my bedtime routine
in college, it’s hard to stick with a solid routine every night. for me, i know it’s important that i do certain things before bed, otherwise i’ll be up all night.
as i’ve talked about before, sometimes my anxiety gets in the way of my everyday lifestyle. sometimes i have a hard time sleeping because my mind will not just rest. to avoid that, i try to stick to my ideal nightly routine.
full disclaimer: i definitely don’t do all of this every single night but this is what i mean by my ideal nightly routine. normally when i’m home from school and not going to bed past midnight every night, i have more time to fit all of this in my schedule.
first, i take all my makeup off.
my skin just feels so much better when i take all of my makeup off before bed. when i’m in a rush, i just use clean & clear deep action makeup wipes. because i have super dry skin, i normally use clean & clear dual action moisturizer after wiping my makeup off. when i have a little more time on my hands, i like to use garnier skinactive micellar cleanser. this cleanser does such a good job of really taking all the dirt off my face!
next, i do some more boring things.
sadly, i have to wear contacts. i can’t sleep in them so i obviously have to put aside time at night to take them out. another boring yet obvious thing i do is brush my teeth! i wasn’t going to add this because it’s something everyone does but i didn’t want people to think i don’t brush my teeth :) no special products here, just plain old toothpaste and contact solution.
finally, i wind down and relax.
like i said earlier, sometimes i have a hard time falling asleep because i’m too busy thinking. to help myself have more of a clear mind, i like to either read or write before bed. if i have a lot going on, i typically write in my journal. i try to write in my journal at least once a day (not really good at keeping up with that) but i tend to write before bed. it helps me let go of whatever happened that day that is still taking up space in my head.
if i’m struggling with finding motivation to write, i like to pick a book to read. i have a few different books with me at school; i don’t necessarily read the same one every night. currently on my reading list is: originals: how non conformists change the world by adam grant, connected: how your friends' friends' friends affect everything you feel, think, and do by nicholas christakis, small great things by jodi picoult and both milk & honey and the sun & her flowers by rupi kaur. whatever book i pick up really just depends on my mood. it helps to read before bed, it gives me a different perspective.
recently, my roommate got me the perfect little gift to help me calm down! i’ve been using it every night. it’s just a small tube filled with almond oil and a blend of essential oils. you can either roll it on your temples, wrists or the nape of your neck. it really helps me calm down plus it smells SO nice. i don’t think you can buy it online, she got it for me from the makery, a super cute place in downtown durham! i don’t go to bed without at least putting it somewhere on my body.
another product i like to use before bed if i really need help sleeping and want to feel nice is the lush sleepy body lotion. i recently started using this stuff and it’s amazing! this lotion has cocoa butter and almond oil in it that makes your skin soft and smell so nice. i also am just a sucker for lavender scents :)
lastly, i meditate! i have a hard time meditating on my own so i recently just downloaded a new app to help me. this normally helps me fall asleep instead of tossing and turning. it also helps to get me off my phone at night. the app i use is called headspace. i normally put my headphones in and just relax! once the 10 minutes of meditation is over, i’m ready to go to bed!
if you have trouble sleeping at night, i recommend trying any of these things!
