6 Tips to Build a Better Bedtime Routine

In our perpetually dieting world, it’s not uncommon to lie in bed hungry, but not wanting to eat in an effort to save calories. However, hunger is stimulating and fragments sleep.

Eating a light carbohydrate or protein snack prior to bedtime will stave off hunger without causing you to crash and awaken later in the night. 

A nighttime drop in core body temperature increases one’s chances of both falling asleep and enjoying the coveted deep layers of sleep.

One of the best ways to trigger a drop in your body temperature is to raise it two to three hours earlier by taking a warm bath. 

The more time you spend in bed before you sleep, the more your body gets used to being awake in bed.

Spend any time winding down before bed in a “daytime” space like the living room, then heading to bed about 20 minutes before you want to be asleep.

Get enough sleep and keep your sleep cycle regular, even over the weekends. 

Sleeping in to compensate for late Friday or Saturday nights—or sleep-deprived workweeks—is a major cause of insomnia and sleep trouble.