Having trouble with insomnia? Create your own sleeping ritual to start sleeping better right away!
We have reminded you many times of how important it is to always respect the same hours in the evening and morning: to not interrupt or compromise the cicardian rhythm, our body has to always observe, more or less, the same schedule.
But just as important to help you fall asleep more easily in the evening, is to stick to a resting ritual: what does this mean? It means to make the best of the “transitional hour”. Find out how!
The transitional hour
Run the numbers: establish at what time you have to wake up, subtract the 7/8 hours of sleep you need and you’ll obtain the time when you should fall asleep. So for example, if your alarm is set at 6:30 am (no snooze allowed!) then it would be good for you to fall asleep around 11.00 pm.
Now subtract the nearly 20 minutes which may be needed to fall asleep once you’re lying in bed. We therefore get to 10.40 pm, the time at which you should be going to bed.
Well, now subtract 1 hour: 9:40 pm is the moment when you should begin your “transition” towards a healthy rest!
Relaxing activities to tell your body that it’s time to prepare for rest
You have 60 minutes to get ready for a full rest: so put your sleeping ritual together. If you’ll stick to the same habits every evening, your body will understand that the time for resting is approaching and will prepare at best.
Reading, listening to music, having a hot bath; there are several activities to choose from, either to do alone or in company.
The importance of a ritual for children’s rest
For toddlers, the importance of a sleeping ritual is even greater: reading a fairy tale, drinking a chamomile, taking a bath and putting on pajamas are all activities that prepare your child for rest and helps him/her relax.
Get ready to sleep… but not in the bedroom!
When you get ready for bed by reading a good book, drinking a cup of herbal tea or doing some relaxing exercises, remember not to do them in the bedroom but to get under the covers only when you feel really tired.
You bedroom should be your resting temple: carefully choose all the components of your bed system in order to rest wonderfully every night!
