5 Ways to Wind Down for Bed
Quality sleep is an overlooked yet fundamental aspect of health. When was the last time you woke up feeling completely rested? Improper sleep for too many nights in a row can result in adverse health effects. This includes a higher risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and more.
If you have trouble sleeping, you may not be taking the appropriate steps to wind down before bed.
Creating a nighttime ritual is a fantastic sleep remedy that can help solve your sleep problems. We'll provide a few research-backed tips on how to get ready for great sleep, including REST by MANTRA Labs – the best calming bedtime drink – to help you relax, get to sleep, and stay asleep to wake up feeling great.
1. Eat the Right Foods at the Right Time
If you’re searching for a natural sleep aid, eating the right things throughout your day will help you sleep better at night. Generally, spicy and high-fat foods will reduce your sleep quality. The following foods, however, will actually help you fall asleep and stay asleep:
- Milk, seeds, bananas, and eggs – these foods are rich in tryptophan
- Kiwi
- Tart cherries and cherry juice
- Salmon, mackerel, and cod – these fish are high in omega-3 count
- Nuts
You can incorporate different food groups into your overall diet, but be careful of what you eat in the two or three hours leading up to bedtime.
2. Save Your Bed for Sleeping
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many people started working from home. For those of us without a home office, that meant using our laptops from the couch, kitchen, or our beds. Humans are creatures of habit and our brains associate activities with places. If we work in the same place we sleep, we are probably not doing either to the best of our ability. This could result in restless sleep and drowsy productivity at work. Casual activities like reading a book or watching TV in bed can have the same effect.
3. Turn Your Phone Off – Just Do It
Turning your phone off is an easy sleep remedy that we tend to neglect. A lot of us fall into the habit of watching TikToks or scrolling through Instagram before going to sleep. Screen time before bed can keep your eyes awake. Think about how the sun dims as it sets at the end of the day; this helps your circadian rhythm know that it is time for bed. Keeping bright lights on in the house or in front of your face can disrupt this. Create a habit of setting your phone aside 30 minutes before going to bed. Many phones have a blue-light setting or a dimming timer. Use these to ease into the habit.
4. Grab a Bedtime Drink
Many bedtime drinks have been proven to relax the body into a good night’s sleep. If you’re wondering what to drink before bed, remember that not all bedtime drinks have the same effect; sometimes, they can keep you up even longer than intended. We recommend choosing a drink with natural ingredients used to promote sleep. Take chamomile, for example. Chamomile, lemon balm, and other herbs like passion flower are great teas to drink before bed because of their sleep-inducing properties (hence the reason they all play star roles in our REST supplement).
REST is a master blend of magnesium powder, melatonin, GABA, L-Theanine, and again, adaptogen herbs like lemon balm and passion flower. These ingredients work synergistically to help you relax, fall asleep, stay asleep, and wake up on the right side of the bed – literally.
5. Stretch or Do Yoga
Stretching is one more sleep aid you can take advantage of to help your body wind down. Work out the stress of the day by moving your body. Go ahead and play some soothing nature sounds from a phone or speaker to encourage meditation. A nightly routine involving yoga is sure to provide the bedtime relaxation you need.
Time to Act
Restful sleep is only a few steps away. Create a bedtime routine that works for you – what works for someone else may not be your cup of tea. Taking the time to set aside responsibilities and relax at the end of the day will help you fall asleep faster, sleep better, and wake up feeling refreshed.