Habit of the Month: Going to Bed on Time

One of my subscribers asked how she could implement her new habit of going to bed by 10:00pm.

I’ve had struggles with this in the past myself.

What finally worked for me was going to bed just five minutes earlier each night and waking up five minutes earlier each morning.

And once I was waking up at the time I wanted – I set my goal to wake up at that same time every day for 30 days. So even on days when I don’t go to bed when I want, my wake up time stays the same. Then the next night I feel tired and ready for bed earlier.

We usually need different amounts of sleep each day, but if you wake up at the same time every day – including weekends, your body will let you know when you are tired.

Some other tips:

Turning the lights down with a dimmer switch an hour before bed.
No bright lights from computer monitors, phones or tablets so turn off electronics an hour before bed. I have an end time for my social media so I don’t get sucked into that and stay up too late.
No violent or adrenaline inducing TV within an hour before bed.
Have a before bed routine that relaxes you – like washing your face, brushing your teeth, gently laying out your clothes for the morning, journaling then reading something inspirational. If you just jump directly into bed, you are going to be wide awake thinking and tossing.
Get your chores done as soon as dinner is over if possible.
Journaling before bed can help you get all your to do’s and should haves out of your mind. I like to end my journal entry thinking about the best things of the day.
Doing a couple yoga stretches or doing a meditation right before bed can help you doze off easier. I fall asleep every night to an Insight Timer meditation through my Musicozy Sleep Headphones.
Saying an affirmation like, “I am letting today go and am drifting into a deep sleep” for a few minutes can calm your mind.
Time your evening routine, so you know what time you need to start to get to bed on time. Then set an alarm to remind you to start your evening routing.
Use a sound machine with nature sounds or white noise as you sleep.