultant health psychologist