I’ve always been a busy person running from one task to the next, even before the kids were home all day, every day. I hardly get moments to myself or chances to sit down unless I am intentional about them. With a brain running FULL throttle all day, sometimes it’s hard to calm it down at night.

Sleep is so important to having a healthy mindset for the next day and if you haven’t had enough sleep, you’ll notice the next day that it is harder to focus and can lead to more anxious or sad thoughts.

In the past if I couldn’t get my brain to calm down I’d end up scrolling on my phone or catching up on missed messages in bed. I’d eventually fall asleep but never have very good, deep sleeps. I knew in order to get the rest my body desperately needed, I was going to have to make some changes. I started these 5 bedtime routines that have helped me bring calm and peace to my mind as I prepare for a deep night’s sleep. And let me tell you, when I do these things I have the BEST sleeps EVER!!

1. Goal: Start Winding the Kids Down.
   My Go-To: Back-rubs and Sing Songs.
   My bedtime routine starts when I put my kids to bed. Even though that can be hours before I actually go to bed myself, I find that it helps me get into the mindset of winding down. Every night, I spend some time rubbing the kids backs while singing to them as they lay in their beds. This bedtime routine helps me to slow down and spend some time with them. Rubbing their backs with slow movements brings me back into the moment to savour it.
2. Goal: Signal to the Mind that It’s Bedtime.
   My Go-To: Lights Out, Earth Tones and Crystals.
   Tell the brain that it’s time to move from what I like to call “active brain” to “passive brain.” You can signal that it’s time to start slowing down by creating an environment around you that is quieter, slower paced and peaceful. I turn out the lights in the kids rooms and turn on their Himalayan Salt Lamps which give a nice warm glow to the room. I turn on calming earth tones for them that they can fall asleep to. Earth tones are the frequencies of the earth’s electromagnetic field. My kids love listening to these and I notice that it reduces their anxious thoughts. The kids each have a few crystals that they picked out for themselves so at night we hold these crystals for a few moments. My favourite crystals to use at bedtime are rose or white quartz because these are the crystals of peace, love and inner healing. A great grounding stone is tourmaline. The kids and I hold our crystals to receive the peaceful energy we need at bedtime.
3. Goal: Remove Distractions and Bright Screens.
   My Go-To: Putting My Phone in a Lockbox.
   If I have a call or training with my team after the kids go to sleep then this usually has to wait until after they go to bed but if I don’t have any plans for the rest of the night, I will get the kids to help me lock my phone up. Literally! I have a lockbox with a timer on it that I use for my phone. The kids love when they get to help lock up my phone because that means they get my full, undivided attention for the rest of the evening. Once the box is locked and the timer is on, I can’t open it back up until the timer ends. We’ll usually lock it up for 12 hours so once it’s locked, it’s locked for the night! This has been huge in helping me get crazy good sleeps. I sleep so deeply when I don’t have a phone in my bedroom and when I’m not staring at a screen late at night! If you don’t have a lockbox, just turn your phone completely off and commit to not turning it on again until the next morning.  Leave it out of your bedroom too! If that means you need to get an alarm clock and set it up in your room, do it! You’ll notice a difference right away.

   

4. Goal: Relax Your Body.
   My Go-To: Epsom Salt Bath, Candles and Skincare Routine.
   I am a huge bath person. Taking a bath before bed with some candles lit not only gives me a moment for self-care, it also gives me a chance to really relax and destress after a long day. Epsom salts relax your muscles and having a bath before bed will get you into a cozy, sleepy mood. My Monat skincare routine is also a way to wind down at the end of the day. Cleaning my face is like a reminder to remove all the stress from the day. Just wash it off.
5. Goal: Reflect and Enjoy the Memories of the Day.
   My Go-To: Prayers and Gratitudes.
   Each night I reflect on the things I am most grateful for from the day. I think back on the happiest moments and what brought me joy. My favourite prayer to pray at night is the Ho’oponopono prayer. It’s a simple yet beautiful Hawaiian prayer that says “I love you, I’m sorry, Please forgive me, Thank you.” This beautiful prayer is about accepting responsibility for the past day and is a chance to reflect in order to release any negative energy that you might be holding onto. Spending time right before bed to think about gratitude is a perfect way to reset your mind for the next day. Have you ever heard that what you think about right before you go to bed is the first thing you think about in the morning? Wouldn’t it be the best way to wake up if the last thought you had at night was gratitude filled and the first thought you woke up to is also gratitude filled? That sounds like the perfect way to start the next day!Bonus Routine: Tim and I find our quality time together after the kids have gone to sleep. We usually just snuggle together and relax by watching a show. Right now our go-to is Ozark and I’ll admit it has us hooked! We end up watching more episodes than we probably should because every ending is a cliff hanger! Spending quality time with your significant other right before bed is another way to finish off the day with cozy, happy feelings.

These are my go-to bedtime routines. Some of them are things I consistently do every night and others, like taking a bath, just happen when I am able and are a special addition to my regular routine. Try to do at least 1 or 2 rituals each night to consistently develop a bedtime habit. Incorporating some calming activities or thoughts into your routine will help you go to bed feeling calm and peaceful. In the morning, you’ll be energized and ready to embrace a new day.

Connect the Dots
Pick one of these things or choose your own bedtime routine activity. Commit to doing that one thing this week every night. How did it improve your sleep? Did you find it helped calm you down? Look at your current routine and find out if there is anything that you need to remove that is causing too much stress or anxiety right before bed.