Health Tips
5 Healthy Nighttime Routine
Most of us have been guilty as charged for binge-watching until falling asleep and then waking up feeling regretful and lethargic. It is a vicious circle, but you can set yourself a healthy nighttime routine to break this unhealthy loop. Having a nighttime routine can be beneficial in many ways; here are they.
Health is wealth. But to treasure this wealth, one needs to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Adequate sleep is the key to a healthy body and mind. This article highlights some of the essential pre-bedtime habits you should inculcate to get a good sleep.
The groundwork for all happiness starts with maintaining a healthy lifestyle. It is an iterative process that one needs to plan and put into action regularly. One such way to get yourself moving on the wellness path is to set yourself a daily routine. While all of us must have heard about “morning routine,” we somehow fail to acknowledge the “night time routine” and the benefits it holds. Sticking to a healthy routine is not easy, especially after a whole day of work. This is probably why the nighttime routine takes a backseat.
Most of us have been guilty as charged for binge-watching until falling asleep and then waking up feeling regretful and lethargic. It is a vicious circle, but you can set yourself a healthy nighttime routine to break this unhealthy loop. Having a nighttime routine can be beneficial in many ways, such as:
- You will get better quality sleep.
- You will feel more energetic in the morning.
- Your brain will be pro-active throughout the next day.
Many factors lay a good foundation for a healthy nighttime routine, such as your bedtime, caffeine intake, screentime, etc. You need to understand the basics and personalize a routine with habits and activities that you find relaxing and helpful. Through this article, we highlight 5 healthy nighttime routines. Consider these ideas as the “starting point” for you to lay your foundation and not a “how-to guide.”
-
Stay Hydrated
It may sound simple, but we all tend to forget to drink enough water throughout the day. Drinking water has numerous health benefits, from keeping your heart healthy to improving your skin. On the other hand, dehydration can promote stress that causes lack of sleep and ultimately leads to several other health problems.
-
Cut Evening Caffeine Intake
The nighttime routine starts way before your head hits the pillow. A regular post-lunch cup of cold brew might help you through your day at work. However, caffeine intake can have consequences later. Studies have shown that caffeine has a life of 5-6 hours in your system. So if you drink your coffee, say at 5 p.m, its effects tend to linger till 10 p.m. Thus, the chances are high that you may end up disrupting your sleep cycle. If you are serious about setting a healthy nighttime routine, you can supplement caffeinated beverages with herbal infused tea and enjoy it with a side of healthy evening snacks.
-
Eat Healthy Dinner
Most of the diet plans that aim for a healthy lifestyle will recommend eating a healthy dinner at least a few hours before your bedtime. The best time to eat dinner is at least 3 hours before bedtime so that it allows your stomach to digest and help your body prepare for sleep properly. Including complex carbs, proteins, and vegetables can keep the energy and blood sugar levels steady.
-
Watch Your Alcohol Intake
Alcohol has sedative properties that allow you to fall asleep quickly. However, people who drink before bedtime are most likely to experience disruptions in the sleep cycle. As the blood alcohol level drops, it decreases the metabolism by the liver, causing sleep fragmentations. As a general thumb rule, it takes one hour for one serving of alcohol to be completely metabolized. Therefore, it is recommended to not have alcohol at least 4 hours before going to sleep to avoid any impact on your sleep cycle.
-
A Light Pre-Bedtime Snack (If You Are Hungry)
One of the most debatable nutrition topics is “Whether or not you should eat before bedtime?”. There is a common belief that eating before you go to sleep can lead to weight gain. On the contrary, a lot of health experts say that eating before bed is perfectly fine and may even improve sleep, help in weight loss and stabilize blood sugar levels.
If you are someone who frequently experiences hunger pangs right before sleeping, then this idea of a healthy pre-bedtime snack gets you past your desires.
Here is a healthy snack recipe you can munch on to satiate your midnight cravings without being guilty:
Trail Mix Greek Yogurt Parfait
Ingredients:
6 ounce of Greek yogurt with the flavor of your choice
½ cup of trail mix
2 tbsp of honey.
Method
Stir the yogurt until smooth, add the trail mix, and drizzle with 2 tbsp of honey. Enjoy.
Bottom Line
Good sleep is a key to a healthy lifestyle, but the kind of life we live these days, a night of quality sleep is hard to come by. Maintaining a personalized nighttime routine can bring some tangible benefits, from improving your mental health to making you feel well-rested and energized the following day.
Follow these listed simple habits coupled with some bedtime activities such as meditation, reading a book or journaling, or maybe just a warm bath, to help you get a good night’s sleep, which in turn will help you lead a healthy life.
